Hms Centurion 1733–1769 an Historic Biographical-Travelogue of One of Britain's Most Famous Warships and the Capture of the Nuestra Senora De Covadonga Treasure Galleon.

By Shirley Fish

When the Centurion and a squadron of six vessels and 1,959 men and boys set out from England in 1740, on a round-the-world expedition, they were unaware of the terrifying events that awaited them in the days ahead. The squadron, under the command of Commodore George Anson, had departed from England with every hope of a successful mission to harass and take prizes in the Spanish possessions of the Americas and in Asia. The journey proved more challenging than anticipated, and at times, it seemed nightmarish and beyond anything experienced by the crew. The ship survived two huge waves and a lightning strike. Then, there was the great loss of life amongst the crew who perished due to the devastating symptoms of scurvy. Despite these setbacks, there were moments of pure joy, especially when the Centurion captured the fabulously wealthy Manila-Acapulco Galleon in the Philippines, the Nuestra Senora de Covadonga. Throughout the Centurion's career as a royal naval warship in the eighteenth century, she played a role in the capture of Quebec during the French and Indian War and the invasion of Havana in the Seven Years War. She was also instrumental when dealing with the Barbary Corsairs of Algeria and Morocco. Amongst the famous men who sailed on this vessel were John Harrison, the inventor of the first maritime sea clock, and Joshua Reynolds, the celebrated portrait painter. The details of the journeys to the Americas, Asia, and Europe are described in this biographical-travelogue of the Centurion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jul 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504944915

Shirley Fish

Shirley Fish is an American freelance writer and researcher. She worked in Asia for thirty-five years and has lived in South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines. She is currently based in Europe. Over the years, she has been a magazine editor and a foreign correspondent for various Asian publications. She is the author of When Britain Ruled the Philippines 1762–1764: The Story of the 18th Century British Invasion of the Philippines During the Seven Years War; The Manila-Acapulco Galleons: The Treasure Ships of the Pacific with an Annotated List of the Transpacific Galleons 1565-1815; and The HMS Centurion 1733–1769: An Historic Biographical Travelogue of One of Britain’s Most Famous Warships and the Capture of the Nuestra Senora de Covadonga Treasure Galleon.

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HMS CENTURION 1733–1769

AN HISTORIC BIOGRAPHICAL-TRAVELOGUE OF ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST FAMOUS WARSHIPS AND THE CAPTURE OF THE NUESTRA SENORA DE COVADONGA TREASURE GALLEON.

Shirley Fish

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About the Cover Image: Centurion captures the Nuestra Senora de Covadonga Galleon.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/23/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4490-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4489-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4491-5 (e)

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Foreword

Part One: 1733 to 1734 The Life of a Ship Begins

Part Two: 1734 to 1736 Channel Fleet Duties in England - First Foreign Voyage to Lisbon with John Harrison to Test His Marine Clock H1

Part Three: 1737 to 1739 George Anson Takes Over the Command of the Vessel to Protect British Trade on the West Coast of Africa, Barbados, West Indies and Charleston, South Carolina

Part Four: 1739 to 1741 Island of Madeira – St. Catherine Island, Brazil – St. Julian, Patagonia, South America

Part Five: 1741 to 1742 Cape Horn – Juan Fernandez Islands – Paita, Peru - Panama and Acapulco

Part Six: 1742 to 1743 Island of Tinian, Marianas – Canton, China – Macau

Part Seven: 1743 to 1744 Capture of the Nuestra Senora de Covadonga Galleon – Return to China and Macau - Indonesia – Indian Ocean and Cape Town, South Africa

Part Eight: 1744 to 1748 Galleon Treasure Transported to the Tower of London – Centurion’s Crew at Leisure and in Trouble - Prize Money Disputes - 1st Battle of Finisterre, Spain – Anson Joins the Admiralty – Elevated to the Rank of Rear Admiral by the King and Establishes a Number of Naval Reforms at the Admiralty

Part Nine: 1748 to 1751 Mediterranean Duties (Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Port Mahon) – Portrait Painter Joshua Reynolds – Problems with the Ruler of Algiers and the Barbary Coast Corsairs

Part Ten: 1751 to 1762 Virginia, America - Halifax, Nova Scotia – Louisbourg and Quebec, Canada

Part Eleven: 1762 to 1763 Port Royal, Jamaica - British Attack and Seizure of Havana – Return to England

Part Twelve: 1763 to 1769 Surveying the Mediterranean Ports – Vice Admiral Prince Edward Augustus, 1st Duke of York – Captain Augustus John Hervey 1763 to 1766 – Commodore Thomas Harrison 1764 to 1766 – James Boswell Visits the Warship at Leghorn – Centurion’s Last Journey to Chatham Dockyard

Notes

Bibliography

Foreword

As a result of my curiosity about HMS Centurion, and in order to obtain a clearer perspective concerning the vessel’s history, I researched the subject in England over a four year period. In many ways, I felt a sense of admiration for the vessel as she weathered so many adversities as a Royal Naval warship. I also had a deep sense that she had a soul of her own and seemed to avoid disaster after disaster, even though she was often faced with that prospect. For example, after rounding the treacherous waters of Cape Horn, and then off the coast of Chile, during the George Anson voyage of 1740 to 1744, she was struck by two massive waves. The first wave tossed her onto her side, but she managed to right herself even though all aboard the vessel probably thought that they were doomed. The second wave was equally daunting, and again she righted herself, but she was listing. This was corrected after the stores in the hold were repositioned. After these two terrifying events, more was to come. She was struck by a hissing bolt of lightning, which rushed across the upper deck and injured many of the sailors. Nevertheless, the vessel stayed afloat to the miraculous wonderment of the crew. Then to their immense joy, they were able to seize a fabulously wealthy Manila-Acapulco Galleon. These events have been described in the book.

