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'Majestic' beautiful 74-gun ship (With Plans)


Ned Loe

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HMS Majestic

 

HMS Majestic was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line launched on 11 December 1785 at Deptford. She fought at the Battle of the Nile, where she engaged the French ships Tonnant and Heureux, helping to force their surrenders. She was captained by George Blagdon Westcott, who was killed in the battle.

 

On 22 February 1799, Majestic was in sight when Espoir, under the command of Captain James Sanders, captured the Spanish 14-gun xebec Africa some three leagues from Marbello on the Spanish coast. Captain Cuthbert, of Majestic, transmitted Sanders's letter, adding his own endorsement extolling "the meritorious Conduct of Captain Sanders and his Ship's Company on the Occasion." Espoir and Majestic shared the prize money for the xebec, whose full name was Nostra Senora de Africa.

 

On 4 April, Majestic and Transfer destroyed a French privateer of unknown name. Head money was paid in 1828, almost 30 years later.

 

Majestic was razeed into a 58-gun fourth-rate frigate in 1813.

 

On 34 February 1814 Majestic encountered the French frigates Terpsichore and Atalante, a 20-gun ship, and an apparently unarmed brig. Majestic was able to catch up with and engage the stern-most of the French vessels. After an engagement lasting two and a half hours, the frigate struck. She turned out to be the Terpsichore, of 44 guns and 320 men, under the command of "capitaine de frigate Breton Francois de Sire". In the action, Terpsichore lost three men killed, six wounded, and two drowned as the prisoners were being transported to Majestic; British casualties were nil. Because of the weather and the approach of night, Majestic was unable to pursue the other three French vessels, which therefore escaped. The Royal Navy named Terpsichore HMS Modeste, but never commissioned her.

 

On 22 May 1814 Majestic recaptured the former British naval schooner Dominica, which the American privateer Decatur had captured the year before. At the time of her recapture, Dominica was sailing under a letter of marque, had a crew of 38 men, and was armed with four 6-pounder guns.

 

Ship plan:

 

3NEJ85M.jpg

 

A4D909T.jpg

 

Brother ship plans - Orion (1787); Captain (1787)

9lD7clG.jpg

Art:

Tonnant_LeBreton_PX8975.jpg

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"Majestic was able to catch up with and engage the stern-most of the French vessels. After an engagement lasting two and a half hours, the frigate struck. She turned out to be the Terpsichore, of 44 guns and 320 men, under the command of "capitaine de frigate Breton Francois de Sire". In the action, Terpsichore lost three men killed, six wounded, and two drowned as the prisoners were being transported to Majestic; British casualties were nil."

 

How is it that two ships with that kind of firepower can blaze away at each other for two and a half hours and have so few casualties?? 

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"Majestic was able to catch up with and engage the stern-most of the French vessels. After an engagement lasting two and a half hours, the frigate struck. She turned out to be the Terpsichore, of 44 guns and 320 men, under the command of "capitaine de frigate Breton Francois de Sire". In the action, Terpsichore lost three men killed, six wounded, and two drowned as the prisoners were being transported to Majestic; British casualties were nil."

 

How is it that two ships with that kind of firepower can blaze away at each other for two and a half hours and have so few casualties??

I often wonder this myself, especially as there are plenty of naval engagements with hundreds of casualties.

 

Perhaps range is the dominating factor, or perhaps some crews really just didn't aim. In this particular case, it would make sense if the British as well as the French were aiming at the rigging, and the frigate surrendered as soon as it was disabled.

 

Usually the explanation for low casualty rates in war is that the solid majority of soldiers deliberately avoid taking human life, and make noise with their weapons. But this really can't apply when you are talking about eight-foot-long cannon.

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wind condition if it takes long time before you can bring your boardside to your enemy + closing in with them

maybe there where shallows to manouver around.

 

+ the Canada class where part of the British "common" 74s wich means she carried only 18 pounders on the upper gundeck instead of the 24's of the "large" 74's

 

and aparently our Bellona-Class where part of the "common" too since all 5 ships of said class where armed with 32/18/9 pounders but i need other sources for that to confirm.

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 In this particular case, it would make sense if the British as well as the French were aiming at the rigging, and the frigate surrendered as soon as it was disabled.

That would make sense, because if they were shooting at each others' hulls, I'd assume that there would've been more casualties. And the British crew must've been aiming enough to do some damage to the frigate, or else the frigate captain might not have had a reason to surrender (unless his ship ran aground or something...).

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  • 1 year later...

As a 74 very similar to the Bellona in both appearance and performance but the razee would have been a fearsome opponent.

 

32lb long guns and a full length deck of 42lb carronades, not slow either recording speeds over 10kts close hauled and 12kts large. Stiff and exceptionally weatherly.

 

The yellow strake between gunports is a nice touch, combined with the single row of stern lights might well have been enough to fool opponents into believing this monster was a normal frigate.

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