Naval/Maritime History 27th of August - Today in Naval History - Naval / Maritime Events in History

[Uwek]

July 3, 1952

On her maiden voyage—July 3–7, 1952 - USS United States broke the transatlantic speed record held by the RMS Queen Mary for the previous 14 years by over 10 hours, making the maiden crossing from the Ambrose lightship at New York Harbor to Bishop Rock off Cornwall, UK in 3 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes at an average speed of 35.59 knots (65.91 km/h; 40.96 mph). The maximum speed attained for United States is disputed as it was once held as a military secret. The issue stems from an alleged value of 43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph) that was leaked to reporters by engineers after the first speed trial. In a 1991 issue of Popular Mechanics, author Mark G. Carbonaro wrote that while she could do 43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph) it was never attained. Other sources, such as one done by John J. McMullen & Associates places the ship's highest possible sustained top speed at 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).

Liner United States photographed from Portsmouth on return maiden voyage to New York, summer 1952.

The ship
The SS United States is a retired luxury passenger liner built in 1950–51 for United States Lines at a cost of US$79.4 million ($749 million in 2017). The ship is the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the United States and the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction, retaining the Blue Riband for the highest average speed since her maiden voyage in 1952. She was designed by American naval architect William Francis Gibbs and could be turned into a troopship if required by the Navy in time of war. The United States maintained an uninterrupted schedule of transatlantic passenger service until 1969 and was never used as a troopship.

The ship has been sold several times since the 1970s, with each new owner trying unsuccessfully to make the liner profitable. Eventually, the ship's fittings were sold at auction, and hazardous wastes, including asbestos panels throughout the ship, were removed, leaving her almost completely stripped by 1994. Two years later, she was towed to Pier 82 on the Delaware River, in Philadelphia, where she remains today.

Since 2009, a preservation group called the SS United States Conservancy has been raising funds to save the ship. The group purchased her in 2011 and has drawn up several unrealized plans to restore the ship, one of which included turning the ship into a multi-purpose waterfront complex. In 2015, as its funds dwindled, the group began accepting bids to scrap the ship; however, sufficient donations came in via extended fundraising. Donations in the six figures have kept the ship berthed at its Philadelphia dock while the group continues to further investigate restoration plans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_United_States

 

[Uwek]

3 July 1988,

Iran Air Flight 655, a scheduled civilian passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai, was shot down by an SM-2MR surface-to-air missile fired from USS Vincennes, a guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy. The aircraft, an Airbus A300, was destroyed and all 290 people on board including 66 children were killed. The jet was hit while flying over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf along the flight's usual route. Vincennes had entered Iranian territorial waters after one of its helicopters drew warning fire from Iranian speedboats operating within Iranian territorial limits.


A300B2-203 Iran Air EP-IBT at Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran

According to the United States government, the crew of the Vincennes had incorrectly identified the Airbus as an attacking F-14 Tomcat, a U.S.-made jet fighter that had been part of the Iranian Air Force inventory since the 1970s. While the F-14s had been supplied to Iran in an air-to-air configuration, the crew of the guided missile cruiser had been briefed that the Iranian F-14s were equipped with air-to-ground ordnance. The Vincenneshad made ten attempts to contact the aircraft on both military and civilian radio frequencies, but had received no response. The International Civil Aviation Organization said that the flight crew should have been monitoring the civilian frequency.


A starboard bow view of the guided missile cruiser USS VINCENNES (CG 49) as it approaches port. The VINCENNES. is returning from a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Location: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (CA) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)

According to the Iranian government, the cruiser negligently shot down the aircraft, which was transmitting IFF squawks in Mode III, a signal that identified it as a civilian aircraft, and not Mode II as used by Iranian military aircraft. The event generated a great deal of criticism of the United States. Some analysts blamed the captain of Vincennes, William C. Rogers III, for overly-aggressive behavior in a tense and dangerous environment.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Vincennes_(CG-49)

 

[Uwek]

4 July 1695 - Start of bombardment of St. Malo by British Navy

In early 1694, ministers in the government of William III resolved to augment the Royal Navy's offensive capacity through provision of bomb vessels to attack French ports. In addition to the Navy's four existing Serpent-class bomb vessels, Admiralty requested that the Board of Ordnance purchase twelve private merchant ships for refitting as bombs. However by April 1694 only eight such vessels were available, to which Admiralty then added the sixth rate sloop Julian Prize to form the expanded bomb group. including f.e. the HMS Endeavour (1694), the HMS Dreadful (1695), HMS Angel, HMS Greyhound, HMS Owners Advent, and HMS Star.

Endeavour was the smallest of the new vessels, with a 40 ft 0 in (12.2 m) keel, a beam of 16 ft 8 in (5.1 m) and measuring 59 tonnes burthen. She was ketch-rigged, with a deep hold measuring 9 ft 3 in (2.8 m) and capacity to provide mountings for a single 13-inch mortar. The ship was initially armed with four five-pounder minion cannons, with a crew of 18 supported by Royal Artillery gunners.



Endeavour was commissioned in 1694 under Commander Jacob Wright, for immediate service in war against France. In company with other purchased and converted bomb vessels, she was attached to Admiral John Berkeley's squadron for action against both merchant shipping and the fleets of privateers that were operating from French ports. Wright was superseded as commander when Endeavour reached her station in Berkeley's force, replaced by Captain (and later Vice Admiral) James Mighells.

The ship engaged in three port bombardments over the next twelve months; Dieppe and Le Havre in August 1694 and Saint-Malo in the following year. The assault on Dieppe resulted in widespread destruction of civilian property but did no damage to shipping or port facilities. Subsequent raids were even less effective, particularly off Saint-Malo where strong winds and tides meant Endeavour was unable to keep its mortar pointed towards the target. The HMS Dreadful was hit by fire from shore battery and burnt by her crew to avoid capture.



Having failed to affect French ports or privateers, Endeavour and her fellow bomb vessels were returned to England after the Saint-Malo raid.

Naval historians have subsequently described Endeavour and her sister ships' contribution to Berkeley's squadron as a "great disappointment" to the British, with their port bombardments representing little more than "nuisance raids" due to the inaccuracy of their fire. In recognition of her failings Endeavour was sold out of naval service late in 1695, less than two years after her initial purchase.

BTW: due to their heavy hull construction later bomb vessels were often used for antarctic expeditions, so f.e. the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror used by James Clark Ross and George Back were previous bomb vessels, also the HMS Hecla and HMS Fury used by William Edward Parry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Endeavour_(1694_bomb_vessel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomb_vessel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bomb_vessels_of_the_Royal_Navy

Bomb Vessels by the British Navy: https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=ships_search

 

[Uwek]

4 July 1898 - The sinking of The french Ocean liner SS La Bourgogne

with the loss of 549 lives after she collidied with British sailing ship Cromartyshire. At the time this sinking was infamous, because only 13% of the passengers survived, while 48% of the crew did. In 1886 she set a new record for the fastest Atlantic crossing by a postal steamer.



The La Bourgogne was built in 1885 at the Société Nouvelles de Forges et Chantiers de Médditerranée in La Seyne-sur-Mer, France for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique better known as the French Line. She was a sleek looking ocean liner with four auxiliary sail rigged masts and twin funnels. La Bourgogne like many other passenger ships of the era, was constructed of an iron hull and wood superstructure, propelled by a single screw propeller. Her maiden voyage from Le Havre, France to New York City was in 1886.