Another reason for writing the book was to provide further information on the Spanish side of the events concerning George Anson and his squadron in the Americas and in Asia. In many of the historical accounts of this famed journey, there seemed to be a gap in the story regarding Spain’s response to the Centurion’s presence in her territories. Hopefully, my book adds a bit of information on this other side of the story, which has remained unexplained in past publications on the Anson and Centurion voyage.

In any case, at the center of this book is the leading lady herself - HMS Centurion – a ship that Anson, for one, was very fond of and spent many years aboard this vessel. She was one of the few British ships to have early on circumnavigated the globe and her other adventures are worth describing here. I must add a note that I have tried to stay away from getting too much into the details of the ship’s architecture and the technical side of how she was operated on the high seas. As a result the book is more of a biographical-travelogue of the Centurion’s naval history.

Shirley Fish

June 2015

Part One

1733 to 1734

The Life of a Ship Begins

Not even the Victory, where Nelson died, was a more famous and favorite ship among British sailors than the old Centurion. Winthrop Sargent ¹

When the Centurion was decommissioned and broken up at Chatham dockyard in 1769, the vessel’s wooden figurehead was considered of such great value, that it was deemed worth keeping as a historic memento. The ship’s importance was felt across the country with many Englishmen and women remembering the details of the vessel’s worldwide exploits. Even members of the monarchy realized the Centurion’s significance in the nation’s history. As a result of the ship’s fame, George III presented the relic to the Duke of Richmond, but although he took possession of the figurehead, it was placed at the entrance to an inn near his home, Goodwood House, in Sussex. Later on, the Duke of Richmond gave the figurehead to William IV, who expressed an interest in owning the memento. The king placed the lion figurehead at the foot of a royal staircase at Windsor Castle. Sometime later, at the request of William IV, the figurehead was moved to Greenwich Hospital, with instructions that it was to be placed in a ward, named the, Anson Ward, in memory of the famous commander of the Centurion, Lord George Anson. In 1871, it was transferred from the hospital ward to a naval school playground, where it remained until it was destroyed by the aftereffects of England’s changeable weather. Through the years of outdoor exposure, the only part of the sixteen foot high figurehead, which remained intact, was a solitary back leg.

Today, the remnant adorns a passageway, which leads to Anson’s former sitting room in his ancestral home at Shugborough, Staffordshire. It is perhaps fitting that this last vestige of the mighty warship is still on view in his house, as he was the commander most closely associated with the Centurion during her career as a Royal Naval warship from 1733 to 1769. In any case, there is no doubt that Anson was fond of the vessel, in which, he spent so many years circumnavigating the globe and, as a result, faced some of the most daunting and terrifying experiences of his life, as well as moments of pure joy. However, while he sailed in the Centurion, he also became famous for capturing a powerful Spanish treasure galleon, which was on her way from Acapulco to Manila. The vast fortune in silver, gold and gems the vessel carried provided Anson and his officers with a source of immense wealth and England’s royal treasury with a much needed infusion of funds.

As the officials of the Admiralty were aware of Anson’s affection for the Centurion, he was presented with a special gift in 1747. This was a table-sized model of the vessel, which one can still view on special occasions at the Anson house. Normally, the model can be found on exhibit at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the ship was the fact that she proved to be a survivor. Whilst she sailed the seas of the world, she faced a number of potentially disastrous events which could have destroyed her and placed the lives of the men on board in great danger. But despite these upheavals, she managed to stay afloat. When she was not faced with a dangerous situation, she played host to individuals who were prominent in British history such as John Harrison, the brilliant inventor of the first maritime sea clock, and the celebrated portrait painter, Joshua Reynolds.

As the commander of the Centurion from 1737 to 1744, George Anson’s well-known career as a naval commander parallels that of the ship’s history. During the years of her naval service, she became the fifth British circumnavigator of the world under Anson during his round the world voyage from 1740 to 1744. The other British circumnavigators were: Sir Francis Drake (1577-80), Sir Thomas Cavendish (1586-87), William Dampier (1679, 1683, 1686), and Woodes Rogers (1707-1711). She also participated in the French and Indian War, which led to the capture of Quebec. Then in 1762, she was involved in the massive fleet under Admiral George Pocock - sent by the Admiralty to capture Havana. After the successful seizure of the Spanish possession, the first British governor of Cuba was installed in Havana.

Joseph Allin - Master Shipwright and Designer

The Centurion’s intriguing story begins in England, at the Royal Dockyard of Portsmouth, where she was designed and constructed by the Master Shipwright, Joseph Allin. She was ordered on February 17, 1729 and her keel was laid down that same year on September 9. Then on January 6, 1733, she was launched. She served as a warship for thirty-six years.

When the Centurion was constructed, the port was considered one of the country’s premier dockyards. There, one could glimpse the fine Georgian administrative offices and houses, which were then in use by the officials and families who lived and worked at the port. On any given day, the dockyard was a teaming hive of activity as workers rushed to and fro carrying out their duties. The Portsmouth workforce included: shipwrights, carpenters, caulkers, sail makers, riggers, block masters, blacksmiths, sawyers, quarter boys, oakum boys, joiners, wheelwrights, plumbers, pitch heaters, bricklayers, locksmiths and watermen. Additionally, there were laborers who loaded the vessels with all they needed for a voyage such as supplies, equipment, provisions, weapons, cannons, ammunition, powder, and the sea chests and personal possessions of the officers and crew.

