HMS Assistance (1650)

History
Commonwealth of England
Name	Assistance
Ordered	December 1649
Builder	Henry Johnson, Deptford
Launched	1650
Commissioned	1650
Honours and awards	Kentish Knock 1652 Portland 1653 Gabbard 1653 Porto Farina 1655 Santa Cruz 1657
Kingdom of England
Name	Assistance
Acquired	Restoration May 1660
Honours and awards	Lowestoft 1665 Vagen 1665 Four Days' Battle 1666 Orfordness 1666 Martinique 1667
Great Britain
Acquired	1707 Act of Union
Fate	Sunk as breakwater 14 December 1745
General characteristics as built
Class and type	50-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	513+26⁄94 tons bm
Length	121 ft 0 in (36.9 m) gundeck 101 ft 6 in (30.9 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	30 ft 10 in (9.4 m)
Draught	15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 5 in (4.7 m)
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Complement	180 in 1653 170 in 1666
Armament	40 guns 1653 46 guns 1666 22 × culverins (LD) 20 × demi-culverins (UD) 4 × sakers (QD) (2 sakers added in 1677) 50 guns in 1685 22 × culverins (LD) 22 × demi-culverins (UD) 6 × sakers (QD)
General characteristics after 1687 rebuild
Class and type	48-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	567+20⁄94 tons bm
Length	121 ft 5.5 in (37.0 m) (gundeck) 102 ft 0 in (31.1 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	32 ft 4 in (9.9 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 0 in (4.0 m)
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Armament	42 guns in 1688 20 × culverins (drakes) (LD) 18 × demi-culverins (UD) 4 × sakers cutts (QD) 46 guns in 1696 survey 17 × culverins (LD) 21 × demi-culverins (UD) 8 × sakers (QD)
General characteristics after 1699 rebuild
Class and type	50/44-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	607+62⁄94 tons bm
Length	119 ft 7 in (36.4 m) (gundeck) 103 ft 4 in (31.5 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	33 ft 3 in (10.1 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 0 in (3.7 m)
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Armament	50/44 guns 1703 establishment 20/18 × 12-pounder guns (LD) 20/18 × 6-pounder guns (UD) 6/4 × 6-pounder guns (QD) 2 × 6-pounder guns (Fc)
General characteristics after 1710-13 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 50-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	709+65⁄94 tons bm
Length	132 ft 1.5 in (40.3 m) gundeck 108 ft 11 in (33.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	35 ft 0 in (10.7 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft 0.5 in (4.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Complement	285 (wartime) 185 (peacetime)
Armament	50 guns 22/18 × 12-pounder guns (LD) 22/18 × 6-pounder guns (UD) 8/6 × 6-pounder guns (QD) 2 × 6-pounder guns (Fc)
General characteristics after 1720-26 rebuild
Class and type	1719 Establishment 50-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	750+17⁄94 tons bm
Length	134 ft 0 in (40.8 m) gundeck 109 ft 8 in (33.4 m) Keel for tonnage
Beam	36 ft 1.5 in (11.0 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 2 in (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Complement	285 personnel
Armament	50 guns: 22 × 18-pounder guns (LD) 22 × 9-pounder guns (UD) 4 × 6-pounder guns (QD) 2 × 6-pounder guns (Fc)

HMS Assistance was one of six 40-gun fourth-rate frigates, built for the Commonwealth of England under the 1650 Programme, after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 she was incorporated into the navy of the Kingdom of England. During her time in the Commonwealth Navy she partook in the First Anglo-Dutch war being present in the battles of Kentish Knock, Portland and The Gabbard. In the Mediterranean she was present at the Battle of Santa Cruz and the bombardment of Porto Farina, In the Second Anglo-Dutch War she was involved in the Battle of Lowestoft, Battle of Vagen and the St James Day Fight. She did not participate in fleet actions after this. She spent the rest of her service life undergoing several rebuilds and plying the waters as a cruiser protecting British trade and projecting British sovereignty. After nearly 95 years of Service she was sunk as a break water at Sheerness at the end of 1745.^[1][2]

Assistance was the first named vessel in the English and Royal Navy.^[3]