English ship Crane (1590)

Last updated

History
English Red Ensign 1620.svg Kingdom of England
NameCrane
BuilderRichard Chapman
Launched1590
Commissioned1590
FateSold 17 June 1629
General characteristics
Class and type
  • Small Galleon
  • Fourth Rate - 1626
Tons burthen202.8/253.5 tons bm
Length60 ft 0 in (18.3 m) keel
Beam26 ft 0 in (7.9 m)
Depth of hold13 ft 0 in (4.0 m)
PropulsionSail
Sail plan ship-rigged
Complement100 (1603)
Armament
  • 6 × demi-culverins
  • 7 × sakers
  • 6 × minions

Crane was a small galleon in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as Cadiz and the Azores. She later was assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She maintained this assignment until she went to the Irish Station then back to the English Channel. She was finally sold in 1629. [1]

Contents

Crane was the first named vessel in the English and Royal Navies. [2]

Construction and specifications

She was built on the Thames possibly at Deptford under the guidance of Master Shipwright Richard Chapman. She was launched in 1590. Her dimensions were 60 feet 0 inches (18.3 metres) for keel with a breadth of 26 feet 0 inches (7.9 metres) and a depth of hold of 13 feet 0 inches (4.0 metres). Her tonnage was between 202.9 and 253.5 tons. [3]

In 1603, she had 18 guns consisting of six demi-culverines, [4] [Note 1] seven sakers, [5] [Note 2] six minions [6] [Note 3] and two fowlers. [7] [Note 4] Her manning was around 100 officers and men in 1603. [8]

Commissioned service

She was commissioned in 1590 under Captain John Bostocke for service with Hawkyns and Frobisher's expedition. In 1591 she was with Lord Thomas to the Azores. In 1594 Captain Humphrey Reynolds was her commander and assigned to Frobisher's squadron. In 1596 she was commanded by Captain Jonas Bradbury for a voyage to Cadiz, Spain. Captain Sir Alexander Clifford was her commander with Sir Richard Leveson's Channel Guard in 1599. She was with the Channel Guard until July 1599.Later that year she was again under Captain Bradbury for the mobilization of the Fleet. She then came under the command of Captain Clifford in January 1600, followed by Captain Walter Gore in September 1600 and followed by Captain Thomas Coverte in November/December 1600, all three commanders for the Channel Guard. In 1601 she was assigned Captain Edward Manwaring for service on the Irish Station until March 1602. Then Captain Thomas Mansell took over until September 1602. Captain William Jones and Captain J. White were her last commanders for service in the English Channel. [9]

Disposition

Crane was sold at Rochester on 17 June 1629. [10]

Notes

  1. A demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound shot with an eight pound powder charge.
  2. A sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 5.5 pound shot with an 5.5 pound powder charge.
  3. A minion was a gun of 1,000 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge.
  4. A fowler was an anti-personnel breech-loading gun that fired either stone or grape shot. the weapon weighed about 5 cwt and the breech weighed another 1 cwt.

Citations

  1. Winfield
  2. Colledge
  3. Winfield
  4. Lavery, page 101
  5. Lavery, page 102
  6. Lavery, page 103
  7. Lavery, page 103
  8. Winfield
  9. Winfield
  10. Winfield

Related Research Articles

English ship <i>Elizabeth</i> (1647) English warship burned by Dutch in Virginia

Elizabeth was a 38-gun fourth rate vessel of the Kingdom of England, Her initial commission was in the Parliamentary Naval Force during the English Civil War. During the First Anglo-Dutch War, she missed all the major Fleet actions. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, she participated in the St James Day Fight. She was burnt by the Dutch off Virginia in March 1667.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Deptford Dockyard in 1694/95. She was assigned to the West Indies. She was wrecked along with HMS Bideford on Hispaniola in November 1699.

HMS Portsmouth was a fifth rate built under the 1689 programme built at Deptford Dockyard. Her guns were listed under old terms for guns as demi-culverines, sakers and minions. After commissioning she spent her short career with the Fleet in Home Waters. She was taken by the French in 1696.

Quittance was a small galleon in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as Cadiz. She was later assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. she maintained this assignment until she went to Monson's squadron then back to the English Channel. She was condemned in 1618.

Answer was a small galleon in the service of the English Royal Navy. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as Cadiz and the Azores. She was later assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She maintained this assignment until she went to the Irish Station then back to the English Channel. She was finally sold in 1629.

Advantage was a small galleon in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her career in the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She maintained this assignment until she went to the English Channel. She was accidentally burnt in Scotland in 1613.

Adventure was a 26-gun galley in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as West Indies, Cadiz and the Azores. She later was assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She would spend the rest of her time in Home Waters, mainly the English Channel and North Sea. She was broken in 1645.

Phoenix was described as a pinnace in the service of the English Navy Royal. She has no record of service and was not mentioned after 1624.

Mary Rose was a 26-gun ship in the service of the English Navy Royal. After commissioning she mainly served in Home waters. With the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642 she was in the service of the Parliamentary Forces. She served until wrecked in a storm in 1650.

HMS Milford was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by William Hubbard of Ipswich in 1694/95.

HMS Winchelsea was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built under contract at Redbridge (Southampton) in 1693/94. After commissioning she was employed for trade protection in the North Sea, guard ship at Plymouth, briefly with Shovell's Fleet in the Channel and a brief visit to the West Indies. While on fisheries protection in the Channel she was taken by the French off Hastings in June 1706.

HMS Arundel was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1694/95. After commissioning she was used as a convoy escort, trade protection and counter piracy operations. Her main areas of operation were Irish Waters, the English Channel and convoy escorts to Newfoundland and the West Indies. She was sold in June 1713.

HMS Looe was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Plymouth Dockyard in 1695/96. Shortly after commissioning she was wrecked in Baltimore Bay, Ireland on 30 April 1697.

HMS Lynn was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1695/96. She spent her entire career on trade protection and anti-piracy patrols. Her service was in Home Waters North America, the West Indies and the East Indies. She was sold in 1713.

HMS Fowey was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mr. Flint of Plymouth in 1695/96. She was employed in trade protection and counter-piracy patrols in Home Waters and North America. She was in on the capture of a 50-gun Frenchman while returning from Virginia. She was taken by the French off the Scilly Islands in August 1704.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by John Knowler of Redbridge (Southampton) in 1695/96.

HMS Gosport was a 32-gun fifth rate built by William Collins of Shoreham in 1695/96. She spent her career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters, in North America and the West Indies. She was captured by the French in 1706.

HMS Hastings was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Isaac Betts of Woodbridge in 1696/98. She was employed in convoy service, trade protection and counter piracy patrols. She was wrecked off Greater Yarmouth in February 1707.

HMS Bridgewater was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Sheerness Dockyard in 1697/98.

HMS Ludlow was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mrs. Anne Mundy of Woodbridge in 1697/98.

References