On July 3, 1898, at the height of the Spanish-American War, La Bourgogne left New York City for what would be the last time. She would never make it to Le Havre. About 5:00 AM in the early morning of July 4, 1898, La Bourgogne, shrouded in dense fog and pitch black darkness was passing south of Sable Island in Nova Scotia at full speed, when she was rammed by the British sailing vessel Cromartyshire. The damage from the resulting collision destroyed several starboard lifeboats and punctured a number of the compartments on La Bourgogne’s side. The bow of the Cromartyshire was destroyed. The La Bourgogne passed the Cromartyshire but soon began sinking. Before the dawn would arrive, La Bourgogne would become a terrible tragedy of horror and cowardice causing huge outrage and disgust across the United States.



The Cromartyshire originally percieved itself to be in danger. Her 21 man crew observed flares and audible whistle blasts coming from La Bourgogne. Captain Henderson aboard the Cromartyshire believed La Bourgogne was offering assistance. A half hour later, the fog rescinded enough to show a horrifying scene. The La Bourgogne was sinking fast and hundreds were still aboard the ship. The crew of the La Bourgogne was escaping in the lifeboats leaving the passengers behind to succumb to a terrible fate. Crewmembers were beating passengers with fists knives and oars brutally to keep them away from the lifeboats. A half hour later, the La Bourgogne listed completely to port and sank by the stern taking with her almost every woman and every single child.



In the aftermath of the sinking, it was said hundreds of dead bodies floated up from the now sunken ship. Hundreds were left in the water, holding on to dear life in freezing winter temperatures of the north Atlantic. Most awaiting rescue died of hypothermia. The crew of the Cromartyshire began to rescue all possible survivors. In the end, their efforts saved less than 70 of the 506 pasengers aboard, where half the crew had survived the disaster. As many passengers were American, the news soon spread around the world and caused massive outrage in the United States public and press, disgusted and horrified by the reported actions of La Bourgogne’s crew from surviving passengers. The “Kansas City Journal” went as far as to decry the French crew as demons. Making matters worse, French authorities covered up the investigation further outraging the American public.



It is most likely that the wreck of La Bourgogne has never been found. She lies in deep water over two miles below the surface, southwest of the final resting place of the RMS Titanic.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_La_Bourgogne
https://maritimecyprus.com/2017/07/...gogne-4-july-1898-with-the-loss-of-549-lives/
https://novascotia.ca/archives/search/?q=Cromartyshire

 

[Uwek]

4 July 1760 - Fire at Portsmouth Dockyard.

4th. July 1760 a fire broke out just after midnight in one of the major storehouses of the yard that contained large quantities of pitch, tar, turpentine and other combustible materials, and soon got out of control and spread to surrounding buildings. It was generally thought that lightning caused the fire as a great thunderstorm was raging at the time. The rain increased in intensity for some hours, which was eventually to be the saving of the Dockyard. However great damage was done to the Dockyard.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNB_Portsmouth
https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/
http://portsmouthdockyard.org.uk/about/history-of-the-dockyard
Timeline of the dockyard: http://portsmouthdockyard.org.uk/timeline/time/1690-1840

 

[Uwek]

4 July 1790 - The Battle of Viborg Bay

(in Swedish literature known as Viborgska gatloppet, "the Viborg gauntlet") was a naval battle fought between Russia and Sweden on July 4, 1790, during the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790). The Swedish Navy suffered heavy losses, losing six ships of the line and four frigates, but Gustav III of Sweden eventually ensured a Swedish naval escape through a Russian naval blockade composed of units of the Baltic Fleet, commanded by Admiral Vasili Chichagov. The battle ranks among the world's largest historical naval battles and also among the most influential, as it introduced the naval battle concept of "firepowerover mobility".


Battle of Vyborg Bay, by Ivan Aivazovsky

On June 21, 1790, Prince Nassau-Siegen attacked the Swedes at Björkö Sound with 89 ships. Then, at nightfall on July 3 (June 22 OS), 1790 Gustav III of Sweden ordered the breakout to commence from Krysserort at 10:00 on the following day.

At 02:00 on July 4, 1790, Swedish units bombarded Russian shore batteries. At the same time, Swedish sloops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Törning, attacked a Russian naval unit just west of Vasikansaari Island, west of Björkö sound.

Just prior to 07:00 that morning, Gustav III of Sweden spoke with then captain Johan Puke of the 64-gun ship of the line, the Dristigheten ("The Audacity"), which would lead the breakout. Moments later, Puke, aboard the Dristigheten, led a line of ships and the Swedish naval fleet away from the bay, through the western channel, around the Salvors shallows into the middle of the channel between the shallows and Krysserort, and towards the first Russian ships of the line, the Seslav and Saint Peter which were part of the Russian Admiral Povalishin's squadron deployed to block the channel leading to west.



This line of ships consisted of the flagship the Konung Gustaf III (with Prince Grand Admiral Duke Carl aboard), the Seraphimerorden (with Gustav III of Sweden aboard) - in the line's center, the Manligheten ("The Manliness", sister ship of the Dristigheten), the other ships of line, the navy frigates, the frigate Zemire, the 70-gun ship of the line Enigheten ("The Unity"), and three fire barges, used to set fire to enemy ships. Meanwhile, the flotilla protected the naval fleet, on a parallel course further west, nearer the shoreline. Immediately prior to the engagement, Gustav III transferred onto a smaller sloop. Puke ordered all non-essential personnel below decks and, moments later, the Swedish navy engaged the Russian blockade, splitting between the Selsav and the Saint Peter. Gustav III of Sweden was rowed through the fire, but the flagship Konung Gustaf III was hit and the Grand Admiral Duke Carl injured.

While the blockading Russian ships opened fire on the Swedish vanguard the damage caused by the Russian ships was relatively small and the large vanguard ships remained fully capable of action. Swedish fire when sailing past the blockading Russian ships however caused damage to several of the Russian ships. By the time the main body of the Swedish fleets arrived to the blockade the Russian ships posed no longer any danger to the Swedes. At least one of the Russian vessels had substantial damage during the battle. Russian frigate squadron west of the Povalishin's ships was too far out with their visibility obscured by gunpowder smoke to prevent the Swedish ships from breaching the blockade. Near total inactivity of the main body of the Russian fleet of Admiral Chichagov aided the Swedes.

Once through the first group of ships, Gustav III of Sweden reboarded the Seraphimerorden. The king's personal ship, the Amphion survived with no damage. Further west, the galley fleet line of ships consisting sequentially of the frigates Styrbjörn and Norden ("North"), six Turuma squadron ships, Sällan Värre ("Rarely Worse"), the remaining archipelago frigates, Malmberg's and Hjelmstierna's coastal squadrons, and Colonel Jacob Tönningen's assigned gun sloops and gun tenders, passed the first Russian set of ships, then engaged the second. The Styrbjörn was subjected to heavy fire, but managed to pass through and score some hits on Russian commander Povalishin's ship and on the bomb ship Pobeditel ("Victor").


The stern of the Royal Yacht Amphion in exhibition

As the majority of both Swedish fleets passed through the blockade, Ensign Sandel, commanding the fireship Postiljonen ("Postman"), towed by the 74-gun ship of the line Enigheten, set his ship on fire too early. He then, under alcoholic intoxication, committed a series of errors which caused the fireship to drift towards the Enigheten, setting it on fire, and then to collide with the Swedish 40-gun frigate Zemire, with all three ships exploding in an enormous channel-covering cascade of debris and smoke. The explosion severely damaged or destroyed ships within or trying to get through the blockade. The Russian ship groups blocking the Swedish fleets were disrupted by passing Swedish ships. ‘'Rättvisan’’ and ‘'Sofia Magdalina’’ were captured.


