HMS Royal George (1827)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Royal George.

HMS Royal George was a 120-gun first-rate three-decker ship of the line built for the Royal Navy during the 1820s. The ship was completed in 1827, but remained in ordinary until 1850. She was converted into a steam-powered ship in 1852–1853 and rearmed.

Depiction of HMS Royal George by Charles Fitzgerald
History
United Kingdom
Name	Royal George
Ordered	2 September 1819
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	June 1823
Launched	22 September 1827
Completed	3 December
Renamed	From Neptune, 12 February 1823
Fate	Sold for scrap, 23 January 1875
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Caledonia-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	2615 17⁄94 bm
Length	205 ft 8 in (62.7 m) (gundeck)
Beam	54 ft 7 in (16.6 m)
Draught	18 ft 3 in (5.6 m)
Depth of hold	23 ft 2 in (7.1 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	900 (wartime)
Armament	120 guns: Lower gundeck: 32 × 32 pdr guns Middle gundeck: 34 × 24 pdr guns Upper gundeck: 34 × 24 pdr Congreve guns Quarterdeck: 6 × 12 pdr guns, 10 × 32 pdr carronades Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades

Description

The Caledonia class was an improved version of HMS Hibernia with additional freeboard to allow them to fight all their guns in heavy weather. Royal George had an extra layer of fir added to her hull to improve her stability. She measured 207 feet 8 inches (63.3 m) on the gundeck and 171 feet (52.1 m) on the keel. She had a beam of 54 feet 7 inches (16.6 m), a depth of hold of 23 feet 2 inches (7.1 m), a draught of 18 feet 3 inches (5.56 m) and had a tonnage of 261517⁄94 tons burthen. The ship's armament was authorized as 120 muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns that consisted of thirty-two 32-pounder (56 cwt) guns^{[Note 1]} on her lower gundeck, thirty-four 24-pounder 49 cwt guns on her middle gundeck and thirty-six 24-pounder Congreve guns on her upper gundeck. A pair of 12-pounder guns and two 32-pounder carronades were intended for her forecastle and six 12-pounders and ten 32-pounder carronades for her quarterdeck.^[1]

Royal George's authorized armament was changed in 1840 with the 32-pounders on the lower gundeck replaced by thirty 56 cwt models and a pair of 60 cwt 68-pounder guns. The 24-pounders on the middle gundeck were exchanged for thirty-two 56 cwt 32-pounders and a pair of 60 cwt 68-pounders while the 24-pounders on the upper gun deck were replaced by 40 cwt 32-pounders. A dozen cwt 32-pounder carronades replaced all of the guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle received four 25 cwt 32-pounders. All the guns on the poop deck were removed.^[2]

In 1852–1853 she was fitted with screw propulsion.^[3]

Construction and career

Part of the Baltic Fleet off Cronstadt, ships L-R; Orion; Du Quesne; Royal George; Tourville, Flag Ship of Admiral Penaud. Illustrated London News 1855

Royal George was ordered on 2 June 1819, laid down at HM Dockyard, Chatham, in June 1823 and launched on 22 September 1827. The ship was completed on 3 December, but she was not fitted for sea; she was roofed over fore and aft and remained in ordinary.^[1] It was announced in 1864 that she would replace the Ajax as the Coast-guard ship at Devonport.^[4]

On 27 October 1867, Royal George was driven ashore at Kingstown, County Dublin. She was refloated with assistance from RMS Ulster.^[5] The ship was sold for scrap on 23 January 1875.^[1]

Notes

1. "Cwt" is the abbreviation for hundredweight, 56 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.