Along the streets of the dockyard, there were spacious buildings, which served as warehouses and workplaces for the vast multitudes employed at the port. In these structures, ship’s sails were stored or sewn and repaired, and in another, ropes and cables were produced. Moreover, blacksmiths hammered away in foundries where iron was worked into tools, weapons and nails. There were also warehouses where timber was stored for masts, yards and the production of countless wooden blocks used by the vessels. As with almost all of the other dockyards, Portsmouth had its own church, pay offices, provision warehouses, fire station, doctors, drinking houses, schools for apprentices, stables for horses, guardhouses, dry docks and wharfs.

The function of a Royal Dockyard is described by the current administration of Portsmouth and states that, A Royal Dockyard is owned by the Crown and has all the skills, crafts and facilities to tackle any task involved in shipbuilding or repair, including the day-to-day running of warships. Within Portsmouth Dockyard with its wharfs, dry docks and storehouses, the crafts have their own workshops and material stores capable of tackling any job required for building or repairing ships and their equipment. ²

In addition to the many employees found at the dockyard, a great number of men and boys were required to crew the vessels as seamen, marines, soldiers and servants. On average as many as 300 to 400 or more men and boys were needed for an individual sea craft depending on the vessel’s rating and purpose. One can well imagine the clamor and activity, which was a daily occurrence at Portsmouth, as ships were constructed or launched, and the business of ensuring that they carried all they required for a journey was attended to by the officials of the Navy Board. As a result, this was the lively setting in Portsmouth when the Centurion’s keel was first laid down in 1729.

While the construction of the Centurion was in progress, Master Shipwright Joseph Allin was on hand to ensure that his design of the vessel was adhered to by the carpenters employed to build the ship. During his many years as a prolific shipwright, he was involved in the construction of thirty-four vessels. These consisted of ships of the line warships, galleys, frigates, transport ships, yachts, hoys, ketches, and a brigantine-sloop. They were constructed in the various Royal Dockyards including Deptford, Woolwich, Chatham and Portsmouth.

As a Master Shipwright, Allin was following in his father’s footsteps. When his father retired in 1715, from his position at Deptford as Master Shipwright, the younger Allin was listed as his assistant. He served in that position from December 4, 1722 to November 2, 1726, and was briefly the Master Shipwright at Plymouth Dockyard before transferring to Portsmouth in the same capacity. Whilst at Portsmouth, he designed and constructed his twenty-seventh vessel, the Centurion, from 1729 to 1733. On August 1, 1742, he returned to Deptford as the Master Shipwright of the dockyard. No doubt, the move was a great honor for him and the fact that he had returned to Deptford as its Master Shipwright – a post held by his father for so many years before his retirement.

From the position of Master Shipwright, Allin was elevated to the post of Surveyor of the Navy. The appointment was presented to civilians who were members of the Navy Board, and normally, two men held this particular job at the same time. The Navy Board’s area of responsibility included the financial side of running the dockyards and vessels; hiring employees for the dockyards and recruitment for the various ships; designing and construction of boats, and the acquisition of supplies, equipment and timber for the yards and vessels.

The position of Surveyor of the Navy was established as early as 1546, when it was first held by Benjamin Gonson. From that point onwards, there were a number of men employed as surveyors from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The person selected was involved in the designing of vessels at the Royal Dockyards, and worked closely with the Master Shipwright who was in charge of the construction of the vessels according to the specifications and designs submitted to him by the Surveyor of the Navy. In addition to the construction of vessels at the Royal Dockyards, the Surveyor was involved in designing vessels which were constructed by privately owned shipyards. The position of Surveyor of the Navy was changed in 1859 to Controller of the Navy.

As of July 11, 1745, Allin and Sir Jacob Acworth were both jointly in charge as Surveyor’s of the Navy. The position of Surveyor had been accepted by Acworth on April 6, 1715 and he continued in that role until his death on March 16, 1749. After Acworth’s death, the position was held solely by Allin until he too became ill in 1755, and was forced to retire from service. He had been employed by the Admiralty as the Surveyor of the Navy for ten years and retired with a full pension. Upon his retirement, Lord George Anson, who was then in charge at the Admiralty, on September 4, 1755, appointed Thomas Slade and William Bately to act jointly as Surveyors of the Navy.

Slade was formerly the Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard and Bately had been employed to work under Allin as his Assistant Surveyor. Both men were considered innovative and talented when it came to designing and building sea vessels. Interestingly, Thomas Slade was also the designer and builder of England’s most famous sea vessel - HMS Victory. The Victory was constructed and launched in 1765 as a 1st Rate 100 gun warship. She was most famously associated with Admiral Lord Nelson as she served as his flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson lost his life during that conflict on October 21, 1805, and today it is possible to visit the exact spot on the ship where he died. The vessel is still available for viewing at Portsmouth Dockyard.

The Allin House at Deptford Dockyard

From archival information, we know that Joseph Allin, not only worked at Deptford, but he also lived in a house located at the dockyard. His home is interesting from the point of view that as a Master Shipwright, he was considered a very important official, and therefore, he merited an imposing house in keeping with his high status in the Navy. The house is also intriguing from the standpoint that it provides an insight into the lifestyle of a master shipwright of the eighteenth century.

The building, known today as the Shipwright’s House, was an old structure and said to have been constructed in 1708. However, as it contains elements of Tudor architectural designs, it may have been older than initially stated. It is most likely that when Joseph Allin, Sr., moved into the house, it had already been standing at Watergate Street, just behind a high wall, since the Elizabethan era.