Painting of a turuma off the fortifications at Sveaborg by A.E. Geete, 1770.

The Swedish navy lost a total of eight ships (seven running aground in the heavy smoke from the explosion): four grounded ships of the line - the 64-gun Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta (though her captain, Jindric Johan Nauckhoff, continued firing at the Russian frigates until the end), the Finland at the Salvors shallows, the 74-gun Lovisa Ulrika at the Passaloda shallows just south of Reipie, and the 64-gun Ömheten (the Tenderness) at the Pensar islets - and one shipwrecked ship of the line (the Auroras), although the king's British naval adviser Sidney Smith was saved; three frigates including the Uppland and the Jarrislawitz ("Yaroslavets," captured in 1788 from Russia), both at the Passaloda shallows. The Russians lost only 117 killed and 164 wounded, not a single ship was lost to enemy fire.

The two Swedish fleets followed separate routes from the bay. The battlefleet accompanied by most of the heavier elements of the archipelago fleet (such as the archipelago frigates) sailed to the open sea while the rest of the archipelago fleet followed the much shallower route closer to the land. However the Russian frigate squadron commanded by Crown was deployed expressly to blockade the shallower route which forced the light Swedish gun sloops, gun yawls and galleys to head to more open waters where the waves and winds rendered the Swedish archipelago fleet almost totally incapable of fighting. Noticing that the Swedes sailed further out and the problems that it had caused Crown set after them and forced several of the Swedish ships to strike their colors as he threatened to run over the small Swedish ships struggling in the open sea. Crown's squadron very nearly captured Gustaf III but were turned away almost on the last seconds by the orders from Chichagov to start pursuit of the Swedish battlefleet just as Crown's frigate was about to capture the ship where Gustaf III was. As the Russians had only sent few prize crews in their hurry to force Swedish ships to surrender most of the Swedish ships which had surrendered raised their flags again or overpowered the prize crews and rejoined the Swedish archipelago fleet once the frigate squadron had been ordered to leave.

The Swedish archipelago fleet lost four galleys to the shallows: the Ehrenpreuss, the Palmstierna, the Nerika. These ships were all run aground at the Pensar islet, close to the second set of Russian ships and the Russian ship Noli Me Tangere (Не тронь меня), only Nerika was able get escape while others were forced to struck their colors. Additionally galleys Östergötland, Nordstjerneorden, Ekeblad and Dalarne were captured by the Russians while the Swedish were trying to avoid Russian frigate squadron blocking the coastal sea route.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vyborg_Bay_(1790)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphion_(ship)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turuma

 

[Uwek]

Other events on 4 July

1299 - Battle of Cape Orlando
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Orlando

1776 - United States Declaration of Independence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

1777 - John Paul Jones hoists first Stars and Stripes flag on USS Ranger at Portsmouth, NH.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(1777)

1780 - HMS Prudente (36), and HMS Licome (32), took and destroyed French frigate Capricieuse (32), off Cape Ortegal

1788 – Launch of 98-gun HMS Prince

HMS Prince was a 98-gun London-class second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 4 July 1788 at Woolwich. She fought at the Battle of Trafalgar.

She saw relatively little action during her career and seems to have been a relatively poor sailer—she sailed, according to one observing captain, 'like a haystack.'
She was not immediately commissioned on the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France, lying in ordinary at Portsmouth in April 1794. Her hull was lengthened in 1796 with a new 17 foot section inserted (After lengthening 110 guns).


H.M.S. Prince First Rate 110 Guns (with the Stern Balconies, as built before the close sterns were introduced) in Portsmouth Harbour Jury rigged (PAD6033)
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/110184.html#GhD7LyHUhkaLSUgm.99

Her role at Trafalgar
By 1805 she was in service with the Channel Fleet under Captain Richard Grindall. At the Battle of Trafalgar, in October that year, she was passed by her whole division, and took over two hours to cover the two or three miles to reach the battle. By the time she arrived most of the enemy fleet was in British hands or had fled, leaving few targets for Prince's massive broadsides. She did fire on the Spanish flagship Principe de Asturias and Achille, but was not attacked and suffered no damage or casualties.



Whilst engaging Prince, Achille's fore top caught fire, and the next broadside against her brought her blazing main mast down, engulfing the ship in flames. At this point, knowing that Achille's fate was sealed and making the most of his unique position, Grindall ceased firing and wore round to clear her, before placing boats in the water to rescue French seamen from Achille and elsewhere. This proved hazardous: Achille'sabandoned but loaded guns were set off by the intense heat now raging below decks, and she exploded at 5:45 pm, by which point only 100 men had been rescued from her. Nonetheless, Prince and nearby British ships were able to rescue hundreds of sailors from the water.


Painter Nicholas Pocock's conception of the situation at 1300h

In the week of ferocious storms which followed the battle the sturdy Prince was invaluable, providing replacement stores to more battered ships, towing those that needed it, and saving many men from the heavily-damaged other ships. She and the other undamaged British ships saved many others that would otherwise have sunk and at one point saved 350 men from the sinking Santíssima Trinidad who would otherwise have drowned, taking them to Gibraltar. Upon arrival there, however, she was ready to sail again in a matter of hours

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Prince_(1788)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London-class_ship_of_the_line
https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=115
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_battle_at_the_Battle_of_Trafalgar

1803 - Boats of HMS Naiad (38), Cptn. James Wallis, cut out Providence.

1811 - Boats of HMS Unite (40), captured St. François di Poale (8) from Port Hercole, then further along the coast, joined by HMS Cephalus (18), captured 3 merchant vessels.

1811 - 27 Danish gunboats, under Lt. Jørgen C. de Falsen, attacks 4 British ships-of-the-line, 2 frigates and 2 brigs, escorting a large convoy, off the island of Hjelm. 4 gunboats are lost, while 1 British frigate and 17 merchant men are heavily damaged.

1812 - Boats of HMS Attack (14), captured a French transport galliot off Calais.

1814 – Launch of HMS Nelson (126-gun), Nelson-class

HMS Nelson was a 126-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 4 July 1814 at Woolwich Dockyard,[1] but then laid up incomplete at Portsmouth until 1854, when work began with a view to commissioning her for service in the Crimean War, but this ended before much work had been done, and the ship returned to reserve.

She was converted into a screw ship in 1860, being cut down to a two-decker and fitted with an engine of 2,102 indicated horsepower (1,567 kW) for a speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph).
In 1865, Nelson was given to the colony of Victoria as a training ship, and she was finally outfitted and rigged for £42,000 and sailed for Australia in October 1867. Travelling via the Cape of Good Hope, she arrived in February 1868. She was the first ship to dock in the newly constructed Alfred Graving Dock. Her armament in 1874 was listed as two 7-in RML, twenty 64-lb guns, twenty 32-lb guns and six 12-lb howitzers.
During 1879-82, Nelson was further cut down to a single deck and her rig reduced to the main mast only, the ship being reclassified as a frigate. Her old armament was partly replaced by modern breech-loaders. She was laid up at Willamstown in 1891, her boilers being removed in 1893. On 28 April 1898 she was put up for auction and sold to Bernard Einerson of Sydney for £2,400.


left: Launch of the HMS The Nelson at Woolwich Dockyard, engraving by Luke Clennell (1814). Collection of the London Metropolitan Archives.

