HMS Panther (1703)

HMS Panther was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard and launched on 15 March 1703.[1]

History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Panther
Builder:	Popely, Deptford
Launched:	15 March 1703
Fate:	Sold, 1768
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type:	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen:	683 bm
Length:	131 ft 3 ^1⁄2 in (40.0 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	34 ft 4 in (10.5 m)
Depth of hold:	13 ft 8 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full-rigged ship
Armament:	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1716 rebuild[2]
Class and type:	1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen:	715 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

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[3] sailors. Panther suffered little to no damage and finally managed to reach Portsmouth.

Panther was rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Woolwich Dockyard, and relaunched on 6 April 1716. She was hulked in 1743, remaining in that role until she was sold out of the navy in 1768.[2]

Notes

1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p166.
2. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p168.
3. 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.