Caledonia-class ship of the line
 Launch of HMS Trafalgar | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Caledonia |
| Operators: |
 Royal Navy |
| Succeeded by: | Nelson class |
| In service: | 25 June 1808 – 1918 |
| Planned: | 10 |
| Completed: | 9 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Ship of the line |
| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Depth of hold: | 23 ft 2 in (7.06 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Armament: |
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| Notes: | Ships in class include: Caledonia, Britannia, Prince Regent, Royal George, Neptune, Royal William, Waterloo, St George, Trafalgar |
The Caledonia-class ships of the line were a class of nine 120-gun first rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir William Rule. A tenth ship (Royal Frederick) was ordered on 29 October 1827 to the same design, but was launched in 1833 as the Queen to a fresh design by Sir William Symonds.
The armament remained the same for the first three ships of the class, with the exception of an increase in firepower on the poop deck from 2 to 6 18-pounder carronades. The armament for the fourth ship was significantly modified, with two of the 32-pounders on the main gun deck being replaced with 68-pounder carronades, all guns on the middle and upper gun decks being replaced with the same number of 32-pounders, four of the 12-pounder guns on the quarterdeck were replaced with 32-pounder carronades, and the remaining two were increased to 18-pounders, along with the two 12-pounders on the forecastle, and the carronades on the poop deck were removed. The remaining five ships were built to a slightly broadened version of the draught, and this sub-class was armed in the same way as the last of the standard Caledonias, HMS Royal George. Except for the Caledonia herself, all these ships were converted into steam-powered screw battleships during the 1850s.
Ships
Standard group
- Builder: Plymouth Dockyard
- Ordered: 19 January 1797
- Laid down: 1 January 1805
- Launched: 25 June 1808
- Fate: Broken up, 1875
- Builder: Plymouth Dockyard
- Ordered: 11 June 1812
- Laid down: December 1813
- Launched: 20 October 1820
- Fate: Broken up, 1869
- Builder: Chatham Dockyard
- Ordered: 6 January 1812
- Laid down: 17 July 1815
- Launched: 12 April 1823
- Fate: Broken up, 1873
- Builder: Chatham Dockyard
- Ordered: 2 June 1819
- Laid down: June 1823
- Launched: 22 September 1827
- Fate: Sold out of the service, 1875
Broadened group
- Builder: Portsmouth Dockyard
- Ordered: 12 February 1823
- Laid down: January 1827
- Launched: 22 September 1832
- Fate: Sold out of the service, 1875
- Builder: Pembroke Dockyard
- Ordered: 30 December 1823
- Laid down: October 1825
- Launched: 2 April 1833
- Fate: Burnt, 1899
- Builder: Chatham Dockyard
- Ordered: 9 September 1823
- Laid down: March 1827
- Launched: 10 June 1833
- Fate: Burnt, 1918
- Builder: Plymouth Dockyard
- Ordered: 2 June 1819
- Laid down: May 1827
- Launched: 27 August 1840
- Fate: Sold out of the service, 1883
- Builder: Woolwich Dockyard
- Ordered: 22 February 1825
- Laid down: November 1829
- Launched: 21 June 1841
- Fate: Sold out of the service, 1906
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.
- Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif (2004) The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. Chatham Publishing, London. ISBN 1-86176-032-9.