HMS Leda (1828)

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

HMS Leda was a 46-gun Seringapatam-class fifth-rate frigate built for the Royal Navy during the 1820s, one of seven ships of the Druid sub-class.

Leda
History
United Kingdom
Name	Leda
Namesake	Leda
Ordered	15 May 1821
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	October 1824
Launched	15 April 1828
Completed	May 1828
Commissioned	Never
Reclassified	As a water police ship, March 1865
Fate	Sold for scrap, 15 May 1906
General characteristics
Class & type	Seringapatam-class frigate
Tons burthen	1171 38/94 bm
Length	159 ft (48.5 m) (gundeck) 133 ft 5 in (40.7 m) (keel)
Beam	41 ft 2 in (12.5 m)
Draught	15 ft (4.6 m) (unloaded only)
Depth	12 ft 9 in (3.9 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	315
Armament	46 guns: Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pdr cannon Quarterdeck: 14 × 32-pdr carronades Forecastle: 2 × 9-pdr cannon and 2 × 32-pdr carronades

Description

The Druid sub-class was an enlarged and improved version of the Serinapatam design, modified with a circular stern.^[1] Leda had a length at the gundeck of 159 feet (48.5 m) and 133 feet 5 inches (40.7 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 41 feet 2 inches (12.5 m), a draught of 15 feet (4.6 m) and a depth of hold of 12 feet 9 inches (3.9 m). The ship's tonnage was 1171 38⁄94 tons burthen.^[2] The Druid sub-class was armed with twenty-eight 18-pounder cannon on her gundeck, fourteen 32-pounder carronades on her quarterdeck and a pair of 9-pounder cannon and two more 32-pounder carronades in the forecastle. The ships had a crew of 315 officers and ratings.^[3]

Construction and career

Leda, the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy,^[4] was ordered on 15 May 1821, laid down in October 1824 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 15 April 1828.^[3] She was completed for ordinary at Plymouth Dockyard in May 1828 and the ship was roofed over from the mainmast forward.^[2]