HMS Swallow (1703)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Swallow.

HMS Swallow engaging Black Bart's Royal Fortune, by Charles Dixon
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Swallow
Builder	Harding, Deptford Dockyard
Launched	10 February 1703
Fate	Broken up, 1728
General characteristics as built
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	673 bm
Length	130 ft (39.6 m) (gundeck)
Beam	34 ft 6 in (10.5 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 6 in (4.1 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1719 rebuild
Class and type	1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	711 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-pdrs Upper gundeck: 22 × 9-pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 6-pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6-pdrs

Colonel John Lovett in 1708 identified four men of war in this picture as the Roebuck, 42 guns, on the left, along with the Charles Galley, 36 guns, Swallow, 32 guns, and the ketch Aldborough, 24 guns, on the right; all were ships which attended on the construction of the Eddystone lighthouse, those beyond bear the flags of the countries who contributed financially to the project. Plymouth Harbour is in the background

HMS Swallow was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard and launched on 10 February 1703.

Swallow was rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Chatham Dockyard, and was relaunched on 25 March 1719. Captain Chaloner Ogle commanded Swallow off the West African coast from 1721 and the following year engaged and defeated several pirate ships. Their commander Bartholomew Roberts was killed, and Ogle received a knighthood for his actions. Swallow continued to serve until 1728, when she was broken up.

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.