In 1900. Nelson was cut down yet again to create a coal lighter that kept the name Nelson, the upper timbers being used to build a drogher named Oceanic.
In 1908 "Nelson" was sold to the Union Steamship Co. of New Zealand, and in July was towed from Sydney to Beauty Point on the Tamar River, Tasmania, for use as a coal storage hulk. She later foundered there with 1,400 tons of coal on board and remained submerged for forty days until finally refloated.
In January 1915 she was towed to Hobart for further service as a coal hulk, until sold in August 1920 to Mr. H Gray for £500 and towed an up river to Shag Bay for gradual breaking up, work continuing into the 1930s,[3]although some of her timbers still survive.


HMVS Nelson, photographed between 1870 and 1879

The ship's figurehead was preserved by the NSW Naval Brigade, then the Royal Australian Navy, before it was presented to the Australian National Maritime Museum for display


Lord Nelson figurehead from HMS Nelson (1814) at Australian National Maritime Museum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Nelson_(1814)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson-class_ship_of_the_line
http://www.cerberus.com.au/nelson_slideshow.html

1831 - U.S. concludes indemnity treaty with France.

1842 - First test of electrically operated underwater torpedo sinks during trials gunboat USS Boxer

 

[Uwek]

4 July 1898 - The sinking of The french Ocean liner SS La Bourgogne

with the loss of 549 lives after she collidied with British sailing ship Cromartyshire. At the time this sinking was infamous, because only 13% of the passengers survived, while 48% of the crew did. In 1886 she set a new record for the fastest Atlantic crossing by a postal steamer.

BTW: I found in the web also a model of the sailing ship Cromartyshire, built some time ago by our well known Bob @shipbuilder

 

[Uwek]

5 July 1770 - First day of the 3 day Battle of Çeşme.

A Russian Fleet fleet of 9 ships of the line and other vessels under Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov found the Ottoman fleet of 16 ships of the line and other vessels under Mandalzade Hüsameddin Pasha anchored just north of Çeşme Bay, western Anatolia. Towards the end of the engagement an Ottoman ship of the line blew up after her main topsail caught fire and the fire quickly spread to other ships. Three fireships were sent in and almost the entire Ottoman fleet burnt. They lost 15 ships of the line, 6 frigates and many smaller vessels.

The Russo-Turkish War had begun in 1768, and Russia sent several squadrons from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to draw Ottoman attention away from their Black Sea fleet, then only 6 ships of the line strong. Two Russian squadrons, commanded by Admiral Grigory Spiridov and Rear Admiral John Elphinstone, a British adviser, combined under the overall command of Count Alexei Orlov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Fleet, and went to look for the Ottoman fleet.

On 5 July 1770, they came across it, anchored in line just north of Çeşme Bay, western Anatolia. Details of the Ottoman fleet are uncertain, but it included 14–16 ships of the line including Real Mustafa of 84 guns, Rodos of 60 guns and a 100-gun flagship. In addition, there were perhaps 6 frigates, 6 xebecs, 13 galleys and 32 small craft, with about 1,300 guns in total. About 10 of the ships of the line, of 70–100 guns, were in the Ottoman main line with a further 6 or so ships of the line in the second, arranged so that they could fire through the gaps in the first line. Behind that were the frigates, xebecs, etc. The fleet was commanded by Kapudan Pasha Mandalzade Hüsameddin, in the fourth ship from the front (north end) of the line, with Hasan Pasha in the first ship, Real Mustafa, and Cafer Bey in the seventh. Two further ships of the line, probably small, had left this fleet for Mytilene the previous evening.

After settling a plan of attack, the Russian battle line (see Table 1 on wikipedia) sailed towards the south end of the Ottoman line and then turned north, coming alongside the Ottomans, with the tail end coming into action last (Elphinstone had wanted to approach the northern end first, then follow the wind along the Ottoman line, attacking their ships one by one – the method used by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile in 1798).


The destruction of the Ottoman fleet on 7 July, painting by Ivan Constantinovich Aivazovsky

Battle
The Ottomans opened fire at about 11.45am, followed by the Russians slightly later. Three of the Russian ships of the line had trouble staying in position; Evropa turned around and came back behind Rostislav, Tri Svyatitelya circled the second Ottoman vessel before coming back into the Russian line, being attacked in error by Tri Ierarcha as she did so, and Sv. Ianuarii turned around before coming back into the line.



Spiridov, in Sv. Evstafii, had a close-range battle with Hasan Pasha in Real Mustafa, before the latter was suddenly seen to be on fire. Her mainmast came down and landed on Sv. Evstafiis deck, causing the Russian ship to blow up immediately . Shortly thereafter, Real Mustafa blew up as well.

According to Elphinstone, who claimed the Russians were almost useless, Spiridov and Count Feodor Orlov (brother of the commander), had left Sv. Evstafii before the fighting became close-range. Spiridov ended up on Tri Svyatitelya. Sv. Evstafii's captain, Kruse, survived too. At about 2pm the fighting ended, as the Ottomans cut their cables and moved south into the bay, forming themselves into a defensive line of eight ships of the line, a second line, and the rest beyond.


Ivan Aivazovsky, Battle of Chesma, 1886

On 6 July, the Russians bombarded the Ottoman ships and land positions. At about 12:30 a.m. on the morning of 7 July, Orlov sent Samuel Greig (who transferred to Rostislav) to attack with Evropa, Rostislav and Ne tron menya forming a south-north line facing the Ottomans, and with Saratov in reserve, Nadezhda attacking the batteries at the eastern side of the bay entrance, Afrika attacking the batteries on the western side, and Grom near Afrika. At about 1:30 a.m. or earlier (times were about 90 minutes earlier, according to Elphinstone), fire from Grom and/or Ne tron menya caused an Ottoman ship of the line to blow up after her main topsail caught fire, and the fire quickly spread to other ships of the line. By 2 a.m., two Ottoman ships of the line had blown up and more were on fire, and Greig sent in three fireships (the fourth, seeing the danger, stayed out), which contributed in a small way to the burning of almost the entire Ottoman fleet. At about 4 a.m., boats were sent in to save two ships of the line which were not burning, but one of these caught fire while it was being towed. The other, Rodos 60, survived and was captured along with five galleys. Fighting ended at about 8 a.m.. Russian casualties on 5 July were 14 killed, plus 636 killed in Sv. Evstafii, and about 30 wounded, and on 7 July 11 killed. Ottoman casualties were much higher. Hüsameddin, Hasan Pasha and Cafer Bey survived. Hüsameddin was removed from his position, which was given to Cafer Bey. This was the only significant fleet battle during the Russo-Turkish War.

Result
The Battle of Chesma was fought on the same day as the land Battle of Larga. It was the greatest naval defeat suffered by Ottomans since the Battle of Lepanto (1571). This battle inspired great confidence in the Russian fleet and allowed the Russians to control the Aegean Sea for some time. The defeat of the Ottoman fleet also speeded up rebellions by minority groups in the Ottoman Empire, especially the Orthodox Christian nations in the Balkan peninsula, who helped the Russian army in defeating the Ottoman Empire.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chesma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Larga

 

[Uwek]

5 July 1833 - The fourth Battle of Cape St Vincent

was a decisive encounter in Portugal's Liberal Wars. A naval squadron commanded by the British officer Charles Napier, on behalf of Dom Pedro IV, regent for the rightful Queen Maria II, defeated the navy of the usurper Dom Miguel.