Unfortunately, the house can only be viewed from the Thames River, as it is privately owned and not open for public viewing except on special occasions and by permission of the owners. Before the building was renovated for Allin Sr., in the early eighteenth century, he was apparently unhappy with the condition of the house. He was able to convince the Navy Board that the house needed to be renovated and at their expense. However, the renovations cost more than the allotted amount provided by the Navy Board, and this led to a disagreement between the officials of the Board and Allin. The dispute was also influenced by the fact that the Navy Board had heard rumors that Allin was allegedly involved in some sort of corrupt activities. Even though the rumors had not been verified as being truthful, Allin Sr. was dismissed from service and forced into early retirement in 1715.

Today, the 6,500 square foot house can be found on the site, which is currently known as Convoy’s Wharf, and set within a one and a half acre plot of land with its own garden and river frontage. It is a four-storied structure located right on the side of a dry dock, which is now filled in and owned by a nearby company. The exterior of the house is fairly non-descript and simple in style, but it has been depicted in eighteenth century paintings and engravings by the artist John Cleveley. Only a few lucky individuals have been able to see its interior, which apparently and according to a floor plan, indicates that it had more than twenty rooms. The house may have been originally used by Allin as both his private living quarters and offices for his employees.

Design and Construction

In 1729, the Navy Board ordered the construction of eight vessels of 951 tons and carrying 50 guns each, but this was later changed to 60 guns. The individual vessels would have been constructed according to the 1719 Establishment regulations. They were to be rebuilds of earlier vessels, but the idea of rebuilding the ships was dropped and instead new vessels were ordered. This applied to an earlier version of the Centurion – a vessel from the 1690s, which was on the verge of being dismantled. As a result of the measure to construct new vessels the order to build a new Centurion was announced by the Navy Board. The job of designing and constructing the ship was given to Joseph Allin, and she was built according to the 1719 Establishment. Whilst the older vessel of the 1690s was dismantled, the new ship retained the name of the "Centurion."

The Establishments were a series of regulations set up by the Admiralty to cover the construction and specifications for naval vessels ordered and built in England’s Royal Naval Dockyards. The regulations were set up in the seventeenth century and continued into the eighteenth century in order to create a level of standardization in the fleet and reduce the expenses involved in the construction of vessels. The Establishments covered everything from the vessel’s size, to her tonnage and how many guns she carried. They also specified the purpose, plan and design of the vessel, as well as the materials used in the ship’s construction.

The Centurion was constructed as a 4th Rate sail of the line warship. The rating of ships under this classification was determined by how many guns a vessel carried. The rating system consisted of the following six classifications: 1st Rate vessels carried as many as 100 guns; 2nd Rate ships 90 guns; 3rd Rate ships 70 to 80 guns; 4th Rate ships 50 to 60 guns; 5th Rate ships 30 to 40 guns, and 6th Rate ships carried 20 to 24 guns. The sail of the line vessels carried out a naval tactic, which was known as the line of battle. This was the prevailing tactic of the time, which meant that the vessels were positioned in a single line battle formation when attacking enemy vessels. They were considered major warships which were appropriately armed to inflict the most damage to the enemy. The majority of the guns on the warships were located on the port and starboard sides of the vessel’s gun deck, from which broadsides were fired at the enemy. In the rating system of vessels established by the Admiralty, the 1st to 4th Rate ships were considered ships of the line battle ships, whilst the 5th and 6th Rates, were not part of this category. Ships of less than 20 guns were not rated. The Royal Navy also hired armed vessels such as privateers which did not come under the rating system.

Initially, the Centurion was constructed at a cost of 26,000 pounds as a 60 gun, two-decker warship with a lower gun deck, an upper gun deck, a quarterdeck and forecastle. However, in later years on September 16, 1748, she was refitted and turned into a 50 gun warship. She carried a complement of 345 men and these included commissioned and warrant officers. The commissioned officers consisted of the captain and three lieutenants, whilst the warrant officers included the master, boatswain, surgeon, chaplain, purser and master carpenter. In addition to these officers, there were midshipmen, seamen, soldiers, marines, servants and boys, who were regularly a part of the complement of sea vessels of the time.

When the Centurion was launched in 1733, her specifications indicated that she was a Two-Decker Warship; 60 guns 4th Rate Ship of the Line; Tons Burthen: 1,005 tons; Length: 144 ft Gun Deck; Beam: 42 ft 8 inches; Depth of Hold: 18 ft. 6 inches; Sail Plan: Full Rigged Ship. Armament: 60 guns consisting of a Gun Deck with 24 guns of 24 pounders; Upper Gun Deck with 26 guns of 9 pounders; Quarterdeck with 8 guns of 6 pounders and the Forecastle with 2 guns of 6 pounders.

Whilst the Centurion had been expertly designed and strongly constructed under the careful supervision of Joseph Allin, she was typical of many similar wooden vessels of the time. This meant that she was continuously in need of repairs and careening of the hull and other parts of the ship throughout her lifetime. Periodically, she was in need of replacement masts, yards, sails, rigging and sheathing, and this was mainly due to the wear and tear wooden sailing vessels had to withstand due to the elements they encountered on the high seas. Moreover, they were damaged during wars or suffered deterioration due to old age.

As the hull was the most vulnerable part of the ship due to the destructive effects of sea worms (teredo navalis), barnacles and plant life, which became attached to the vessel’s bottom causing physical damage and slower sailing, it had to be protected using various methods. In the seventeenth century, the hull was protected by covering it with a mixture of elements such as white stuff, which was a concoction produced using sulfur, pine rosin and fish oils. In the eighteenth century, the concoction used was referred to as black stuff, and this was composed of pitch (produced from boiled tar), and tar itself (from Scandinavian pine trees). By 1737, the black stuff was replaced by brown stuff, which was a mixture of black stuff and sulfur combined together and applied to the hull’s surface to protect the vessel. A combination of hair and tar was also used and applied to the surface of the hulls, which was then covered over by planks. The various methods employed to protect the hulls clearly indicated how much of a problem this was for the sailing vessels. In fact, copper sheathing from Wales and Cornwall mines appeared to be the most effective means of protecting the hulls from damaging sea worms, barnacles and plant life by the latter decades of the eighteenth century.

