HMS Hercules (1815)
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| Career (UK) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Hercules |
| Ordered: | 16 May 1809 |
| Builder: | Chatham dockyard |
| Laid down: | August 1812 |
| Launched: | 5 September 1815 |
| Fate: | Sold out of the Service, 1865 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Vengeur-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 1750 tons (1778 tonnes) |
| Length: | 176 ft (54 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 47 ft 6 in (14.5 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: |
74 guns:
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HMS Hercules was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 5 September 1815 at Chatham.
On December 26, 1852 Hercules departed on her way to Hong Kong to take up duties as a hospital ship. The gold rushes had put a premium on passenger ships to Australia, so she took 756 Scots civilian passengers to South Australia and Victoria for the Emigration Commissioners. Many of these were emigrating under duress from the trustees of the Boreraig, Suishnish and North Uist estates of Lord Macdonald. The voyage proved disastrous, beginning almost immediately with a horrific storm, during which the ship sought refuge at Rothesay. Soon after their second departure in early January 1853, outbreaks of smallpox and typhus were discovered, necessitating a three-month quarantine at Queenstown, County Cork. 56 people died, 17 orphaned children were returned home and many others were assigned to a dozen other ships, families being broken up in the process. The ship finally arrived in Adelaide in July 1853.
Later in 1853 Hercules was placed on harbour service, and she was broken up in 1877.
[edit] See also
Captain J.M. Langtry, HMS Hercules' commander from October 6, 1837 until September 30, 1840.
[edit] References
- Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
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