Portrait of Admiral Sir Charles Napier, c. 1834
by John Simpson, Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis

Background
While serving in the Azores, Napier had come to know members of the exiled Portuguese liberals, who had offered him command of the small fleet serving Dom Pedro, which largely consisted of a few old men-o'-war and some East Indiamen purchased from the British. In February 1833 Napier accepted their proposals, in succession to another British officer, Captain George Rose Sartorius, who was already serving as Admiral of Pedro's navy. Using the name 'Carlos de Ponza' in a transparent attempt to disguise his identity as a British officer to escape penalties under the Foreign Enlistment Act, in June 1833 Napier joined his new command in the Douro River off Oporto. ('Carlos de Ponza' = Charles of Ponza; one of Napier's most daring feats in the Napoleonic War had been the capture of the island of Ponza in the Mediterranean in 1813). Dom Pedro, currently being besieged in Oporto by the forces of Dom Miguel, bestowed on Napier his commission as Vice Admiral, Major General of the Portuguese Navy and Commander in Chief of the fleet. An eccentric but indomitable character, Napier restored the situation in the fleet, which had been close to mutiny because of lack of pay, and proposed a new strategy to break the siege. Flying his flag in the frigate Rainha de Portugal46, commanded by Captain F.G. MacDonough and with his stepson Charles Elers Napier as Chief of Staff, on 20 June he sailed from Oporto with his small fleet, transporting the Duke of Terceira and half the constitutional army to the Algarve so that they could open a second front in the south of the country and march on Lisbon. After successfully disembarking this force, on the return voyage he encountered the considerably superior fleet of Dom Miguel off Cape St Vincent on 3 July 1833, and after two days of maneuvering in calm and very light winds he brought them to action.


The Battle of Cape St. Vincent by Léon Morel-Fatio

The battle
Napier’s command was essentially a mere squadron of six ships: three frigates, a corvette, a brig and a schooner, mounting a total of 176 guns. (He had some small steamers under his command which he hoped to use as tugs, but they abandoned him while the two forces were becalmed on the 4th of July: thus the subsequent battle was perhaps the last engagement of consequence between two fleets of sailing warships.) On 5 July the wind eventually got up and at 4.00 p.m. he attacked the Miguelite force of 3 ships of the line, a frigate, a xebec, 3 corvettes and 2 brigs, mounting altogether 372 guns. Knowing he could not long sustain a cannonade from such a superior opponent, Napier closed against enemy fire and boarded, so that the battle was decided in hand-to-hand fighting. In the event the Liberal forces captured all three ships of the line, a frigate and a corvette, whose crews agreed to fight from now on for Maria II; another ship came over the next day; the remnant of the Miguelite force fled to Lisbon or Madeira. Napier’s losses were about 30 killed (including the captain of Rainha de Portugal and two other captains) and about 60 wounded (including Charles Elers Napier), as against somewhere between 200 and 300 of the enemy, including the Miguelite commander, Admiral Manuel António Marreiros. On 6 July, receiving news of the victory, Dom Pedro named Napier as Viscount Cape St Vincent in the peerage of Portugal. Immediately afterwards his fleet was ravaged by cholera (which was raging on mainland Portugal), with appalling loss of life, but he was able to bring it safe into Lisbon, which the Miguelistas had precipitately abandoned after being defeated by Terceira’s army advancing from the south at the Battle of Almada. Napier visited Rear-Admiral Sir William Parker of the British navy who was in the vicinity of the Tagus, and was received according to his Portuguese rank as an Admiral. Though he was subsequently struck off the Navy List at the insistence of the French, he was restored to his rank in the Royal Navy within two years and the Battle, largely won by British officers and crews fighting for Maria II, was viewed in England as bringing honour to the British navy. The sea victory, making possible the capture of Lisbon from the Miguelites, was the single most important event contributing to Miguel's eventual defeat and overthrow in 1834.

Ships involved
Loyalist fleet (Charles Napier)
Rainha de Portugal 46 (flag, commodore Wilkinson, captain MacDonough)
Dona Maria 42 (Peake)
Dom Pedro 50 (Thomas Goble)
Vila Flor 18 (Ruxton)
Portuense 20 (Blackstone)
Faro 6
a few steam tugs and transports

Miguelite fleet (Manuel António Marreiros)
Nau Rainha 74 (Barradas) - Captured by Rainha de Portugal
Dom João 74 - Captured
Martinho de Freitas 50 - Captured
Duquesa da Bragança 56 - Captured by Dona Maria
Isabel Maria 22 (corvette) - Captured
Princesa Real 24 (corvette)
Tejo 20 (corvette)
Sybille 20 (corvette)
Audaz 18 (brig)
Activa (xebec)
several other brigs


Nau Rainha


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_St._Vincent_(1833)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Napier_(Royal_Navy_officer)

 

[Uwek]

5 July - several interesting ships were launched at this day


1722 - Relaunch of HMS Bonaventure ex-President later HMS Argyll (1650) after rebuilt

HMS President was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in 1650.

After the Restoration in 1660, she was renamed HMS Bonaventure after a previous ship built in 1653 that had been blown up three years later . She was widened in 1663, and by 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns. In 1683 she underwent her first rebuild, relaunching as a 40-gun fourth rate ship of the line. Bonaventure was rebuilt a second time in 1699 at Woolwich Dockyard, relaunching as a fourth rate of between 46 and 54 guns. Her third rebuild took place at Chatham Dockyard, where she was rebuilt as a 50-gun fourth rate to the 1706 Establishment, relaunching on 19 September 1711. She was renamed HMS Argyll prior to the Jacobite rising of 1715, and on 27 January 1720 she was ordered to be taken to pieces at Woolwich for what was to be her final rebuild. She was relaunched as a 50-gun fourth rate to the 1719 Establishment on 5 July 1722, and saw much service in home and Atlantic waters. She was employed on blockade duties during the War of the Austrian Succession, and in 1741 Argyll captured five Spanishcoasters, and with the assistance of two other warships cut free five captured British warships that were docked in north-western Spain.
The East Indiamen Northampton, Queen Caroline, Halifax, Royal George, Kent, Scarborough, and snow Swift left St Helena on 26 June 1741, together with their escorts, HMS Argyl and HMS Lynn. They arrived safe off of Dover on 16 September.

In 1745 she returned to Britain by way of escorting a convoy and was paid off in 1746. After the conclusion of the war in 1748, Argyll was towed to Harwich and scuttled as part of a breakwater.

She was at the end close to 100 years in service!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bonaventure_(1650)

1761 - HMS Blenheim (1761), 90-gun Sandwich-class

HMS Blenheim was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 July 1761 at Woolwich. In 1797 she participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent. In 1801 Blenheim was razeed to a Third Rate. She disappeared off Madagascar with all hands in February 1807.
Other ships of the Sandwich class were HMS Sandwich (Launched: 14 April 1759 and Fate: Broken up, 1810 ), HMS Ocean (Launched: 21 April 1761 and Fate: Sold out of the service, 1793)


The moonlight Battle of Cape St Vincent, 16 January 1780 by Francis Holman, painted 1780. The moonlight Battle off Cape St Vincent, 16 January 1780 by Francis Holman, painted 1780 shows Santo Domingo exploding, with Rodney's flagship Sandwich in the foreground.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Blenheim_(1761)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich-class_ship_of_the_line

1783 - French ship Séduisant (1783) 74-gun ship


Modèle réduit d'un vaisseau de 74 canons du même type que le Séduisant

One of these famous main naval war machine at the end of the 18th century, the 74 Gun Ship was the result of a compromise, like every successful vessel. Her balance between strong guns and manoeuvrability offered by the 28 gun lower gundeck and firing 36 pound cannon-balls, made the "74" the perfect ship of the line. Since she moved more easily, she was much more useful in combat than the heavy 100 gun three-decker.
Her hull alone represented half of 3000 tons moving. 2800 hundred-year-old oak trees (a whole forest), and 600 tons of iron and wood bolts were needed for her construction. The hold and its orlop-deck could contain victuals for 6 months and water for 12 weeks. The gundeck had to bear the considerable weight of enormous 36-pdr guns, weighing 4 tons each. The upper deck, covered front and back with castles, carried lighter guns.

