H.M.S. Captain
1870
(Bille 22)
- Class: Captain - 1 masted turret ship of 1866
- Displacement: 7,767 tons
- Dimensions: 320ft (pp) x 53ft 3in x 24ft 10in
- Machinery: 2-shaft, 4 cyl HT, 8 rectangular boilers, 5400ihp = 15.25 knots
- Armor: Belt 8-4in, turrets 10-9in, CT 7in
- Armament: 4-12in MLR (2x2), 2-7in MLR
- Complement: 500
- Builder: Lairds, Birkenhead, England
- Laid Down: 30 Jan 1867
- Launched: 27 Mar 1869
- Commissioned: 30 Apr 1870
- Notes: Controversial specifications developed by Captain Cowper Phipps Coles, with detailed design by Lairds. To prevent the mast rigging from interfering with the turret guns, a hurricane deck was installed above the main deck and tripod masts were used to minimize the standing rigging. The design called for a low freeboard to the main (turret) deck of only 8 ft, which raised serious concerns with the Navy's Controller Robinson and Chief Constructor Reed. As completed she was overweight by 800 tons, with only 6.5 ft freeboard and questionable stability. Nevertheless, she ran successful trials and made several runs to Vigo and Gibraltar in Jul and Aug of 1870. However, on 6 Sep, while cruising with the combined Mediterranean and Channel Squadrons off Cape Finisterre, a gale developed, and despite reducing sail, she was rolling heavily. Just after midnight, her roll increased, she capsized and sank with the loss of 472 men, including Coles, with only 27 crew surviving.
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