The Leda-class frigates, were a successful class of forty-seven British Royal Navy 38-gun sailing frigates constructed from 1805 to 1832. Based on a French design, the class came in five major groups, all with minor differences in their design. During their careers, they fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. Forty-five of the 47 were eventually scrapped; two still exist: HMS Trincomalee and HMS Unicorn.
HMS Trincomalee, one of the two surviving members of the class.
The design of the name ship, Leda of 1800, was based on Sané's design for the French Hébé-classfrigate.[1] The British 44-gun fifth rate HMS Rainbow captured Hébé in 1782. (The British took Hébé into service as HMS Hebe but in 1805 renamed her HMS Blonde). The class of frigates built to the lines of Leda were in contemporary parlance called the 'Repeat Leda class'.[2]
Pomone and Shannon, the second and third ship of the class respectively, was built using Josiah Brindley's patent method of construction which dispensed with 'lodging' and 'hanging knees', oak elements that had to be grown to shape. Oak suitable for shipbuilding had become increasingly difficult to obtain through the long period of warfare. Bindley's fastenings proved to be weak. Captain Philip Broke of Shannon claimed her topsides were weak and "worked like a basket." Shannon was actually in such poor condition by 1813 that she almost missed her engagement with the USS Chesapeake.[3]
Characteristics and performanceedit
The vessels of the class were fast, most recording 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) large and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) close-hauled. However, their French-style proportions made them unweatherly compared to frigates designed to British proportions (such as the Lively class). Many captains requested additions to the frigates' false keels to remedy this. The Leda class stood to their canvas well and liked a stiff gale, but were prone to excessive pitching in very heavy seas. All captains complained of the class's poor stowage capacity, the result of their fine French underwater lines, but stowage improved after the introduction of iron fresh-water tanks. Lastly, captains considered the class to be "wet", a result of lively rolling and pitching causing seams to loosen.[4]
Ships of the classedit
HMS PomoneHMS Unicorn
The name Leda was taken from Greek mythology, as was common at the time; the Greek Leda was a woman whom Zeus seduced while he was masquerading as a swan. After Leda, the Admiralty had no more ships to this design for several years. Then with the resumption of war with France either looming or under way, the Admiralty ordered eight further ships to this design in 1802-09:
The Admiralty ordered seven more vessels to this design in 1812–15, with those constructed in Britain reverting to oak and those constructed in Bombay using teak:
The Admiralty ordered another six vessels in 1816, but of a modified design that incorporated Sir Robert Seppings's circular stern and "small-timber" form of construction:
A further twenty-three ships were ordered to this modified design in 1817, although the last six were never completed, or not completed to this design:
Gardiner, Robert (2000) Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars, Chatham Publishing, London.
Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN978-1-86176-246-7.
External linksedit
December 15, 2023
leda, class, frigate, were, successful, class, forty, seven, british, royal, navy, sailing, frigates, constructed, from, 1805, 1832, based, french, design, class, came, five, major, groups, with, minor, differences, their, design, during, their, careers, they,. The Leda class frigates were a successful class of forty seven British Royal Navy 38 gun sailing frigates constructed from 1805 to 1832 Based on a French design the class came in five major groups all with minor differences in their design During their careers they fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 Forty five of the 47 were eventually scrapped two still exist HMS Trincomalee and HMS Unicorn HMS Trincomalee one of the two surviving members of the class Class overviewNameLeda classOperators Royal NavySubclassesModified Leda classBuilt1805 the last 2 ordered were cancelled in 1832Planned53Completed47Cancelled6Preserved2General characteristicsClass and type38 gun frigateTons burthen106279 94 bm Length150 ft 1 1 2 in 45 758 m gundeck 125 ft 4 7 8 in 38 224 m keel Beam39 ft 11 in 12 17 m Depth of hold12 ft 9 in 3 89 m Sail planFull rigged shipComplement284 later 300 ArmamentUpper deck 28 x 18 pounder guns Fc 2 x 9 pounder guns 2 x 32 pounder carronades QD 8 x 9 pounder guns 6 x 32 pounder carronades Contents 1 Origins 2 