The ''Caledonia''-class

ships of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which involved the two column ...

were a class of nine 120-gun

first rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a first rate was the designation for the largest ships of the line. Originating in the Jacobean era with the designation of Ships Royal capable of carrying at least ...

s, designed for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

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 ''Queen'' to a fresh design by Sir William Symonds.

Armament

In the original configuration, the armament of the ''Caledonia'' class was consistent for the first three ships of the class. The exception was an increase in firepower on the poop deck from 2 to 6 18-pounder

carronade A carronade is a short, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon which was used by the Royal Navy. It was first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, and was used from the last quarter of the 18th century to the mid-19th cen ...

s. Starting with the fourth ship, the armament of the class was significantly modified to adhere to the principle of a unified caliber of 32 pound. All guns on the middle and upper gun decks were replaced with the same number of 32-pounders, except for two 24-pounders on the middle deck that were replaced by two 8-inch-shell guns. Four of the 12-pounder guns on the quarterdeck were replaced with 32-pounder carronades. 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. By 1847 the armament had been brought to the 32-pounder standard.

Size

The last five ships of the class 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 ''Caledonia''s, . Except for ''Caledonia'' herself, all these ships were converted into steam-powered screw battleships during the 1850s.

Ships

Standard group

* :Builder:

Plymouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roya ...

: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 Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham, Kent, Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham, Kent, Gillingham; at its most extens ...

: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 His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is loc ...

:Ordered: 12 February 1823 :Laid down: January 1827 :Launched: 22 September 1832 :Fate: Sold out of the service, 1875 * :Builder:

Pembroke Dockyard Pembroke Dockyard, originally called Pater Yard, is a former Royal Navy Dockyard in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales. History It was founded in 1814, although not formally authorized until the George IV of the United Kingdom, Prince Regent s ...

: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 Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English Royal Navy Dockyard, naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich - originally in north-west Kent, now in southeast London - whe ...

:Ordered: 22 February 1825 :Laid down: November 1829 :Launched: 21 June 1841 :Fate: Sold out of the service, 1906

References

* *Lavery, Brian (1983) ''The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. . *Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif (2004) ''The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889.'' Chatham Publishing, London. . * {{Caledonia class ship of the line Ship of the line classes