Fleet Ledger

Naval wars from the age of sail to the present day

Ships
/

Ajax

HMS Ajax

Survived

Royal Navy

TypeShip of the line
RateThird rate
Guns74 guns
WarAmerican War of Independence

74-gun ship, at the Moonlight Battle, Martinique in 1780, Fort Royal, the Chesapeake, St Kitts and the Saintes. Sold in 1785.

No. 11 of Twelve Views of His Majesty's Ships, &c. in Different Situations. The Ajax, a Man of War, sailing into Portsmouth Harbour, with a View of South Sea Castle. Printed for & sold by Carington Bowles, at his Map & Print Warehouse, No.69 in St Pauls Church Yard. This printing is the right way ro Photo: Carington Bowles, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Armament and specifications

Armament

74 guns

  • Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 9-pounders
  • Forecastle: 4 × 9-pounders
BuilderPortsmouth Dockyard
Launched23 December 1767
Length167 ft 10 in (51.16 m) (gundeck)

As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.

Career

Launched

23 December 1767

Battle of Cape St Vincent (the Moonlight Battle)
Survived

16–17 January 1780

Battle of Martinique
Survived

17 April 1780

Battle of Fort Royal
Survived

29 April 1781

Battle of the Chesapeake
Damaged

5 September 1781

Battle of St Kitts (Frigate Bay)
Survived

25–26 January 1782

Battle of the Saintes
Survived

12 April 1782

Fate

Survived

Sold out of the service, 1785