Characteristics and performance 3 Ships of the class 4 Citations 5 References 6 External linksOrigins editThe design of the name ship Leda of 1800 was based on Sane s design for the French Hebe class frigate 1 The British 44 gun fifth rate HMS Rainbow captured Hebe in 1782 The British took Hebe into service as HMS Hebe but in 1805 renamed her HMS Blonde The class of frigates built to the lines of Leda were in contemporary parlance called the Repeat Leda class 2 Pomone and Shannon the second and third ship of the class respectively was built using Josiah Brindley s patent method of construction which dispensed with lodging and hanging knees oak elements that had to be grown to shape Oak suitable for shipbuilding had become increasingly difficult to obtain through the long period of warfare Bindley s fastenings proved to be weak Captain Philip Broke of Shannon claimed her topsides were weak and worked like a basket Shannon was actually in such poor condition by 1813 that she almost missed her engagement with the USS Chesapeake 3 Characteristics and performance editThe vessels of the class were fast most recording 13 knots 24 km h 15 mph large and 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph close hauled However their French style proportions made them unweatherly compared to frigates designed to British proportions such as the Lively class Many captains requested additions to the frigates false keels to remedy this The Leda class stood to their canvas well and liked a stiff gale but were prone to excessive pitching in very heavy seas All captains complained of the class s poor stowage capacity the result of their fine French underwater lines but stowage improved after the introduction of iron fresh water tanks Lastly captains considered the class to be wet a result of lively rolling and pitching causing seams to loosen 4 Ships of the class edit nbsp HMS Pomone nbsp HMS UnicornThe name Leda was taken from Greek mythology as was common at the time the Greek Leda was a woman whom Zeus seduced while he was masquerading as a swan After Leda the Admiralty had no more ships to this design for several years Then with the resumption of war with France either looming or under way the Admiralty ordered eight further ships to this design in 1802 09 HMS Pomone wrecked on The Needles in 1811 HMS Shannon the victor over USS Chesapeake off Boston on 1 June 1813 HMS Leonidas HMS Briton HMS Tenedos HMS Lacedemonian HMS Lively ex Scamander HMS SurpriseIn 1812 the Admiralty ordered eight ships to be built of fir actually of red pine instead of oak these were sometimes called the Cydnus class HMS Cydnus HMS Eurotas HMS Niger HMS Meander HMS Pactolus HMS Tiber HMS Araxes HMS TanaisThe Admiralty ordered seven more vessels to this design in 1812 15 with those constructed in Britain reverting to oak and those constructed in Bombay using teak HMS Diamond HMS Amphitrite HMS Trincomalee has survived to the present day HMS Thetis HMS Arethusa HMS Blanche HMS FisgardThe Admiralty ordered another six vessels in 1816 but of a modified design that incorporated Sir Robert Seppings s circular stern and small timber form of construction HMS Venus HMS Melampus HMS Minerva HMS Latona HMS Diana HMS HebeA further twenty three ships were ordered to this modified design in 1817 although the last six were never completed or not completed to this design HMS Nereus HMS Hamadryad in 1866 became a hospital ship moored in Cardiff which in 1905 was replaced by the Royal Hamadryad Hospital HMS Amazon HMS Aeolus HMS Thisbe used as a floating church in Cardiff from 1863 to 1891 HMS Cerberus HMS Circe HMS Clyde HMS Thames HMS Fox completed 1856 as a screw frigate HMS Unicorn another sailing frigate that has survived to the present day HMS Daedalus completed 1844 as a 19 gun sixth rate corvette HMS Proserpine HMS Mermaid HMS Mercury HMS Penelope HMS ThaliaThe last six ships of the 1817 orders were never completed to this design HMS Pegasus canceled 1831 HMS Nemesis re ordered to Seringapatam class design HMS Statira re ordered to Seringapatam class design HMS Jason re ordered to Seringapatam class design HMS Druid re ordered to Seringapatam class design HMS Medusa canceled 1831Citations edit Gardiner p 94 Gardiner p 94 Gardiner pp 76 78 Gardiner pp 141 142 References editGardiner Robert 2000 Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars Chatham Publishing London Winfield Rif 2007 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 1817 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth ISBN 978 1 86176 246 7 External links editOrigin of the Leda class frigate Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leda class frigate amp oldid 1144332007, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
