HMS St George (1840)

HMS St George was a 120-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 27 August 1840 at Plymouth.[1]

The Fire on the morning of 27 September 1840, which threatened to destroy the dockyard. St George pictured was far enough away from the blazing Talavera to escape destruction.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS St George.

HMS St George and Arethusa on the Hamoaze near Bull Point, by Edward Snell (engineer)
History
UK
Name: HMS St George
Ordered: 27 May 1819
Builder: Plymouth Dockyard
Laid down: May 1827
Launched: 27 August 1840
Fate: Sold, 1883
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Broadened Caledonia-class ship of the line
Tons burthen: 2694 bm
Length: 205 ft 5.5 in (62.624 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 54 ft 6 in (16.61 m)
Depth of hold: 23 ft 2 in (7.06 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Armament:
  • 120 guns:
  • Gundeck: 30 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 68-pdr carronades
  • Middle gundeck: 34 × 32 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 34 × 32 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 2 × 18 pdrs, 14 × 32 pdr carronades
  • Forecastle: 2 × 18 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades

While in the dockyard and before being put to sea she was at risk of destruction. The dockyard suffered severe damage in a large scale fire on 25 September 1840, it started in the North Dock on HMS Talavera and Imogene were completely gutted, threatened the HMS Minden, and spread to nearby buildings and equipment. Estimates for the damage were put at £150,000 in the values of the day, and would have totalled £500,000 had the fire not been contained by demolishing several surrounding buildings.[2]

She was fitted with screw propulsion in 1859, and was sold out of the service in 1883.[1]

Notes
  1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p190.
  2. "Dreadful Fire at Devonport". London: The Morning Chronicle. 25 September 1840. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.

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.


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