This type of ship was basis for the well known book- and planset produced by Jean Boudriot and published from ancre

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Séduisant_(1783)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Séduisant_(1783)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Séduisant-class_ship_of_the_line
https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=2150
https://ancre.fr/en/basic-books/9-v...-en-quatre-volumes-base-de-la-collection.html

1788 – HMS Glory (1788), 98 gun Duke-class

HMS Glory was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 July 1788 at Plymouth.
Glory served as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Stirling at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805, commanded by Captain Samuel Warren.
She was converted to a prison ship in 1809, and was broken up in 1825.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Glory_(1788)

1814 - french Superbe (1814), a Téméraire-class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.

Superbe was built at Antwerp, in a late effort of the First French Empire to replenish its Navy by using all available shipyards. Particularly well-built, to the point of being called the "nicest ship in the Navy", she became the only ship built at Antwerp to survive breaking up after the Bourbon Restoration.
She served in the Caribbean before returning to Brest to be put in the reserve in an inactive state.
In 1830, she took part in the French invasion of Algiers, after which she returned to Toulon to be decommissioned again.

In 1833, she served in the Mediterranean under Captain d'Oysonville. On 15 December, she was caught in a storm off Paros and ran aground at the entrance of Parekia harbour. The survivors returned to Toulon on Iphigénie, Galathée and Duquesne.


The Téméraire class ship of the line Superbe was wrecked at Paros, Greece on 15 December 1833

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Superbe_(1814)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Téméraire-class_ship_of_the_line

 

[Uwek]

Other naval events at 5 July:

1596 - English fleet under the earl of Essex plunder Cadiz.

1610 - John Guy set sail from Bristol with 39 other colonists for Newfoundland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Guy_(governor)

1695 - HMS Charles fireship (6 gun), Edward Darley, burnt at St. Malo.

1801 - David G. Farragut is born near Knoxville, Tenn. Known for the quote, Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead during the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, he is appointed vice admiral by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and is commissioned an admiral, the first-ever in the US Navy, by a Congressional Act in 1866.

1811 - Danish attack a British convoy off Hielme Island but are repulsed with the loss of 4 gun-boats and 120 men.

1814 - The sloop-of-war, USS Peacock (22 gun), captures British vessels HMS Stranger, HMS Venus, HMS Adiona, and HMS Fortitude.

1815 - Commodore Stephen Decatur's squadron arrives at Tripoli to collect reparations for seizure of American merchant ships in violation of Treaty of 1805.

1832 - HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin depart Rio de Janeiro.

1847 – Topsail Schooner Enterprize, built in 1830 in Tazmania wrecked on the bar of the Richmond River in northern New South Wales, on 5 July 1847, with the loss of two lives

A fully operational replica of the Enterprize was launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1997. It is managed by the Enterprize Ship Trust on behalf of the people of Victoria. The Enterprize's home port from 1997 to 2011 was Williamstown (South West of Melbourne), where it moored and operated for fourteen years. In September 2011 the ship moved its home port to the Melbourne Docklands precinct. It conducts regular voyages from its home port in Docklands and other places around Port Phillip Bay.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprize_(1829)
http://www.enterprize.org.au/

1859 - Hawaiian bark Gambia, commanded by Capt. N.C. Brooks, discovers the Midway Islands. The islands are named "Middlebrook Islands." On Aug. 28, 1867, Capt. William Reynolds of the USS Lackawanna takes possession of the atoll for the U.S., making Midway the first offshore islands annexed by the U.S. government.

1924 - The sidewheel paddle steamer Three Rivers burned to the waters edge with 350 passengers on board causing the loss of 8 and many more injured near cove point while bound for Baltimore.

1942 – Action of 5 July 1942

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_5_July_1942

1943 - U.S. invasion fleet of 96 ships sails to Sicily.

 

[Uwek]

6 July 1747 - Birth of John Paul Jones at Arbigland, Scotland.

John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends and enemies—who accused him of piracy—among America's political elites, and his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day. As such, he is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the American Navy".



Jones grew up in Scotland, became a sailor, and served as commander of several British merchant ships. After having killed one of his crew members with a sword, he fled to the Colony of Virginia and around 1775 joined the newly founded Continental Navy in their fight against Britain in the American Revolutionary War. He commanded U.S. Navy ships stationed in France and led several assaults on England and Ireland. Well known for the action between the Bonhomme Richard and the HMS Serapis. Left without a command in 1787, he joined the Imperial Russian Navy and obtained the rank of rear admiral. He played a very important part in fighting against the ottoman navy. Later on he lived in Netherlands and in France where he died at 18 July 1792.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones

 

[Uwek]

6 July 1759 - British squadron under George Rodney bombarded Le Havre,

The Raid on Le Havre was a two-day naval bombardment of the French port of Le Havre early in July 1759 by Royal Navy forces under Rear-Admiral George Rodney during the Seven Years' War, which succeeded in its aim of destroying many of the invasion barges being gathered there for the planned French invasion of Great Britain.



By the summer of 1759 the duc de Choiseul's invasion plans was under way with intensive naval preparations taking place along the French ports in the Atlantic and in the channel - Brest, Le Havre, Rochefort and Toulon. Troops were assembled at number of points principally at Dunkirk, Saint-Omer, Ostend, Lille and Vannes. Choiseul had decided that the Le Havre was to be the main base for the Prince de Soubise's strike at England as it lay on the Seine and troop movement was far easier than any other French port.

The British had received intelligence that the French had a number of flat bottomed boats were prepared at Le Havre for the purpose of disembarking troops.

Bombardment
The squadron Admiral Rodney was detached in the beginning of July with a small squadron and sailed from Spithead on 2 July, arrived off Le Havre.


HMS Maria Anna, Earl of Chatham and Achilles off a coastal town

Rodney's squadron consisted of the 60-gun ship of the line Achilles as flagship, four 50-gun ships, five frigates, a sloop, and six bomb ketches. and anchored there placing the bomb vessels in the narrow channel of the river leading to Honfleur. The next day the attack commenced on the flat-bottomed boats and supplies which had been collected there. Over 3000 shells were fired at the principal targets - the magazines, batteries and the boats as well as into the town for fifty consecutive hours. Rodney, with some of his frigates, remained off the port for the rest of the year, and captured numerous prizes.

The bombardment did immense damage, while Rodney's fleet received little harm in return. A numerous body of French troops came down to the shore and under the cover of entrenchments and batteries kept up an active fire upon the assailants. The town was set on fire in several places and burned with great fury while the inhabitants fled

Involved ships:
Ships of the line

• Achilles (60), flagship, Captain the Hon. Samuel Barrington
• Chatham (50), Captain John Lockhart
• Deptford (50), Captain John Hollwell
• Isis (50), Captain Edward Wheeler
• Norwich (50), Captain George Darby

Frigates

• Brilliant (36), Captain Hyde Parker
• Juno (36), Captain Henry John Philips
• Vestal (32), Captain Samuel Hood
• Boreas (28), Captain Hon. Robert Boyle
• Unicorn (28), Captain Thomas Graves

Sloop

• Wolf (8), Commander Hugh Bromedge

Bomb ketches

• Furnace, Commander Jonathan Faulknor
• Firedrake, Commander James Orrok
• Basilisk, Commander John Clarke
• Mortar, Commander Joseph Hunt
• Carcass, Commander Charles Inglis
• Blast, Commander Thomas Willis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Le_Havre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Achilles_(1757)

 

[Uwek]

6 July 1779 - The Battle of Grenada.

Engagement between British fleet of 21 ships of the line and 1 frigate, under Vice-Admiral John Byron, and French fleet of 25 ships of the line and several frigates, under Admiral Comte d'Estaing.

