HMS Orion (1787)

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Career (UK)
Name:	HMS Orion
Ordered:	2 October 1782
Builder:	Barnard, Deptford
Laid down:	February 1783
Launched:	1 June 1787
Honours and awards:	Participated in: Glorious First of June Battle of Groix Battle of Cape St. Vincent Battle of the Nile Battle of Trafalgar
Fate:	Broken up, 1814
General characteristics
Class and type:	Canada class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	1646 tons (1672.4 tonnes)
Length:	170 ft (52 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	46 ft 9 in (14.2 m)
Depth of hold:	20 ft 6 in (6.2 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Upper gundeck: 28 × 18 pdrs Quarterdeck: 14 × 9 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

HMS Orion was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 1 June 1787 to the design of the Canada-class, by William Bately. She took part in all the major actions of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars under a series of distinguished captains.

In 1794 she fought at the Glorious First of June under Captain John Thomas Duckworth.

In early 1795, Captain James Saumarez was appointed in command. Under Saumarez, Orion took part in the defeat of the French fleet at the Battle of Groix off Lorient on 22 June.

In early 1797 she was sent to join the Mediterranean Fleet and distinguished herself at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on February 14. She then took part in the blockade of Cadiz from March 1797 to April 1798, when she was sent into the Mediterranean as part of a small squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson. In August, Nelson finally caught up with the French fleet, resulting in the Battle of the Nile, where Captain Saumarez was wounded.

Seven years later in October 1805, now under Captain Edward Codrington, she took part in the Trafalgar where, with Ajax, she forced the surrender of the French ship Intrépide, 74.

She was broken up in 1814.

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