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Swiftsure, by Isaac Sailmaker
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Swiftsure
Builder	Deane, Harwich
Launched	1673
Renamed	HMS Revenge, 1718
Fate	Sold, 1787
Notes	Participated in: Battle of Barfleur Battle of La Hogue
General characteristics as built
Class and type	70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	978 bm
Length	123 ft (37 m) (keel)
Beam	38 ft 8 in (11.79 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	70 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1696 rebuild
Class and type	66-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	987 tons bm
Length	148 ft (45 m) (gundeck)
Beam	39 ft (12 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft (4.3 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	66 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1718 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1104 tons bm
Length	150 ft (46 m) (gundeck)
Beam	41 ft (12 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	70 guns: Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs Upper gundeck: 26 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 14 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1742 rebuild
Class and type	1733 proposals 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1258 tons bm
Length	151 ft (46 m) (gundeck)
Beam	43 ft 5 in (13.23 m)
Depth of hold	17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	70 guns: Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs Upper gundeck: 26 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 14 × 6 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 6 pdrs

HMS Swiftsure was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Sir Anthony Deane at Harwich, and launched in 1673. By 1685 she had been reduced to a 66-gun ship.

In 1692 she saw action at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue.

She was rebuilt by Snelgrove of Deptford in 1696 as a 66-gun third rate. In 1707, she belonged to Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell's fleet. She saw action during the unsuccessful Battle of Toulon and was present during the great naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly when Shovell and four of his ships (Association, Firebrand, Romney and Eagle) were lost, claiming the lives of nearly 2,000 sailors. Swiftsure suffered little to no damage and finally managed to reach Portsmouth. She underwent a second rebuild at Woolwich Dockyard, relaunching on 20 November 1718 as a 70-gun third rate of the 1706 Establishment. She was renamed HMS Revenge at this time. On 25 February 1740 Revenge was ordered to be taken to pieces at Deptford, and to be rebuilt as a 70-gun third rate to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment. She was relaunched on 23 May 1742.

Revenge was sold out of the navy in 1787.

Notes

1. ^ Lavery, The Ship of the Line, vol. 1, p. 161.
2. ^ Lavery, The Ship of the Line, vol. 1, p. 165.
3. ^ Lavery, The Ship of the Line, vol. 1, p. 168.
4. ^ Lavery, The Ship of the Line, vol. 1, p. 171.
5. Sobel, Dava, Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time, Fourth Estate Ltd., London 1998, p. 6, ISBN 1-85702-571-7

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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