The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the Anglo-French War in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy, just off the coast of Grenada. The British fleet of Admiral John Byron (the grandfather of Lord Byron) had sailed in an attempt to relieve Grenada, which the French forces of the Comte D'Estaing had just captured.

Incorrectly believing he had numerical superiority, Byron ordered a general chase to attack the French as they left their anchorage at Grenada. Because of the disorganized attack and the French superiority, the British fleet was badly mauled in the encounter, although no ships were lost. Naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan described the British loss as "the most disastrous ... that the British Navy had encountered since Beachy Head, in 1690."



The French were anchored off St. George's Town on the southwest of the island, and the British approached during the night. D'Estaing weighed anchor at 4:00 am when the British fleet was spotted, ordering his ships to form a line of battle in order of speed (that is, without regard to the usual sailing order), heading roughly northward. This masked the true strength of the French fleet as each ship left the cluster at the anchorage. Believing his force to be superior, Byron gave the order for general chase, approaching the anchorage from the northeast.


The capture of the island of Grenada by the troops of D'Estaing

When Byron finally became aware of the full French strength, he attempted to reform a battle line. As a result, the British attack was disordered and confused. HMS Fame, HMS Lion and two other ships got separated from the main body and were very badly mauled. Lion was forced to run downwind to Jamaica to avoid capture. The French lost no ships and eventually hauled off. The British lost 183 killed and 346 wounded. Fame had four killed and nine wounded. The French lost 190 killed and 759 wounded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grenada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Fame_(1759)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Lion_(1777)

 

[Uwek]

6 July 1782 - The Battle of Negapatam.

British fleet of 11 ships, under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, engaged a French fleet of 11 ships, under the Bailli de Suffren, off the coast of India.

The Battle of Negapatam was the third in the series of battles fought between a British fleet, under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, and a French fleet, under the Bailli de Suffren, off the coast of India during the Anglo-French War. The battle was fought on 6 July 1782. The battle was indecisive but Suffren was thwarted in his goal by Hughes and withdrew to Cuddalore, while the British remained in control of Negapatam


Depiction of the battle by Dominic Serres


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Negapatam_(1782)

 

[Uwek]

6 July 1801 - Action off Algeciras or First Battle of Algeciras,

was a naval battle fought on 6 July 1801 (17 messidor an IX of the French Republican Calendar) between a squadron of British Royal Navy ships of the line and a smaller French Navysquadron at anchor in the fortified Spanish port of Algeciras in the Strait of Gibraltar. The British outnumbered their opponents, but the French position was protected by Spanish gun batteries and the complicated shoals that obscured the entrance to Algeciras Bay. The French squadron, under Contre-Admiral Charles Linois, had stopped at Algeciras en route to the major Spanish naval base at Cadiz, where they were to form a combined French and Spanish fleet for operations against Britain and its allies in the French Revolutionary Wars. The British, under Rear-Admiral Sir James Saumarez, sought to eliminate the French squadron before it could reach Cadiz and form a force powerful enough to overwhelm Saumarez and launch attacks against British forces in the Mediterranean Sea.



Sailing directly from his blockade station off Cadiz, Saumarez's squadron consisted of six ships of the line, twice the number under Linois's command. Discovering the French at anchor in Algeciras on the morning of 6 July, Saumarez launched an immediate attack on the anchorage through the complicated shoals of Algeciras Bay. Although the initial attack caused severe damage to the French ships, light winds and shallow water led to the British ship HMS Hannibal grounding under heavy fire while the French vessels were driven on shore to prevent their capture. With his intentions frustrated, Saumarez ordered his squadron to withdraw, five of his ships limping out of the bay while the batted Hannibal remained trapped. Isolated and unable to manoeuvre, Captain Solomon Ferris on Hannibal endured the enemy fire for another half an hour before surrendering his ship.




Plan of the battle from Naval History of Great Britain. Volume III. William James. London 1837

Both sides had suffered severe damage and casualties, but both were also aware that the battle would inevitably be rejoined and so the aftermath of the British defeat was one of frenzied activity at Gibraltar, Algeciras and Cadiz. While the British and French squadrons conducted hasty repairs, the French and Spanish fleet at Cadiz was prepared for a rescue mission, a heavy squadron arriving at Algeciras on 12 July. As the squadron departed with Linois's squadron, it was attacked again by Saumarez's squadron at the Second Battle of Algeciras and caught at night by faster and more manoeuvrable ships, which resulted in the British inflicting heavy losses on the Spanish rearguard but failing to destroy the French squadron for a second time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Algeciras
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hannibal_(1786)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Venerable_(1784)

 

[Uwek]

Other events on 6 July


1804 - HMS Raven ex French corvette Arethuse (1798) (18) wrecked near Mazzara, Sicily coast.

Aréthuse, launched in April 1798, was the name-ship of the eponymous Aréthuse-class corvettes of the French Navy. Excellent captured her in 1799. The Royal Navy took her into service under the name HMS Raven.


Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines with inboard detail and figurehead, and longitudinal half-breadth for Raven (captured 1799), a captured French Brig, as fitted as an 18 gun Brig Sloop at Plymouth Dockyard. Signed by John Marshall [Master Shipwright, Plymouth Dockyard, 1795-1801].
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/84315.html#YkrkQk62iPobolzv.99

On 4 January 1804 Raven sailed from Malta as escort to the merchant ship Dolphin, bound for Naples. She was following a course along the south coast of Sicily that would take her between the islands of Favignana and Marettimo. In the evening of the next day master's mate Robert Incledon had the watch and saw a light shape in the moonless night. He thought it was a sail but it turned out to be a tower on the cliffs near Mazari, on the south west coast of Sicily. At 11pm she ran aground. Despite efforts to lighten and free her, efforts that extended into the afternoon of 6 January, the pumps were unable to clear the water that was coming in and she had to be abandoned. Dolphin rescued her crew. The court martial on 10 February 1805 admonished the master for having steered too near the land.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_corvette_Aréthuse_(1798)


1808 - HMS Seahorse (1794) (38), Cptn. John Stewart, captured Turkish Badere Zaffer (54), Scanderli Kichue Ali, and sank Alis Fezan (24)

His Majesty authorized the issue of a gold medal to Captain Stewart for the action; only 18 battles or actions qualified for such an award. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issue of the NGSM with clasp "Seahorse with Badere Zaffere" to all the surviving claimants from the action.


Plan showing the body plan, stern board outline, sheer lines, and longitudinal half-breadth for Seahorse (1794). From Tyne & Wear Archives Service, Blandford House, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA.
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/382899.html#mdXa7tpvWgVcftkC.99


Scale: approximately 1:32. According to the writing on the side of the hull, this model was made from part of the mainmast of the French flagship ‘L’Orient’ which blew up at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. The model is rather crudely made and its hull is not quite in the right proportions, being too deep, so it is probably sailor-made. The rigging appears to be contemporary. Marmaduke Stalkaart, who also wrote a textbook on naval architecture, built the ‘Seahorse’ (1794) at Rotherhithe on the Thames. It was one of the ‘Artois/Apollo’ class, of which several models exist. The ‘Seahorse’ was not actually present at the Battle of the Nile, but joined Nelson’s fleet soon afterwards.
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66535.html#lpvQWEqpgD6XsZeS.99



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Seahorse_(1794)
http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66535.html


1809 - HMS Bonne Citoyenne (20), William Mounsey, captured Furieuse (20).

