HMS Vanguard (1678)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Vanguard and HMS Duke.

HMS Vanguard was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1678.

HMS Vanguard as Duke, ca. 1750
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Vanguard
Builder	Furzer, Portsmouth Dockyard
Launched	1678
Renamed	HMS Duke, 1739
Fate	Broken up, 1769
Notes	Participated in: Battle of Barfleur Battle of La Hogue
General characteristics as built
Class and type	90-gun second-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,482
Length	160 ft (48.8 m) (gundeck)
Beam	44 ft (13.4 m)
Depth of hold	18 ft 5 in (5.6 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	90 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1710 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 90-gun second-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,551
Length	162 ft (49.4 m) (gundeck)
Beam	47 ft (14.3 m)
Depth of hold	18 ft 6 in (5.6 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	90 guns: Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 26 × 9 pdrs Quarterdeck: 10 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1739 rebuild
Class and type	1733 proposals 90-gun second rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,625
Length	174 ft (53.0 m) (gundeck)
Beam	50 ft (15.2 m)
Depth of hold	20 ft 6 in (6.2 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	90 guns: Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 26 × 9 pdrs Quarterdeck: 10 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

She ran onto Goodwin Sands in 1690, but was fortunate enough to be hauled off by the boatmen of Deal.

Vanguard took part in the Battle of Barfleur as part of Edward Russell's fleet, and then in the following action at La Hougue when French ships were burned in 1692.

Vanguard sank in the Great Storm of 1703, while laid up in ordinary at Chatham Dockyard, but was raised in 1704 for rebuilding. She was relaunched from Chatham on 2 August 1710 as a 90-gun second rate built to the 1706 Establishment. In 1739 she was renamed HMS Duke, and rebuilt for a second time at Woolwich as a 90-gun second rate. She was rebuilt according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment, and relaunched on 28 April 1739.

In 1759, Duke, with a ship's complement of 800 souls under the command of Captain Samuel Graves, saw action during the Battle of Quiberon Bay.

Duke was broken up in 1769.

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.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.