HMS Africa
Encyclopedia
Seven ships of the Royal Navy
have been named HMS Africa, after the continent of Africa
. Two others were planned:
was a 46-gun ship in service from 1694 to 1696. was a 64-gun third-rate
launched in 1761 and sold in 1774. was a 64-gun third-rate launched in 1781 and broken up 1814.
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...
have been named HMS Africa, after the continent of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Two others were planned:
was a 46-gun ship in service from 1694 to 1696. was a 64-gun third-rate
Third-rate
In the British Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks . Years of experience proved that the third rate ships embodied the best compromise between sailing ability , firepower, and cost...
launched in 1761 and sold in 1774. was a 64-gun third-rate launched in 1781 and broken up 1814.
- HMS Africa was a prison shipPrison shipA prison ship, historically sometimes called a prison hulk, is a vessel used as a prison, often to hold convicts awaiting transportation to penal colonies. This practice was popular with the British government in the 18th and 19th centuries....
, launched in 1803 as the 36-gun fifth rate . She became a prison ship in 1826, was renamed HMS Africa in 1859 and was sold in 1860. was a wooden-hulled screw sloopScrew sloopA screw sloop is a propeller-driven sloop-of-war. In the 19th century, during the introduction of the steam engine, ships driven by propellers were differentiated from those driven by paddle-wheels by referring to the ship's screws...
launched in 1862 and sold to ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
later that year. She was renamed China and was sold in 1865. - HMS Africa was to have been a Drake classDrake class cruiserThe Drake-class was a four-ship class of armoured cruisers built around 1900 for the Royal Navy.-Design:The class were enlarged versions of the Cressy class.-History:The ships served in the First World War with only two surviving it...
cruiserCruiserA cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
but she was renamed in 1899, before being launched in 1901. was a King Edward VII-classKing Edward VII class battleshipThe King Edward VII class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships launched by the Royal Navy between 1903 and 1905.-Armament:By 1901, the 29 British battleships of the Majestic, Canopus, Formidable, London, Queen, and Duncan classes then in service or under construction, all following the same...
battleshipBattleshipA battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
launched in 1905 and sold in 1920. - HMS Africa was to have been an Audacious classAudacious class aircraft carrierThe Audacious class aircraft carriers were a class of ship proposed by the British government in the 1930s - 1940s.- History :The Audacious class was originally designed as an expansion of the Implacable class with double storied hangars...
aircraft carrierAircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. She was ordered in 1943, but was later reordered as a Malta classMalta class aircraft carrierThe Malta class aircraft carrier was a British large fleet aircraft carrier design of World War II. Inspired by the strike capability of United States Navy aircraft carriers, the Malta design took onboard several American innovations in hangar design and aircraft operations. Three ships were...
carrier, before being cancelled in 1945.
- There was also an Irish hired armed cutter Africa, of 7080/94 tons burthen (bmBuilder's Old MeasurementBuilder's Old Measurement is the method of calculating the size or cargo capacity of a ship used in England from approximately 1720 to 1849. It estimated the tonnage of a ship based on length and maximum beam...
), in Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe 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...
service from 12 December 1803 to 12 January 1810.