Bonne Citoyenne was a 20-gun corvette of the French Navy launched in 1794, the name ship of a four-vessel class. She was part of the French fleet active in the Bay of Biscay and English Channel. The Royal Navycaptured her in 1796, commissioning her as the sloop-of-war HMS Bonne Citoyenne.


The captured Furieuse is taken in tow to Halifax, Nova Scotia by HMS Bonne Citoyenne, a print by Thomas Whitcombe

Under British command she served in the Mediterranean, including at the Battle of Cape St Vincent. She was taken out of service in 1803 but returned following refitting in 1808, then serving in the Atlantic. Her most famous action was the capture of the much larger French frigate Furieuse on 6 July 1809, for which her crew earned the Naval General Service Medal. The later part of her career was spent in South America. Her design was used as the basis for the Hermes-class post ships. She was laid up in 1815, and sold in 1819.


Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with sternboard outline, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for Bonne Citoyenne (captured 1796), a captured French corvette as taken off at Portsmouth Dockyard prior to being fitted as a 20-gun Sixth Rate. Note the single bitts and the French-style capstan on the topgallant forecastle. Signed by Edward Tippet [Master Shipwright, Portsmouth Dockyard, 1793-1799].
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/83820.html#UhQqe2x2I1rlPb43.99

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bonne_Citoyenne_(1796)


1812 - The Battle of Lyngør was a naval action fought between Denmark-Norway and Britain in 1812 on the southern coast of Norway, it result in the destruction of a Danish frigate.

HMS Dictator (1783) (64), Cptn. Stewart, HMS Calypso (18), Henry Weir, HMS Podargus (14), William Robilliard, and HMS Flamer (14), Lt. Thomas England, engaged and destroyed the Danish frigate Najaden (38), Cdr. Hans Peter Holm, and the brigs Lolland (20), and Kiel (18) and also engaged the brig Samso (18) in Lyngør harbor .


Artist's rendition of the Battle of Lyngør

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lyngør
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Dictator_(1783)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Calypso_(1805)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Podargus_(1808)


1820 - HMS Carron (1813) (20 gun Cyrus class), John Furneaux, wrecked 4 miles to the north of the Black Pagoda, Poorie.

HMS Carron was a 20-gun Cyrus-class sixth-rate post ship of the Royal Navy built in 1813 by Edward Adams, at Bucklers Hard in Hampshire.


Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines, and longitudinal half-breadth for building Medina (1813) and Carron (1813), both 20-gun Sixth Rate Sloops at Bucklers Hard by Edward Adams. Signed by William Rule [Surveyor of the Navy, 1793-1813] and Henry Peake [Surveyor of the Navy, 1806-1822].
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/83776.html#dQKFplFB443MHuqQ.99

She was wrecked on 6 July 1820 six miles north of the Black Pagoda, which was 30 miles north of Puri. Carron had been sailing south from the Sandheads, for Madras when she grounded at 3 am while her crew thought she was 60 miles off the coast. Despite all efforts to free her, she quickly took on water, lost her boats and broke apart. In the morning, the survivors found that she was only a quarter of a mile offshore. Those who could made it ashore; in all, she lost a lieutenant of artillery, the master, and 19 crewmen to drowning. The court martial board blamed a strong, unexpected current for the loss.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Carron_(1813)


1943 - The naval Battle of Kula Gulf (Japanese: クラ湾夜戦) took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. The Night Battle of Kula Gulf results in loss of 2 Japanese destroyers and USS Helena.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kula_Gulf

 

[Uwek]

7 July 1565 - Action of 7 July 1565

This battle in the Northern Seven Years' War took place on 7 July 1565 and was a decisive victory for a Swedish fleet of 49 ships, under Klas Horn, over a combined Danish and Lübecker fleet of 36 ships, under Otte Rud.


Fighting between the Danish and Swedish flag ships Jegermesther and St Erik, drawn by Rudolf van Deventer.

The Danish Dans Christopher was sunk and Trolle drowned but some of her survivors boarded and captured the small Swedish ship St Goran. The Swedish Grip was rammed and sunk by a larger Lübeck ship, which also sank as a result. After the Swedish ship Gyllende Lejon caught fire the fleets scattered, leaving the Danish flagship, Jegermesther, unsupported and she was captured at about 9:30 pm. After this the Allies returned to Copenhagen, and the Swedes to Dalarö. Swedish vice-admiral Sten Sture and his captain, Baner, were killed.

Ships involved
Sweden

• St Erik 90 (flag)
• Finska Svan 82 (Vice Admiral Sten Sture, captain Baner)
• David 42
• Troilus 44
• Svenska Hektor 87
• Grip — rammed and sunk
• Böse Lejon 56 (ex-Danish Byens Løffue)
• St Goran — captured
• Gyllende Lejon / Forgylden Lejon — burnt
• 40 (or possibly 53?) other ships

Denmark/Lübeck

• Jegermesther 90 (flag) — captured
• Svenske Jomfru (Erik Rud)
• Dans Christopher (Nils Trolle) — sank
• Josua (Lübeck flag)
• Unknown ship (Lübeck) — sank after ramming
• 19 other Danish ships
• 12 other Lübeck ships

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_7_July_1565

 

[Uwek]

7 July 1777 - American frigates USS Hancock (32), Cptn. John Manley, and Boston (30), Cptn. Hector McNeil, were escorting their prize HMS Fox (28) to Boston. They were pursued by the British frigate HMS Rainbow (44), Cptn. Sir George Collier, who was joined by HMS Flora (32), Cptn. John Brisbane. The American ships steered different courses and Flora took Fox while Rainbow took Hancock. Cptn. McNeil was dismissed the American service for deserting Cptn. Manley.


Continental frigates Hancock and Boston capturing British frigate Fox, 7 June 1777

Hancock, renamed HMS Iris, served the British Navy so effectively that her new owners boasted of her as "the finest and fastest frigate in the world." The most famous of the many prizes which made her officers wealthy men was the capture on 28 August 1781 of the American 28-gun ship USS Trumbull.

Trumbull carried 32 guns and 200 men. Iris captured her after an engagement of about an hour in which Iris lost one man killed and six wounded, while Trumbull had two men killed and 10 wounded.

In the aftermath of the Battle of the Chesapeake, admirals Graves and Hood left the Chesapeake waters; the French set a solid screen of fast frigates to intercept enemy shipping. Prior to retreating, Hood dispatched two frigates, Iris and Richmond, to General Cornwallis in Yorktown. On 9 September 1781, four French frigates intercepted them; Richmond fell back and surrendered first, then the French frigate Heron, under captain Traversay, captured Iris. Traversay boarded Iris, assumed command and held it till the end of war.

As Royal French Iris
On 4 November 1781, Iris, with the main French fleet, sailed from Annapolis to the Antilles. In January 1782 Iris took part in the Battle of St. Kitts. Iris captured a small British sloop. On the eve of Battle of the Saintes Admiral de Grasse detached Iris to convoy unarmed troop transports; Iris completed her mission while the main French force suffered a humiliating defeat. In the late stages of the war Iris continued reconnaissance and cruising, and finally performed a diplomatic mission when she carried an offer of a ceasefire to British-occupied New York.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hancock_(1776)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Vestale_(1756)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Fox_(1773)