One of the most daunting activities involved in the production of wooden sea vessels of the eighteenth century was sourcing the timber required for the construction of any given ship. For example, to construct a 74 gun ship, a Master Shipwright needed at least 2,000 seasoned oak trees. Given the fact that throughout the centuries the forests of England were diminished due to the massive requirements of timber for shipbuilding, only half of the 2,000 trees needed could be at most sourced in England for the construction of a vessel. The rest of the timber had to be sourced from outside of the country. But whilst the foreign timber was good enough for the construction of the hulls, it was not considered as long-lasting as home grown British oak trees. The foreign oak came from Danzig, Poland and the Baltic areas of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Other types of wood, which were used for the construction of the numerous components of a ship included fir, elm and pine. Much of the oak used in building the ships was grown in England in the royal forests – such as the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, and the New Forest in Hampshire. The oak was very costly, for the service required the very best wood. It could not be or should not have been used at least for a year after cutting, for it needed to be seasoned before being handled by the shipwrights. On coming to the yards it was stacked for some months in sheds, in various positions, according to its future use, to allow it to season. Much of it was boiled in a kiln for many hours, to allow the workmen to bend it to the frame of the ship. In times of stress much of it was used green – not properly seasoned. ³

Every day the crew had to devote much of their time to maintaining the vessel to insure her seaworthiness. To neglect these duties could have resulted in a disaster for everyone on board. But despite the fact that she was constructed by a well-known and respected Master Shipwright, she may have had several flaws in her design. According to Sir William Laird Clowes, the nineteenth century naval historian, vessels such as the Centurion, were subjected to several design defects which often put the ship at risk especially in rough seas or inconvenienced the men aboard the vessel in other ways. He wrote that, "The Centurion, like all other ships of the period, suffered under the great disadvantage of the low waist, or exposed upper gun deck, between the forecastle and the quarterdeck, a relic of the fifteenth century, but one which continued, as an integral part of the design of warships, well into the nineteenth century. In a heavy sea, this open waist, with its gunwale only some 14 feet above the waterline, was a trap for every heavy sea, and added greatly to the difficulties and discomfort of the seamen. The men’s sanitary arrangements too were of the most primitive type, for while the officers found accommodation in the glazed quarter galleries, the seamen had to make use of the beakhead, overhanging the sea at the fore end of the ship and floored only with gratings, where they were at the mercy of every wave." ⁴

In his 1960 biographical study of the life of Admiral Lord Anson, Captain Pack, of the Royal Navy, described the Centurion and claimed that she was not a fast ship. However, his view contradicted the opinions of the individuals who commanded the vessel. They often referred to the Centurion as a fast sailer, as she only carried 60 to 50 guns during her lifetime, and she was easily managed and swift when required. In any case, Captain Pack described the vessel and the men, who sailed aboard her when George Anson commanded the squadron of ships on his round the world voyage. He said that,

"She was short and beamy and carried most of her guns on two decks, the lower gun deck being about 140 feet long, and only a little above the waterline. She had three masts each carrying three square sails bent on yards. The sails could be controlled by lifts, braces, and sheets. To be able to withstand wind and weather over the years, the canvas and cordage had to be substantial. Centurion, being a fighting ship, was not fast. The guns were muzzle loaders, their maximum range was of the order of a mile, but action usually took place at close range. The larger guns fired cannon balls weighing 24 pounds. The old sailing warships had to be self dependent and self sufficient for months on end. As with present day warships, they required to be fitted out and stored to provide considerable food, and drink for their vast crews for long periods, and be certain that they could fight the enemy and keep the sea, in all weather, in a suitable state of maintenance and repair. This called for a vast complement of men in addition to those who manned the yards and worked the ship, and required men or officers each an expert in some craft or profession. The men lived in berths between the guns on the lower gun deck, and kept all their effects here, including chests and mess traps. Here also they slept in their hammocks slung from the beams, and when in port entertained their girlfriends. The officers, among who were the lieutenants, master, master’s mates, midshipmen, surgeon, surgeon’s mates, chaplain, schoolmaster, purser, gunner, boatswain, and carpenter, had a little more privacy. The captain lived in relatively greater comfort in quarters right aft in the ship. These were the days of impressments for it was not easy to get men to serve voluntarily under the conditions which then existed. The best men were taken from the merchant service, often on arrival in port after a voyage; the worst were collected from the gaols." ⁵

Another description of the Centurion was provided by Clowes in 1898. He said that, The draught (drawings) from which she was built still exists in the curator’s office at the Admiralty. In structure she differed little from other vessels of her class except that the poop-cabin, or top gallant round house, as it was then called, was rather longer than was usual for her class. Like all two-deckers of the period she carried a jib-boom forward, on which was set a large jib – for, since 1719, the extremely inconvenient spritsail topmast had only been retained in the 3-deckers of the three largest classes – while below the bowsprit and jib-boom was set the square spritsail and the spritsail topsail. Both foremast and mainmast each carried a course, a topsail and a top gallant sail, while on the mizzen mast was set a triangular lateen mizzen with a square topsail above it, for no mizzen top gallant sail had yet been introduced. Some three or more staysails were also employed, but the complete set of these sails, so well known at the end of the eighteenth century, had not yet come into use. Fourth rates of 60 guns had then a single open stern gallery at the after end of the quarterdeck, with glazed windows behind it, and a lower row of windows at the after end of the upper gun deck, while forward the stem of the ship was carried up only as high as this deck, and the forward end of the forecastle was closed by a straight athwart ship beakhead bulkhead. The resulting weakness, both to sea and gunfire, at both stern and bow was not remedied until the beginning of the nineteenth century. ⁶

Exterior and Interior of the Ship

The Centurion was decorated on her outer side, at the stern, and around the windows of the upper deck and quarterdeck. Carvings surrounded the windows and below them a band of painted figures was depicted. The band extended along the vessel’s body just under the upper deck. Some vessels had a similar band depicting Greek and Roman mythical figures. The ship was also decorated at the bow by the 16 foot high wooden rampaging lion which was apparently a common motif for figureheads on vessels of the time period. The muscular lion symbolized power and strength.

