British Third Rate ship of the line 'Mars' (1759)

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Mars
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	28.10.1755	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.5.1756	BWAS-1714
Named	13.4.1756	BWAS-1714
Launched	15.3.1759	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	16.3.1759	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Dublin Class (1755)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	William PownallBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	17.8.1784	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck165' 6"Imperial Feet50.2943
Length of Keel134' 4"Imperial Feet40.8462
Breadth46' 8"Imperial Feet14.0547
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Burthen1,566 ¹⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

3.1759Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
26.8.1755550Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
16.3.1759 - 11.11.1761Captain ADM 6/19/45BWAS-171411.11.1761 - 25.8.1762Captain ADM 6/19/362BWAS-171425.8.1762 - 25.10.1763Captain ADM 6/19/433BWAS-171419.1.1775 - 5.2.1778Captain ADM 6/21/67BWAS-171417.7.1778 - 26.11.1778Lieutenant ADM 6/21/435BWAS-171427.11.1780 - 22.8.1781LieutenantBWAS-17141782 - 4.1783LieutenantBWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
25.8.1762 - 25.10.1763Commodore ADM 6/19/432BWAS-1714

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.3.1759 - 10.7.1761First Lieutenant ADM 6/19/48ODNB26.3.1759 - 17.11.1760Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/19/49ADM 6/1925.8.1762 - 25.10.1763Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/433ADM 6/1919.1.1775 - 9.6.1775First Lieutenant ADM 6/21/67ADM 6/219.6.1775 - 1.8.1775Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/96ADM 6/211.8.1775 - 11.12.1776Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/109ADM 6/2111.12.1776 - 5.2.1778First Lieutenant ADM 6/21/242ADM 6/21

Service History

DateEventSource
20.11.1759Battle of Quiberon Bay
8.5.1760Took the Privateer
29.3.1761Expedition against Belle-Isle
13.8.1761Took the Privateer
13.8.1761Took the Privateer
11.9.1762Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
17.9.1762Took the Privateer
25.10.1763

Paid off

ADM 33
6.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
1.1765Began small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
2.1765Completed small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £4506.5.9dBWAS-1714
13.7.1771SurveyedBWAS-1714
2.1772Began large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
1.1775Recommissioned as a guardship at ChathamBWAS-1714
7.1775Completed large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £33916.0.2dBWAS-1714
2.1777fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3194.12.7dBWAS-1714
5.2.1778Paid offADM 34
7.1778Commissioned as a prison shipBWAS-1714
7.1778Refitted as an unarmed Unrated Prison ShipBWAS-1714
11.1778Paid offBWAS-1714
8.1780fitting at UnknownBWAS-1714
1781Recommissioned as a Hospital ship at ChathamBWAS-1714
1781Refitted as an unarmed Unrated Hospital ShipBWAS-1714
22.8.1781Paid offADM 34
4.1783Paid off at ChathamBWAS-1714
17.8.1784Sold at Chatham for £650BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 34 Document

ADM 6/19 Archive

ADM 6/21 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ODNBOxford University Press, Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 13th of June 2026 18:33	x	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Convertine' (1650) (40) 1650-1666 British 40 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
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Saturday 13th of June 2026 18:27	Jon Miller	Richard BowenBritish Naval Sailor Service 1790-1793
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Saturday 13th of June 2026 18:22	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Bedford' (1775) (74) 1775-1817 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

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