HMS Alfred (1778)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Alfred.

HMS Alfred was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 October 1778 at Chatham Dockyard.^[1]

Alfred
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Alfred
Ordered	13 August 1772
Builder	Joseph Harris (August 1772 - March 1773) William Gray (March 1773 - February 1774) Israel Pownoll (February 1774 - October 1778)
Laid down	November 1772 at Chatham Dockyard
Launched	22 October 1778
Fate	Broken up, 1814
Notes	Participated in: Battle of Cape St Vincent
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Alfred-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	1638 (bm)
Length	169 ft (52 m) (gundeck)
Beam	47 ft 2 in (14.38 m)
Depth of hold	20 ft (6.1 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns QD: 14 × 9-pounder guns Fc: 4 × 9-pounder guns

Career

She fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780.

Alfred (middle left) at the Battle of Frigate Bay 26 January 1782

She was at the Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, that took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse. In the Battle of the Saintes on 9 April 1782 she led Hood's van squadron at the head of the fleet, impudently crossing in front of the French fleet in a taunting fashion.^[2] The article on the Second Battle of Copenhagen (1807? ) shows her as being under the command of Captain John Bligh. Other sources show that William “Bounty Bastard” Bligh was present at this battle in a ship equipped with the newer carronade guns intended for close quarter anti-personnel work.

Lloyd's List reported on 17 May 1795 that Alfred had captured a French 22-gun corvette off Cape Finisterre. The corvette had been sailing to the West Indies and Alfred took her into Barbados.^[3]

Fate

Alfred was broken up in 1814.^[1]