HMS Salisbury (1746)

Last updated

History
Naval Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg Great Britain
NameHMS Salisbury
Ordered
  • 23 April 1744
  • Reordered on 2 May 1744
BuilderPhilemon Ewer, East Cowes
Laid down23 May 1744
Launched29 January 1746
CompletedBetween 16 February and 4 April 1746
FateCondemned for breaking up on 24 April 1761
General characteristics
Class and type50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen976 83/94 bm
Length
  • 140 ft (42.7 m) (overall)
  • 113 ft 10 in (34.7 m) (keel)
Beam40 ft 2 in (12.2 m)
Depth of hold17 ft 2.5 in (5.25 m)
Sail plan Full-rigged ship
Complement300
Armament
  • Lower deck: 22 × 24-pdrs
  • Upper deck: 22 × 12-pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 4 × 6-pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6-pdrs

HMS Salisbury was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was built during the War of the Austrian Succession and went on to see action in the Seven Years' War, serving in the East Indies.

Contents

Salisbury started her career in the western approaches, where she took part in blockades of the French coast and cruises against French ships and privateers, serving with Sir George Anson and Sir Peter Warren's fleets. During this period Salisbury's surgeon carried out experiments into the use of citrus fruit against scurvy. After some time spent as a guardship at Plymouth during the peace, Salisbury was sent to the East Indies, where she spent the rest of her career.

Salisbury was active during the Seven Years' War, serving with George Pocock's fleet, and seeing action in most of his engagements with the Comte d'Aché. She fought at Cuddalore, Negapatam and Pondicherry, and remained in the East Indies until being condemned as unserviceable at Bombay in 1761.

Construction and commissioning

Salisbury was ordered to the designs of the 1741 proposals from Philemon Ewer at East Cowes on 23 April 1744, with the order being repeated on 2 May 1744. [1] She was laid down on 23 May 1744 and launched on 29 January 1746. [1] [2] Salisbury was completed at Portsmouth between 16 February and 4 April 1746, having cost £13,068.0.0d to build with a further £4,707.9.0d spent on fitting her out. [1] She was commissioned in January 1746 under her first commander, Captain George Edgcumbe. [1]

War of the Austrian Succession

Salisbury was assigned to the Western Squadron, which patrolled the sea areas around the Bay of Biscay and the western approaches of the English Channel. She was with Sir George Anson's fleet off Cape Finisterre between September and October 1746, and again in 1747. [1] On 31 March 1747 she captured the 30-gun French East Indiaman Jason. The captured vessel was brought to Portsmouth as a prize, with Salisbury returning to sea on 2 April. On 11 April she captured a small French fishing vessel and sent her to Plymouth as a prize. Over the following weeks Salisbury patrolled the Bay of Biscay near the Loire estuary. [1]

Lind's experiments

Serving aboard Salisbury as ship's surgeon during this period was Lieutenant James Lind, who carried out several experiments during her sixth patrol in the approaches to demonstrate the effectiveness of citrus fruit as a cure for scurvy. [3] [4] Lind's experiment began on 20 May 1747, when he selected a dozen men with scurvy and tested possible remedies comprising cider, elixir of vitriol, vinegar, sea water, oranges and lemons, and a purgative mixture. By the time Salisbury returned to Plymouth at the end of May, the two assigned to citrus fruit had recovered. Lind published his Treatise on the subject in 1753. [5] Though not considered the first ever clinical trial ever conducted, Lind's experiments aboard Salisbury was the first clinical trial to include control groups. [6] [7] Despite Lind's findings, citrus foods were not adopted as a staple in Royal navy shipboard provisions until 1795. [8]

Peace and Seven Years' War

Salisbury (far left) at the capture of Chandernagore, March 1757 Capture de Chandernagor en 1757 par la Royal Navy.jpg
Salisbury (far left) at the capture of Chandernagore, March 1757

Salisbury was surveyed on 20 January 1749 and underwent repairs at Plymouth from December 1749 until February 1751. She was recommissioned in January 1753 under Captain Thomas Knowler and served as the Plymouth guardship. [1] She was again fitted out, in February 1754, and sailed to the East Indies in March that year. During the Seven Years' War she took part in the capture of Geriah on 14 January 1756, and the following year came under the command of Captain William Martin. She participated in the Battle of Chandannagar. [9] Martin was succeeded in April 1758 by Captain John Somerset. [1] Salisbury was present at the Battle of Cuddalore on 29 April 1758, fighting with George Pocock's fleet against the Comte d'Aché. [1] Captain William Brereton took command in June 1758, and under him Salisbury fought at the Battle of Negapatam on 3 August 1758. [1] She was under Captain Digby Dent from 1759, though Captain Sir William Baird had taken over by March that year. Salisbury fought at the Battle of Pondicherry on 10 September 1759, and remained in the East Indies until finally condemned to be broken up as unserviceable at Bombay on 24 April 1761. [1] [2]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792. p. 144.
  2. 1 2 Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 308.
  3. Carlisle, Rodney P. (19 July 2004). Scientific American inventions and discoveries: all the milestones in ingenuity--from the discovery of fire to the invention of the microwave oven . John Wiley and Sons. pp.  393–. ISBN   978-0-471-24410-3 . Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  4. Sutton, Graham (2004). "James Lind aboard Salisbury". Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  5. Lind, James (1753). "A treatise of the scurvy". Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  6. Twyman, Richard (22 September 2004). "A brief history of clinical trials – The Human Genome". Wellcome Trust. Archived from the original on 15 December 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  7. Dodgson, Susanna J (2006). "The evolution of clinical trials" (PDF). The Write Stuff. 15 (1): 20–21.
  8. Lloyd, Christopher, ed. (1965). The Health of Seamen:Selections from the Works of Dr. James Lind, Sir Gilbert Blance and Dr. Thomas Trotter. London: Navy Records Society. p. 3. OCLC   1850893.
  9. Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. p. 38. ISBN   9788131300343.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Lind</span> Scottish physician (1716–1794)

James Lind was a Scottish physician. He was a pioneer of naval hygiene in the Royal Navy. By conducting one of the first ever clinical trials, he developed the theory that citrus fruits cured scurvy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scurvy</span> Disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C

Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C. Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, fatigue, and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding from the skin may occur. As scurvy worsens, there can be poor wound healing, personality changes, and finally death from infection or bleeding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert Blane</span> Scottish physician

Sir Gilbert Blane of Blanefield, 1st Baronet FRSE FRS MRCP was a Scottish physician who instituted health reform in the Royal Navy. He saw action against both the French and Spanish fleets, and later served as a Commissioner on the Sick and Wounded Board of the Admiralty. He was President of the Medical and Chirurgical Society of London in 1813.

Six ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Queenborough, after the town of Queenborough in Kent. One of these ships was later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Queenborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham</span>

Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham was an officer of the British Royal Navy. He served for a time as colonial governor of Newfoundland.

HMS <i>Centurion</i> (1732) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

HMS Centurion was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Portsmouth Dockyard by Joseph Allin the younger and launched on 6 January 1732. At the time of Centurion's construction, the 1719 Establishment dictated the dimensions of almost every ship being built. Owing to concerns over the relative sizes of British ships compared to their continental rivals, Centurion was ordered to be built 1 ft (0.3 m) wider across the beam than the Establishment prescribed. HMS Rippon was similarly built to non-Establishment dimensions at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Edgcumbe, 1st Earl of Mount Edgcumbe</span> British peer, naval officer and politician

Admiral George Edgcumbe, 1st Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, PC was a British peer, naval officer and politician.

HMS <i>Cambridge</i> (1755) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

HMS Cambridge was an 80-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Joseph Allin and built at Deptford Dockyard by Adam Hayes to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1750, and launched on 21 October 1755.

Jonathan Faulknor was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary Wars, in a career which spanned fifty years.

HMS Burford was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1754, and launched in 1757.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clark Gayton (Royal Navy officer)</span>

Admiral Clark Gayton was an admiral in the British Royal Navy serving in the American Revolutionary War and in the West Indies before retiring to his home in Fareham, England. His brother George Gayton was also in the navy and achieved the rank of vice-admiral. He was born in Portsmouth, England, the third son of John Gayton who was postmaster of Portsmouth and Eleanor Clark. He was christened in St Thomas' Church, Portsmouth, Hampshire on 18 April 1712.

HMS <i>Terrible</i> (1747) French warship captured by the British

Terrible was originally a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy launched in 1739. Captured on 14 October 1747, she was taken into Royal Navy service as the third rate HMS Terrible.

HMS <i>Monarch</i> (1747) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

HMS Monarch was originally the 74-gun ship of the line Monarque of the French Navy launched in March 1747. Captured on 14 October 1747, she was taken into Royal Navy service as the third rate HMS Monarch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Roddam</span> Royal Navy officer (1719–1808)

Admiral of the Red Robert Roddam was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence. He survived to see the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, but was not actively employed during them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir Robert Harland, 1st Baronet</span> Royal Navy officer

Admiral Sir Robert Harland, 1st Baronet was a Royal Navy officer. He commanded HMS Tilbury at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre in October 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession and commanded HMS Princess Louisa at the Battle of Lagos in August 1759 during the Seven Years' War. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station and then First Naval Lord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Fanshawe (Royal Navy officer)</span>

Robert Fanshawe was a British officer of the Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Cornewall</span> British naval officer (1706–1788)

Captain Frederick Cornewall was an officer in the British Royal Navy.

Scarborough was an East Indiaman launched in December 1740 that performed four trips to India and China for the British East India Company (EIC). She is most famous for giving her name to Scarborough Shoal, which she discovered by grounding there on 12 September 1748. She was sold for breaking up in 1753.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Hayes</span>

Adam Hayes (1710–1785) was an 18th-century shipbuilder to the Royal Navy. A great number of his models survive.

References