HMS Bonaventure (1650)

President was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in 1650.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Argyll.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS President and HMS Bonaventure.

History
Great Britain
Name: President
Builder: Peter Pett I, Deptford Dockyard
Launched: 1650
Renamed:
  • HMS Bonaventure, 1660
  • HMS Argyll, 1715
Fate: Sunk as breakwater, 1748
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type: 38-gun fourth rate frigate
Tons burthen: 462 (bm)
Length: 100 ft (30.5 m) (keel)
Beam: 29 ft 6 in (9.0 m)
Depth of hold: 12 ft 8 in (3.9 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 38 guns (1660); 48 guns (1677)
General characteristics after 1683 rebuild[2]
Class and type: 40-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 550 bm
Length: 124 ft 10 in (38.0 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 31 ft 10 in (9.7 m)
Depth of hold: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 40 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1699 rebuild[3]
Class and type: 46-54-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 597 (bm)
Length: 125 ft 5 in (38.2 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 33 ft 1 1⁄2 in (10.1 m)
Depth of hold: 12 ft 5 in (3.8 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 46-54 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1711 rebuild[4]
Class and type: 1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 703 bm
Length: 130 ft (39.6 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 35 ft (10.7 m)
Depth of hold: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament:
  • 50 guns:
  • Gundeck: 22 × 18-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9-pounder guns
  • QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns
General characteristics after 1722 rebuild[5]
Class and type: 1719 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 764 (bm)
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-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9-pounder-guns
  • QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns

After the Restoration in 1660, she was renamed HMS Bonaventure after a previous ship built in 1653 that had been blown up three years later.[6] She was widened in 1663, and by 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns.[1] In 1683 she underwent her first rebuild, relaunching as a 40-gun fourth rate ship of the line.[2] Bonaventure was rebuilt a second time in 1699 at Woolwich Dockyard, relaunching as a fourth rate of between 46 and 54 guns.[3] Her third rebuild took place at Chatham Dockyard, where she was rebuilt as a 50-gun fourth rate to the 1706 Establishment, relaunching on 19 September 1711. She was renamed HMS Argyll prior to the Jacobite rising of 1715,[4] and on 27 January 1720 she was ordered to be taken to pieces at Woolwich for what was to be her final rebuild. She was relaunched as a 50-gun fourth rate to the 1719 Establishment on 5 July 1722,[5] and saw much service in home and Atlantic waters. She was employed on blockade duties during the War of the Austrian Succession, and in 1741 Argyll captured five Spanish coasters, and with the assistance of two other warships cut free five captured British warships that were docked in north-western Spain.

In 1742 Argyll served to escort convoys of East Indiamen from St. Helena to England.[7] In 1745 she returned to Britain by way of escorting a convoy and was paid off in 1746. After the conclusion of the war in 1748, Argyll was towed to Harwich and scuttled as part of a breakwater.[5]

Notes
  1. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 160.
  2. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 163.
  3. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 167.
  4. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 168.
  5. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 170.
  6. Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol.1, p. 158.
  7. "Whitehall, September 18". The London Gazette. No. 8154. 14 September 1742. p. 6. On the 16th Instant in the Morning, his Majesty's ships the Argyl and Lynn, in Company of the following seven East Inda Ships, viz. Northampton, Queen Caroline ... arrived safe off Dover.

References
  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
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