HMS Port Mahon was a member of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates.[1] After commissioning she spent her career in home waters and North America on trade protection duties. She was broken up at Plymouth in May 1740.[2]

History
Great Britain
NameHMS Port Mahon
Ordered24 January 1711
BuilderRoyal Dockyard, Deptford
Launched18 October 1711
Commissioned1712
FateBroken at Plymouth in May 1740
General characteristics
Type24-gun Sixth Rate
Tons burthen280+2394 bm
Length
  • 94 ft 0 in (28.7 m) gundeck
  • 76 ft 9 in (23.4 m) keel for tonnage
Beam26 ft 0 in (7.9 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold11 ft 7 in (3.5 m)
Armament
  • 20 × 6-pdr 19 cwt guns on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 4-pdr 12 cwt guns on wooden trucks (QD)

Port Mahon was the first vessel of that name in the Royal Navy.[3]

Construction

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She was ordered on 24 January 1711 from Deptford Dockyard to be built under the guidance of Joseph Allin the elder, Master Shipwright of Portsmouth. She was launched on 18 October 1711.[4]

Commissioned service

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She was commissioned in 1712 under the command of Commander William Haddock (promoted to captain in January 1713) for service with Baker's Squadron on the Portuguese coast. In 1713 she was off Sale, Morocco. She returned to Portsmouth to undergo a great repair costing £524.0.4d1/4[Note 1] from October 1714 to December 1715. In May 1716 she commissioned under the command of Captain William Smith, RN for service in the Baltic. She returned in the autumn of 1718 for a great repair at Deptford from December 1718 to March 1719/20 at a cost of £1,181.11.11d.[Note 2] She was commissioned in January 1720 under Captain James Luck followed by Captain Daniel Morris in September 1720 for service in the Baltic.[5] In 1722 she was on quarantine guard in 1722 then the English Channel between 1724 and 1725 for anti-smuggling operations. She was refitted at Sheerness for £1,408.6.10d[Note 3] from September to November 1727. In November 1727 she was commissioned under Captain Christopher Pocklington for service on the Ireland station. She was paid off in November 1731.[6] In 1732 She was under Captain Samuel Atkins on the Ireland station. In June 1738 she was under Captain Gilbert Wallis for Home Waters followed by Captain John Forbes in October 1738.[7]

Disposition

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HMS Port Mahon was broken by Admiralty Order (AO) 4 October 1739 at Plymouth in May 1740.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £103,500 in today's money.
  2. ^ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £222,900 in today's money.
  3. ^ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £264,600 in today's money.

Citations

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  1. ^ Winfield 2009
  2. ^ Winfield 2007
  3. ^ Colledge
  4. ^ Winfield 2009
  5. ^ Winfield 2009
  6. ^ Winfield 2007
  7. ^ Winfield 2007
  8. ^ Winfield 2007

References

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  • Winfield 2009, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-924-6, Chapter 6, The Sixth Rates, Vessels acquired from 2 May 1660, Gibraltar Group, Port Mahon
  • Winfield 2007, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1714 – 1792), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2007, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-925-3, Chapter 6, Sixth Rates, Sixth Rates of 20 or 24 guns, Vessels in Service at 1 August 1714, Gibraltar Group, Port Mahon
  • Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, EPUB ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7, (EPUB), Section P (Port Mahon)