.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The second H.M.S. Bellona to serve in the fleet was the nameship of a class of three '74's' ordered in 1757, soon after the outbreak of the Seven Years' War. Built to a very successful Slade design which was later adapted to suit two subsequent classes Bellona's keel was laid at Chatham in May 1758 and she was launched on 19th February 1760. Measured at 1,603 tons and 168 feet long overall, she carried 28-32pdrs. as her main armament, together with a further 28-18pdrs. on her upper deck, 14-9pdrs. on her quarter-deck and 4-9pdrs. on her forecastle.
Commissioned with a crew of 550 men, she earned her first battle honour almost immediately when, on 14th August 1761, she captured the French-74 Courageux south-west of Cape Finisterre. In what was described as 'the most brilliant action between cruising ships in 1761', Bellona forced the Frenchman to strike her colours after barely forty minutes and the resulting prize brought Captain Robert Faulkner both fame and fortune. Although much in demand for the remainder of the War, she next attracted attention during the American War of Independence when, on 30th December 1780, she captured the Dutch warship Princess Carolina - 54 guns - whilst patolling the Channel with H.M.S. Marlborough. Two years later she saw action with Lord Howe's squadron which defeated a large Franco-Spanish fleet off Cape Spartel, Tangiers, but this was followed by ten years of peace before England found herself at war with France again.
Continuously in action during the Napoleonic Wars, she was principally engaged in three major operations beginning with the capture of Trinidad in February 1797 when she formed part of Rear-Admiral Harvey's squadron assisting the land-based campaign of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. On 18th June 1799, in company with several other ships of the fleet, Bellona helped capture a French squadron of five ships off Cape Sicie, near Toulon, and she was also one of Nelson's squadron at the bombardment and destruction of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen on 2nd April 1801. Despite being grounded due to an error by her master, Bellona was still able to make a significant contribution to the victory by virtue of her ability to bombard the shore defences and she drew much enemy fire as a result. Showing her age when she was unable to keep up with the fleet which participated in Sir Richard Strachan's action against the survivors of Trafalgar on 4th November 1805, she nevertheless took part in other sorties with Strachan's squadron and also assisted at the famous fireship attack on the French fleet lying in the Basque Roads on 11th April 1809. This was Bellona's last engagement and after a short period laid up, she was broken up at Chatham in September 1814.
Commissioned with a crew of 550 men, she earned her first battle honour almost immediately when, on 14th August 1761, she captured the French-74 Courageux south-west of Cape Finisterre. In what was described as 'the most brilliant action between cruising ships in 1761', Bellona forced the Frenchman to strike her colours after barely forty minutes and the resulting prize brought Captain Robert Faulkner both fame and fortune. Although much in demand for the remainder of the War, she next attracted attention during the American War of Independence when, on 30th December 1780, she captured the Dutch warship Princess Carolina - 54 guns - whilst patolling the Channel with H.M.S. Marlborough. Two years later she saw action with Lord Howe's squadron which defeated a large Franco-Spanish fleet off Cape Spartel, Tangiers, but this was followed by ten years of peace before England found herself at war with France again.
Continuously in action during the Napoleonic Wars, she was principally engaged in three major operations beginning with the capture of Trinidad in February 1797 when she formed part of Rear-Admiral Harvey's squadron assisting the land-based campaign of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. On 18th June 1799, in company with several other ships of the fleet, Bellona helped capture a French squadron of five ships off Cape Sicie, near Toulon, and she was also one of Nelson's squadron at the bombardment and destruction of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen on 2nd April 1801. Despite being grounded due to an error by her master, Bellona was still able to make a significant contribution to the victory by virtue of her ability to bombard the shore defences and she drew much enemy fire as a result. Showing her age when she was unable to keep up with the fleet which participated in Sir Richard Strachan's action against the survivors of Trafalgar on 4th November 1805, she nevertheless took part in other sorties with Strachan's squadron and also assisted at the famous fireship attack on the French fleet lying in the Basque Roads on 11th April 1809. This was Bellona's last engagement and after a short period laid up, she was broken up at Chatham in September 1814.