HMS Superb (1798)

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Career (UK)

Name:	HMS Superb
Ordered:	10 June 1795
Builder:	Pitcher, Northfleet
Laid down:	August 1795
Launched:	19 March 1798
Honours and awards:	Participated in: Battle of Algeciras Battle of San Domingo
Fate:	Broken up, 1826
General characteristics
Class and type:	Pompée class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	1919 tons (1949.8 tonnes)
Length:	182 ft 2 in (55.5 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	49 ft (15 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Quarterdeck: 12 × 9 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Superb.

HMS Superb was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, and the fourth vessel to bear the name. She was launched on 19 March 1798 from Northfleet, and was eventually broken up in 1826.

Superb took part in the second half of the Battle of Algeciras, carrying out a night attack against two Spanish first-rates. Superb sailed directly between the two larger Spanish ships, fired on them both, and carried on up the Franco-Spanish line. Due to the darkness and the smoke from Superb's firing, the Spanish ships could not tell that she was no longer between them, and began furiously firing on each other, which ended with the destruction of both. She was the flagship of Admiral Duckworth in the Battle of San Domingo.