HMS Defence (1815)

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

HMS Defence was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 25 April 1815 at Chatham.^[1]

Defence
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Defence
Ordered	23 March 1809
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	May 1812
Launched	25 April 1815
Fate	Burnt, 1857
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Vengeur-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	1754 bm
Length	176 ft (54 m) (gundeck)
Beam	47 ft 6 in (14.48 m)
Depth of hold	21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion	Sail
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Upper gundeck: 28 × 18 pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 12 pdrs, 10 × 32 pdr carronades Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades Poop deck: 6 × 18 pdr carronades

History

HMS Defence was ordered on 23 March 1809 and laid down in May 1812 at Chatham Dockyard. She was launched on 25 April 1815 and served as a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line.

In 1849, she was converted to serve as a prison ship. On 14 July 1857, Defence was badly damaged by an accidental fire at Woolwich, likely caused by spontaneous combustion in a recently delivered load of coal.^[2] The fire was extinguished by scuttling the ship, and the remains were subsequently broken up later that year.^[3]

Sectional view of the interior of the Defence Hulk, (The Woolwich prison ships)

The Defence hulk and the Unite convict hospital ship, off Woolwich