HMS Canopus (1798)

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

History
France
NameFranklin
NamesakeBenjamin Franklin
BuilderToulon
Laid downNovember 1794
Launched25 June 1797
CompletedBy March 1798
Captured2 August 1798, by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Canopus
NamesakeThe star Alpha Carinae and Canopus, Egypt near Aboukir Bay, site of the Battle of the Nile
Acquired2 August 1798
FateSold for breaking up in October 1887
General characteristics
Class and type84-gun
third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen2,258 77/94 bm
Length
  • 193 ft 10 in (59.1 m) (overall)
  • 159 ft 7 in (48.6 m) (keel)
Beam51 ft 6.75 in (15.7 m)
Depth of hold23 ft 4.5 in (7.12 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Complement700
Armament

HMS Canopus was an 84-gun

Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile
in 1798. Having served the French for less than six months from her completion in March 1798 to her capture in August 1798, she eventually served the British for 89 years.

Her career began as the

hulk
. She was eventually sold for breaking up in 1887, after nearly ninety years in British service.

Construction and French career

Franklin was built to a design by

Aboukir Bay on 1 August, when they were discovered in the evening by a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson. Nelson ordered his fleet to attack immediately, with the British forces moving on the French van, doubling their line. Brueys was taken by surprise, having expected the British to attack his rear and centre, where he had consequently placed his heaviest ships, including the Franklin.[3]
Franklin did not therefore enter the engagement until later that evening, as the French van surrendered and the British ships moved down the line to engage the remaining ships.

Franklin's fight

Franklin, positioned just ahead of Brueys's flagship, the 120-gun Orient, and astern of the 74-gun Peuple Souverain, came under fire from HMS Orion, HMS Majestic and HMS Defence.[4] The British ships and the French centre exchanged a heavy fire, with the British being joined by the newly arrived HMS Swiftsure, HMS Alexander and HMS Leander.[4] As Du Chayla later recalled 'The action in this part then became extremely warm.'[5] The two sides were intensely engaged for the next hour, during which the Peuple Souverain was forced out of the line, and the Orient caught fire.[5] As the fire on Orient raged out of control, the nearby French and British ships scrambled to escape the anticipated explosion. Orient's magazine blew up at 9:37 p.m., obliterating her and sending burning debris raining down on the nearby ships.[6] Large amounts fell upon the Franklin, starting fires which caused the arms locker to explode and set fire to the poop and quarterdeck.[2]

Orient explodes at the Battle of the Nile. Franklin is the ship third from right of the picture, and was almost set on fire herself by falling debris.[7]

For a while it seemed that Franklin would also be burnt, but her crew were able to put out the fires.[2] With Brueys killed aboard Orient, Du Chayla now became commander. Both he and Captain Gillet had been seriously wounded and taken below, but he continued to order the attack.[2] The brief quiet that had resulted from the explosion of the Orient was broken by Franklin's guns, and the battle resumed.[2] She fought for another hour, but by then she had lost her main and mizzenmasts, nearly all of her cannons had been knocked out, and over half her crew were dead or wounded. She finally struck her colours.[2]

British service

Mediterranean and San Domingo

The Franklin was one of nine ships captured by the British at the Nile, and she was taken into service with the Royal Navy, being registered under the name HMS Canopus on 9 December 1798.[1] She was sent back to Britain under the command of Captain Bartholomew James, and arrived at Plymouth on 17 July 1799.[1] She briefly became the flagship of Admiral Philip Affleck for service off Lisbon, but was paid off into ordinary in August that year.[1] She began a refit at Plymouth in August 1801, but the work was suspended incomplete in November that year, and was only completed in January 1803. She recommissioned in April that year under the command of Captain John Conn, and became the flagship of Rear-Admiral George Campbell.[1]

Thomas Whitcombe's depiction of Duckworth's squadron forcing the Dardanelles

Canopus was sent in August 1803 to join the

force the Dardanelles on 19 January, and in subsequent operations in support of the Alexandria expedition, during which nine Turkish vessels were captured or destroyed.[1]

Shortland was succeeded by Captain

Rhone, where the 80-gun Robuste and the 74-gun Lion were driven aground, and after attempts to salvage them had failed, the French were forced to burn them.[1][10] Canopus became the flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles Boyles between 1811 and 1812, after which she was paid off into ordinary again.[1]

Postwar

A large repair was carried out at Plymouth Dock (i.e. Devonport) for the sum of £78,909 between March 1814 and March 1816, but with the end of the Napoleonic Wars she was laid up for a number of years. Canopus was fitted for sea at Devonport in May 1834, and underwent further repairs between December 1839 and May 1842.

guardship.[1] Canopus became a mooring hulk in 1869, with her masts being removed in April 1878.[1] She was finally sold after 89 years service with the Royal Navy in October 1887 to J. Pethick, and was broken up.[1][11]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1794-1817. p. 321.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Mostert. The Line Upon the Wind. p. 271.
  3. ^ Mostert. The Line Upon the Wind. p. 260.
  4. ^ a b Mostert. The Line Upon the Wind. p. 268.
  5. ^ a b Mostert. The Line Upon the Wind. p. 269.
  6. ^ Mostert. The Line Upon the Wind. p. 270.
  7. ^ "- National Maritime Museum".
  8. ^ Tracy. Who's who in Nelson's Navy. p. 15.
  9. ^ Fremont-Barnes. The Royal Navy: 1793-1815. p. 86.
  10. The European Magazine, and London Review
    . p. 57.
  11. ^ Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 59.

References

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