Britannia HMS (1682)

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Anatol
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:13 pm

Britannia HMS (1682)

Post by Anatol » Fri Feb 02, 2018 9:51 pm

Charles II’ s magnificent flagship was a 100 gun 3-decked line of battleship. Built in Chatham, England, and launched in 1682, the Britannia was the biggest ship of Charles II’s Thirty-Ship program. She was originally designed (by Sir Phineas Pett II) with a beam 16” in excess of its specifications in order to balance a heightened main battery. The Admiralty rejected the increased beam width, although they held the battery at its new level. It was not until her commissioning several years later, when, loaded with weaponry, it was discovered that Britannia was too top heavy to fight. She was withdrawn from service for modification and returned, refitted with a girdle of fir. It increased her beam from 47’ 4” to 48’ 8”. (Pett’s original sixteen inches).
Gracefully reflecting the cavalier era of the late seventeenth century, this magnificent 100-gun battleship of King Charles II is depicted on the picture of artist James A Flood, when “Britannia” under the command of Lord Russel, seeking the French fleet in 1692 following the Battle of Barfleur.
In 1692, Britannia became Lord Russell’s Flagship under William & Mary and engaged in direct combat with the prized French Flagship Soleil-Royal (serving under Conte de Tourville). Outnumbered and fatigued, the French were forced to retire. Heavily pursued by the British, most of their fleet, including Soleil-Royal, were forced ashore, destroyed, and burnt. The battle was more than a victory for the British; it marked a pivotal point for the French, whose sea power fell into a decline that would continue into the following century. And so it was that Britannia, although having only once engaged in such fevered battle, landed a role that would establish her placement among the British Navy’s most famous warships. In 1705 she took on board Charles III of Spain, when on her way to Catalonia . In 1715, Britannia was ordered to be taken to pieces and rebuilt at Woolwich Dockyard, from where she relaunched on 30 October 1719, again as a 100-gun first rate. Britannia was placed on harbour service in 1745, and was broken up in 1749. She was captained from 1734 to 1736 by Sir Tancred Robinson. The design stamp is made after painting of James A Flood: «Britannia Chasing the French».

Burundi 2017;450f. Sources:wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Britannia_(1682). http://www.jamesaflood.com/britfrench.html
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Anatol
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:13 pm

Re: Britannia HMS (1682)

Post by Anatol » Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:54 pm

In this painting Charles II's magnificent flagship, Britannia is depicted battling a gale.
Version II: Changes have been made by the artist who painted in on top of the original painting to better depict the atmospherics and lines of the ship.
Charles II's magnificent flagship was a 100 gun 3-decked line of battleship. Built in Chatham, England, and launched in 1682, the Britannia was the biggest ship of Charles II’s 30-ship program. She was originally designed by Sir Phineas Pett with a beam in excess of its specifications by 16” in order to balance a heightened main battery. The Admiralty rejected the increased beam width, although they kept the heightened battery. As a result, it was not until her commissioning several years later, when, loaded with weaponry, it was discovered that she was too top heavy to fight. She was withdrawn from service and returned after being fitted with a girdle of fir that increased her beam width from 47’ 4” to 48’ 8”. Pett's Sixteen inches.
When she did return to service, in 1692, it was as Lord Russell’s flagship, where she engaged in direct combat with the French prized flagship Soleil-Royal, serving under Conte de Tourville. The design stamp is made after painting of James A Flood. More about Britannia and Soleil-Royal: Britannia Chasing the French
Soleil Royal, Flagship of Adm. Tourvilles and HMS Britannia in Battle.
Source:http: http://www.jamesaflood.com/britgale_restored.html. Ivory Coast 2018;300f.
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