The types of figureheads used on vessels changed in the 1740s as individualized styles were allowed by the Navy Board. From the 1740s permission was granted for ships to have more individual figureheads, usually relevant to the ship’s name, instead of the standard lion. From the 1760s these were painted in various colors rather than in gilt, and a decade later there was a general move towards simpler, smaller figureheads. A later attempt in the 1790s to replace carved figureheads with wooden scrolls proved highly unpopular and was abandoned. Uniformity of color was likewise not achieved - notwithstanding the impression often given that all ships were painted black with horizontal strakes of ‘yellow’ (in effect the yellow ochre used was closer to a modern beige), as specified by an Admiralty Order of 1780, in practice many variations persisted. ⁷

The painted band around the hull, below the upper deck, was of a greenish color with gold figures. The vessels were sometimes decorated with a painted wide black band just above the waterline. In the latter decades of the eighteenth century, the name of the ship was shown on the stern of the vessel just below the windows of the wardroom and above the stern chase guns. However, on the Centurion it was clear that she did not display her name on the stern of the ship as this was a practice that was not adopted until 1771 by the Royal Navy. In the earlier Tudor era, vessels were highly decorated. Windows were surrounded by rosettes of elaborate floral decorations, and at the stern, distinctive wood carvings could be seen. The upper sections of the ship were painted with gilt, which enhanced the ship’s appearance. Moreover, around the outer body of the vessel, there were painted bands with figures depicting classical motifs. The ornate ship decorative styles lasted until the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the over the top paint jobs and wooden additions with gilt and rosettes were replaced by a more sedate and conservative ship exterior décor.

The interior of the ship was not as elaborately decorated as her exterior, and it was more functional than decorative. Only the captain’s cabin, on the quarterdeck, would have had any additional embellishments such as wood paneling and a comfortable upholstered window seat with storage areas underneath. The cabin would have had hanging lamps and the captain’s personal possessions which he brought onto the vessel to enhance his accommodations. These could have included items such as tables, chairs, a bed, linens, rugs, and paintings, dishes, drinking glasses, cutlery, maps, charts, small weapons, navigational tools, a clothing chest and other accessories.

The wardroom on the upper deck would have also been paneled and decorated to a minimal extent with a long table and chairs for the officers to have their meals, work and relax when possible. The wardroom also functioned as an area where some of the officers could set up their own individual sleeping accommodations; each area was separated from the other by canvas partitions. As space was at a premium, the men could only bring onto the ship the smallest number of necessities to make their accommodations more suitable. These included bedding, toiletries, clothing, writing implements, books and maps.

An interesting description of the décor of the vessels and why so much of the interior was painted blood red, was provided by Masefield in 1905. He said that, Internally the sides of the ships were painted blood red in order that the blood which splattered them might not appear. The inner sides of the port lids were painted this color, so that when the port lids were opened the brown or black of the ship’s sides was diversified agreeably with scarlet squares. After Trafalgar the interiors of the ships of war were sometimes painted in other colors according to the whims of the commanders. Green was the most common variant, but the interior of some ships was painted yellow or brown. A favorite arrangement was the white and green – white for the ship’s sides and beams, and green for the waterways and coamings (raised lip around the hatches). White became the rule about the year 1840. Many internal fittings, such as gun carriages, and in some cases the guns themselves, were painted red or brown. Lower masts were sometimes painted a dull brownish yellow. Top masts and upper spars were covered with a dark brown preserving varnish. Yards and gaffs were painted black. Blocks, chains, dead-eyes, and wooden and iron fittings for the rigging were tarred black to match the yards. The projecting platforms known as the chains or channels at the side of the ships, to which the lower rigging was secured, were painted to match the sides of the ships. As the masts of French ships were generally painted black, the ships in our fleets painted their masts white before any general arrangement, so that the ships might be distinguished in the smoke and confusion. ⁸

The Keel and the Hold

The construction of the Centurion began by laying down the keel of the ship. This was essentially the back-bone of the vessel upon which every other component of the ship would have ultimately rested. The wooden keel was placed on oak blocks and consisted of six straight lengths of elm timber placed end to end lengthwise and bolted together. Beneath the keel was a false keel and above it was the keelson. The false keel was bolted to the main keel and protected the vessel if it was grounded. It was secured to the main keel by copper staples or bolts. The keelson sat atop the main keel to provide additional support to the keel and to support the floors. From the keel the rest of the vessel was constructed. The stem post was added next and then the stern post. The planks used in the hull construction rose upwards forming the starboard and port sides of the vessel and the stem and stern of the ship. Decks were constructed of planks forming the following decks: the orlop deck, gun deck, upper deck and forecastle, quarter deck and poop. Masts, yards and rigging were added later on after the construction of the ship was completed and the vessel was set afloat.

The hull of the vessel took shape using wooden frames and planks to create the body of the ship. Within the hull was the lowest level of the ship – the hold – which was the location of the Centurion’s main storage area. The hold was divided into compartments for water, wood, bread and fish storage rooms and other provisions, as well as for alcohol. These were mainly stored in wooden casks which were carried in their hundreds. They were carefully stacked one atop the other to maintain the ship’s equilibrium and prevent shifting about of the casks during stormy weather and rough seas. Separate areas were also securely set up as powder magazines and filling areas. As it was necessary to make sure that the powder storage areas were highly secured and maintained, in order to ensure that no small sparks would have blown up the vessel, measures were put in place to protect them from this sort of disaster.

The hatches leading to the magazines were covered by copper lids, secured by strong iron bars and padlocks. The magazines were only opened on very special occasions by the captain’s order. A marine stood at the hatch of each magazine with a loaded musket, to prevent any unauthorized person from tampering with the padlocks or trying to enter. In battle this marine was reinforced by a corporal’s guard with fixed bayonets, or by midshipmen with loaded pistols. The magazines were situated in the fore and after parts of the ship’s hold. They were lit by ingenious contrivances called light-rooms; small chambers built just forward of them and separated from them by double windows of glass. Lanterns were lit in these light rooms and placed behind the windows, so that their light should illuminate the magazines. The floors or decks of the magazines were covered with felt, or with a rough kind of frieze known as fearnought (a heavy woolen fabric). The walls or sides were similarly covered. No man was allowed to enter them until he had covered his shoes with thick felt slippers, and emptied his pockets of any steel or other metal, the striking of which might make a spark. The aft magazine was the smaller of the two. It contained no powder casks, but only a store of filled cartridges for the supply of the upper deck and the forecastle and quarterdeck carronades. In the fore magazine were the tiers of powder casks, one above the other, the lowest tier having copper hoops about them. This place was protected even more carefully than the after-magazine for there the loose powder was handled and placed in cartridges; and here the hand grenades and musket cartridges were stored. Here too were the cartridges ready filled for the batteries on the lower or first gun deck. This magazine was not reached by direct descent from a ladder. To reach it one had to pass along a little passage protected by a copper door and guarded by a marine. The cartridges for the cannon were stored in cylindrical wooden tubs or boxes, arranged in racks and covered with movable wooden lids. Forward the fore-magazine was a lift or hoist, by which the cartridges could be passed from the magazine to the orlop, so that the boys employed in passing powder should not have to descend into the magazine. In some ships there was no such hoist, but a thick, wet, woolen screen with a hole in it, through which the cartridges were handed. The boys employed in carrying powder had to cover the cartridges with their jackets as they ran from the magazine to the gun they supplied. All magazines were fitted with a water tank and pipes, by which the chamber could be swamped in the event of fire. ⁹

At the bottom of the hold, along the keelson, ballast of iron pieces known as pigs of soft iron were placed. In a 4th rate warship of the latter decades of the eighteenth century, the ballast typically weighed as much as two-hundred tons. In addition to using iron as ballast, shingles and stones were also commonly used. The ballast was a necessary component of the vessels to maintain the ship’s stability at sea.

The Orlop Deck

Above the hold was the orlop deck, which was also known as the overlop deck or lower deck. As this deck was below the waterline, it did not carry guns which could be employed in defending the ship against enemy fire. As a result, the deck was not as sturdily built as the gun deck, which was located just above it. Not having any port holes, the deck was damp, smelly and at times stifling. As it was also dark, it was necessary to use lanterns and candles in tin sconces to light the area. Some light came into the deck from scuttles (small glass enclosed circular openings cut into the ship’s sides for light and ventilation).

Having little headroom, the orlop was mainly used as an additional storage area and provided sleeping accommodations for warrant and petty officers including senior midshipmen, surgeon’s mates and master’s mates. Cabins were set up around the cockpit (an open area like a hallway), for their use, as well as for the purser, the captain’s steward and the surgeon. When the ship was involved in a conflict, the cockpit was turned into an operating room. Near this area was the surgeon’s dispensary with medical implements and medicines.

Moreover, on this deck, the anchor cables were stowed in the cable tier whilst the ship was at sea. Storerooms were located here for the carpenter’s tools and extra supplies of timber, but most of the work performed by the carpenters took place on the upper deck during the daylight hours. Also on the orlop deck was the sail maker’s sail locker, which contained extra canvas for the production and repair of sails. There were storage rooms for pitch, extra rigging, blocks, bread, pump room and the purser’s stock of clothing and other necessities sold to the crew. The captain, lieutenants, gunner and purser all had their own storage areas on this deck. Additionally, the sailors and marines stowed their bags and sea chests with personal belongings on the orlop deck.

The Gun Deck

The gun deck was considered the most important section of the ship. As well as being the largest in size and roomier than the other decks, it was the area which saw the results of battles at sea as cannons fired towards enemy vessels. It was also the deck which experienced incoming fire from enemy guns, which created a cascade of dangerous wood splinters flying in every direction as damaged parts of the ship’s interior were blown apart. Along the gun deck, the Centurion’s heaviest twenty-four 24-pounders were mounted on the port and starboard sides of the ship to fire broadsides at the enemy. When the Centurion was officially reduced from a 60 gun warship in 1748 to 50 guns, she still carried 350 men and 52 guns and retained twenty-two 24-pounder guns on her gun deck.

Given the fact that the main purpose of the Centurion was to serve as a sail of the line battleship, she was required to have two decks with guns on the port and starboard sides of the vessel. On both the gun deck and the upper deck, heavy cannons were placed in front of gun ports, which were opened in times of warfare against enemy vessels or to allow the flow of fresh air to enter the interior of the vessel when the weather allowed.

