HMS Stately (1784) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Stately |
| Ordered | 10 December 1778 |
| Builder | Raymond, Northam |
| Laid down | 25 May 1779 |
| Launched | 27 December 1784 |
| Honours and awards |
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| Fate | Broken up, 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Ardent-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1388 (bm) |
| Length | 160 ft (49 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 44 ft 4 in (13.5 m) |
| Depth of hold | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Stately was a powerful warship of the Royal Navy. It was a "64-gun third-rate ship of the line," which means it was a large sailing warship with 64 cannons. These ships were the main fighting vessels of their time. Stately was launched on 27 December 1784 in Northam, England.
Contents
Serving in the French Revolutionary Wars
Stately played a part in the French Revolutionary Wars, which were a series of big conflicts between France and other European countries. Sir Richard King became the ship's commander in 1793.
Events at the Cape of Good Hope
In 1798, Stately was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope, a very important shipping route. While there, a court-martial (a military trial) took place on board. This trial was for a second mate from a merchant ship called King George. He had hit his captain while they were on land.
The court-martial decided the mate should go to prison. This event showed how the Navy's rules, called the Articles of War, could apply even to people on private ships if those ships had a special license to act like warships.
Becoming a Troopship
In 1799, the Navy changed Stately into a troopship. This meant it was used to carry soldiers instead of fighting in battles.
Stately was part of the Navy's campaign in Egypt from March to September 1801. Because of this service, its crew members later received a special award called the Naval General Service Medal with a clasp marked "Egypt."
Napoleonic Wars and Final Battle
When the Treaty of Amiens ended and war started again, Stately was changed back into a fully armed warship. This was during the Napoleonic Wars, another major conflict involving France.
The Battle of Zealand Point
On 22 March 1808, Stately and another British ship, HMS Nassau, fought a brave battle. They faced the last Danish warship of its kind, the Prinds Christian Frederik. This fight is known as the Battle of Zealand Point.
The British ships won, destroying the Danish warship. For their bravery in this battle, surviving crew members of Stately and Nassau later received another clasp on their Naval General Service Medal, marked "Stately 22 March 1808."
The End of Stately
After its long service, HMS Stately was taken apart in 1814. This is called "broken up" and means the ship was dismantled for its materials.
