HMS Orlando (1858)
Encyclopedia
HMS Orlando and her sister ship HMS Mersey
were the longest wooden warships built for the Royal Navy
. At 336 feet in length, HMS Orlando was nearly twice the size of HMS Victory
, the flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar
. At 5643 tons displacement, she was also heavily armed for her size, and in comparison to many of her counterparts was quite fast with an approximate speed of 12½ knots.
The length, the most unusual aspect of the ship, was actually an Achilles' heel of the Mersey and Orlando. The extreme length of the ship put enormous strains on her hull due to the unusual merging of heavy machinery, and a lengthy wooden hull, resulting in her seams opening up. They were pushing the limits of what was possible in wooden ship construction:
HMS Mersey (1858)
The second HMS Mersey was commissioned in 1858, just six years after the first Mersey had been broken up. Her and her sister ship the Orlando were the longest wooden warships built for the Royal Navy. At 336 feet in length, HMS Mersey was nearly twice the size of HMS Victory, the flagship of...
were the longest wooden warships built for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. At 336 feet in length, HMS Orlando was nearly twice the size of HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
, the flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. At 5643 tons displacement, she was also heavily armed for her size, and in comparison to many of her counterparts was quite fast with an approximate speed of 12½ knots.
The length, the most unusual aspect of the ship, was actually an Achilles' heel of the Mersey and Orlando. The extreme length of the ship put enormous strains on her hull due to the unusual merging of heavy machinery, and a lengthy wooden hull, resulting in her seams opening up. They were pushing the limits of what was possible in wooden ship construction: