HMS Falkland (1696)

HMS Falkland was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Holland of New Castle, New Hampshire, and purchased by the navy in 1696.[1]

Falkland, a plan of a 1720 rebuild
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Falkland
Builder	Holland, New Castle, New Hampshire
Acquired	2 March 1696
Fate	Transferred to Victualling Department, 10 August 1768
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	638
Length	128 ft 6 in (39.2 m) (gundeck)
Beam	33 ft 2 in (10.1 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 7.5 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1702 rebuild[2]
Class and type	46-54-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	638
Length	128 ft 6 in (39.2 m) (gundeck)
Beam	33 ft 2 in (10.1 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 9 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	46-54 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1720 rebuild[3]
Class and type	1719 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	756
Length	134 ft (40.8 m) (gundeck)
Beam	36 ft (11.0 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 2 in (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns: Gundeck: 22 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 22 × 9 pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1744 rebuild[4]
Class and type	1741 proposals 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	974
Length	140 ft (42.7 m) (gundeck)
Beam	40 ft (12.2 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 2.5 in (5.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns: Gundeck: 22 × 24 pdrs Upper gundeck: 22 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

She had the distinction of being the first warship built in what would nearly a century later become the United States of America. She was ordered by the British Admiralty in 1690 and delivered on 2 March 1696. During her career she escorted merchant ships to America, and in 1704 engaged the 36-gun French ship La Seine off the Azores. Together with HMS Dreadnought they succeeded in capturing her and renamed her HMS Falkland Prize.

She was rebuilt for the first time at Chatham Dockyard in 1702 as a fourth rate of between 46 and 54 guns.[2] Her second rebuilt took place at Deptford, where she was reconstructed according to the 1719 Establishment and relaunched on 28 August 1720.[3] On 8 December 1742 orders were issued for Falkland to be taken to pieces and rebuilt for what was to be the final time at Bursledon, where she was reconstructed according to the 1741 proposals of the 1719 Establishment by Philemon Ewer, and relaunched on 17 March 1744.[4] Falkland was one of the ships dispatched to search for the missing HMS Victory in 1744, and eventually discovered her likely fate when she stopped to re-provision at Guernsey.

Falkland shown here at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre (1747)

Falkland was transferred to the Victualling Department on 10 August 1768.[4]