HMS Neptune (1832)

The Caledonia class was an improved version of HMS Hibernia with additional freeboard to allow them to fight all their guns in heavy weather. The broadened sub-class had their beam increased to improve their stability. Neptune measured 205 feet 8 inches (62.7 m) on the gun deck and 170 feet 6 inches (52.0 m) on the keel. She had a beam of 55 feet 7 inches (16.9 m), a depth of hold of 23 feet 3 inches (7.1 m), a light draught of 18 feet 4 inches (5.59 m) and had a tonnage of 2,705 75⁄94 tons burthen. Her crew numbered 820 officers and ratings in peacetime and 900 in wartime.^[1] Neptune had three masts and was ship rigged.^[2]

The ship was armed with 120 muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns that consisted of thirty 32-pounder (56 cwt) guns^{[Note 1]} and two 8 in (203 mm) shell guns on her lower gun deck, thirty-two 32-pounder (55 cwt) guns and two 8-inch shell guns on her middle gun deck and thirty-four 32-pounders on her upper gun deck. Her forecastle and quarterdeck carried a total of six 32-pounders and fourteen short 32-pounder guns between them.^[3]

Named for the Roman god of the sea,^[8] Neptune was the fourth ship of her name to serve in the RN.^[9] She was ordered on 12 February 1823, laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard in January 1827, launched on 27 August 1832 and completed in December. The ship remained in ordinary until she was commissioned on 5 December 1851 as a guard ship in ordinary by Captain Richard Yates. Captain Edward H. Scott assumed command on 27 March 1852.^[1]

The decisive Russian victory in the Battle of Sinop over the Ottoman Navy on 30 November alarmed politicians in both Britain and France. They decided to intervene on the side of the Ottomans and the British began forming a Baltic Fleet in February 1854 in anticipation of war. The Russians did not withdraw their forces in the Balkans as demanded by the British and French governments on 27 February and declarations of war by both governments followed a month later. Admiral Sir Charles Napier, commander-in-chief of the Baltic Fleet, was charged to blockade the exit from the Baltic Sea and all of the Russian ports therein. His second in command was Rear Admiral Armar Corry.^[10]

Scott was relieved in his turn by Captain Henry Smith on 17 February. Neptune became Corry's flagship with Captain Frederick Hutton replacing Smith on 7 March.^[1] Accompanied by two other sailing battleships, Corry joined Napier's main body in late March and was present when the French contribution to the Baltic Fleet rendezvoused with the British on 13 June. The ship is not known to have participated in any of the minor actions in 1854^[11] and she did not return to the Baltic in 1855 as she was only awarded the Baltic 1854 battle honour.^[12] Neptune was paid off on 5 January 1856.^[1]

Walker ordered that the ship be cut down one deck and converted to screw propulsion on 10 August 1858 and work began that same day. She was undocked on 7 March 1859, commissioned by Captain William Hoste on 7 June and completed on 6 August for service with the Mediterranean Fleet. Hoste was relieved by Captain Frederick Campbell on 6 December and he was relieved in his turn by Captain Geoffrey Hornby on 11 February 1861, still in the Mediterranean Fleet. Neptune was paid off on 17 December 1862 and was sold to Castle on 23 January 1875 to be scrapped at Charlton, London.^[5]