On the gun deck, the officers were more comfortably accommodated than the rest of the ship’s crew. They had small private cubicles which were separated from each other by canvas partitions. By 1757, the navy passed an order that the ships would not be permitted to have permanent cabins or sleeping accommodations for the officers on the gun deck. All accommodations had to be temporary and easily removed if an action was about to begin against an enemy vessel.

The average sailor, on the other hand, had to sleep in the crowded gun deck in a hammock of 14 inches wide. The hammocks were hung from the overhead beams and were separated from the adjoining hammock of the sailor on either side by only inches. The men were basically packed in like sardines onto the gun deck and provided with a pillow, two blankets and no privacy. Apparently, petty officers were not better off than the common sailors even though they were allotted a bit more space of 28 inches for their hammocks. But not everyone on the ship was asleep at night. Half of the crew had to be on duty, so this may have made things a bit more bearable. At daybreak the hammocks and bedding were rolled up and stowed in netting on the upper deck where they served as a barrier and protected against incoming fire from enemy vessels.

At the stern end of the gun deck, the chief gunner and his crew slept in hammocks in the gun room, which was always guarded by a soldier. This area also contained storage places for weaponry such as muskets and small pistols. Outside of the gun room, some of the young midshipmen set up their hammocks and slept there, close to the chief gunner, who they regarded as a second father, as he was the most concerned about their welfare on the ship. He made sure that they were well fed and that they kept their clothes washed and cleaned during the voyage. On this deck, the master carpenter and the boatswain both had their small sleeping cabins. Cabins were also provided on the gun deck for the marine lieutenants, the chaplain and captain’s clerk.

According to Masefield, the gun deck seemed like the liveliest part of the ship, as well as the busiest as the men slept and ate their meals on this deck. On any given day, it was definitely the noisiest part of the vessel. He also mentioned the livestock which was taken aboard and how they also had to be accommodated in their own enclosures. No doubt, their noises also added to the everyday din of shipboard life. Right forward, in amidships, stretching across the bows, was the manger, a sort of pen, some 4 ft high, over which the cables passed to the hawseholes. The manger was designed as a breakwater to keep the water which splashed through the hawseholes from pouring aft along the deck. The hawseholes were firmly plugged with oakum and wooden shutters when the ship was at sea, but no contrivance that could be devised would keep the water from coming in during heavy weather. The manger also served as a sheep pen, pigsty or cattle byre. ¹⁰

The Upper Deck, the Quarterdeck and the Forecastle

Above the gun deck was the upper deck, which was armed with twenty-six 9 pounder guns and lodgings in the stern for the commissioned and warrant officers. They would have been lodged in the wardroom, which was located in the stern section of the upper deck. This space was large enough to provide the officers with non-permanent sleeping quarters of small canvas partitioned cabins. When the wardroom was cleared of the sleeping cots, the officers used it as a dining room. Part of the décor of the wardroom was the fact that natural light entered the cabin from windows surrounding the space.

Next to the wardroom, there were six additional small cabins for the officers. These included accommodations for the first and second lieutenants, the master and the captain’s secretary. The first cabin on the stern port side was allocated to the first lieutenant and opposite on the starboard side, the cabin was assigned to the ship’s master. A door led to the wardroom’s two officers’ lavatories, which were located in the two side galleries. Within the enclosed sleeping cabins, the officers had a sleeping cot, blankets, pillow and a sea chest, which served as a table and a place to put a candle in its holder. Even though the cabins were small the officers had some privacy.

The half deck was also known as the steerage, from the fact that the steering wheels and binnacle were placed there, under the roof or shelter of the quarterdeck planks. The sides of the half deck were pierced for guns, generally carronades. It must be remembered that the half deck was, as its name implies, decked over, so that one could walk from side to side of the ship on a floor of planks. The waist, or space between the fore and main masts, on the same plane, was not so decked. The forecastle was decked across, and the sides of the forecastle were pierced for carronades. But there were no guns on the plank gangways along the sides of the waist, partly because the position was exposed, and partly because the space was needed in action by the sail trimmers and small arm parties. The raised forecastle and high poop and quarterdeck, were survivals from old time. In the old ships of war, of the reign of Elizabeth, these superstructures had been built of great strength and height, ‘the more for their majesty to astonish the enemy.’ ¹¹

Above the upper deck, in the stern section of the ship, was the quarterdeck, which was also armed with eight 6 pounder guns. This is the deck where the spacious captain’s cabin was located. Up until the 1750s, the captain’s cabin was found in the stern portion of the upper deck, but on the Centurion, the captain’s accommodations were located on the quarterdeck. This area was also known as the roundhouse or the coach. The cabin was known by these names as it was large enough for a captain to walk around in as it was very spacious.

The captain’s cabin had thirteen windows and an open aired gallery (balcony). The windows could be opened to allow fresh air to flow into the cabin. The quarters assigned to the captain also had a dining and sleeping area, as well as his own private lavatory. As far as furnishing his quarters, it was not unusual for a captain to bring his own bits and pieces to make the cabin more comfortable. Some captains brought on board proper beds, paintings, linen, sofas and even a dining table with chairs. Most captains probably made do with whatever was available to them in their cabins.

"Very frequently this cabin contained no guns. If it contained guns they were seldom or never fired. The ports of the cabin were glazed, and there was a couch or settee running under them for the ease of the captain. These settees were hollow, and formed convenient cupboards for the captain’s gear. As the floor or deck of the cabin was laid upon the beams of the main or upper gun deck, it followed that the cabin was loftier and roomier than any other place in the ship. The poop, the deck above it, was raised some feet above the quarterdeck, so that the captain’s