HMS Blenheim (1813)

HMS Blenheim, c. 1855
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Blenheim
Ordered4 January 1808
BuilderDeptford Dockyard
Laid downAugust 1808
Launched31 May 1813
FateBroken up, 1865
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeVengeur-class ship of the line
Tons burthen1747 tons bm
Length176 ft (54 m) (gundeck)
Beam47 ft 6 in (14.48 m)
Depth of hold21 ft (6.4 m)
PropulsionSails, 1847 Steam Screw
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • Originally
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns
  • QD: 4 × 12-pounder guns + 10 × 32-pounder carronades
  • Fc: 2 × 12-pounder guns + 2 × 32-pounder carronades
  • Poop deck: 6 × 18-pounder carronades
  • 1847: 60 guns

HMS Blenheim was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 31 May 1813 at Deptford Dockyard.[1]

Blenheim was placed on harbour service in 1831. Her captain, Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, died on board Blenheim in the morning of 13 June 1841, from fever contracted during operations in Canton, China, in May 1841.

On 20 March 1847, Blenheim was in collision with the British brig Cactus in the River Thames and was driven ashore on the Essex bank. The tug HMS Monkey attempted to refloat Blenheim, but Blenheim and Monkey collided and Blenheim was driven into the brig Agility, which was severely damaged. Monkey assisted in beaching Agility on the Essex bank to prevent her from sinking. Blenheim subsequently was refloated and taken in to Woolwich, Kent.[2]

Blenheim converted to screw propulsion in 1847.

Mast with cannonball from 1855, on exhibit at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

In 1854–1855 Blenheim saw service in the Baltic Sea as a 60-gun steam screw vessel.[3] During this service a 32-pounder cannonball struck and became embedded in her mast in 1855.[citation needed]

Blenheim was broken up in 1865.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 189.
  2. ^ "Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 19504. London. 23 March 1847. col C, p. 8.
  3. ^ The Navy List 1855