HMS Victory to be repaired and restored


A few weeks ago I wrote about the parlous state of HMS Victory, Admiral Nelson‘s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. She’d fallen into such disrepair that she was allegedly collapsing under her own weight.

There’s good news for those of us deeply worried by these reports.

Major restoration work is to be undertaken to ensure that Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory in Portsmouth is fully preserved for future generations.

HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805
(detail from a painting by J. M. W. Turner)
(image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Recent survey work on the 18th century warship revealed that it was leaking, suffering from rot and being pulled apart by its own weight.

The Royal Navy is now set to put out to tender the contract to restore and maintain the ship, which is the world’s oldest commissioned warship and famous for its role at the Battle of Trafalgar, for the next 10 years.

HMS Victory at anchor in Portsmouth in 1900
(image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

A Royal Navy spokesman said: “HMS Victory is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and there is an ongoing programme of repair and investment to ensure that this iconic vessel is preserved for future generations.

HMS Victory today

“There are no plans to change her unique status as a commissioned warship and flagship of the second sea lord, nor for her to be sold.”

There’s more at the link.

HMS Victory‘s not out of the woods yet. Some estimates put the cost of her restoration (if it’s properly and fully done) at well over £20 million (or more than US $32.4 million). That may even be a low estimate, depending on what’s found when parts of the ship’s hull are dismantled for inspection and repair. Given the recent swingeing cuts in the UK defense budget, there’s no guarantee that the Royal Navy will be able to come up with the funds to restore HMS Victory as completely as she deserves.

Let’s hope naval enthusiasts in the UK and around the world will continue to apply pressure to ensure that she’s preserved for future generations. After all, HMS Victory is the only ‘ship of the line‘ still in existence from any period of the Age of Sail. Once she’s gone, she can never be replaced. She’s worth saving.

Peter

8 comments

  1. Greetings from Texas,
    Excellent post and wonderful news. I hope the folks who are suppose to be taking care of the USS TEXAS see it.

  2. After all, HMS Victory is the only 'ship of the line' still in existence from any period of the Age of Sail.

    USS Constitution is older, continuously commissioned since 1797. Granted, with only 50 or fewer cannons, Old Ironsides might be one of the smaller ships in the line. But she gave better than she got.

    Leatherneck

  3. Well, The Old Naval Yard in Portsmouth is basically a tribute to Nelson so its about time they did something about the Victory. Besides, they are spending a boatload (no pun intended) of money to preserve Henry Viii's Mary Rose so the Historic Trust should be able to spare a few for the man who's buried under the dome at St Paul's.

  4. Leatherneck, USS Constitution isn't a ship of the line at all – she's a frigate (albeit, as you say, one of the larger frigates, historically speaking). She'd be classified (according to the Royal Navy's system during the Napoleonic Wars) as a very large fifth rate or a small fourth rate.

    Ships of the line were third rate or larger; and by the time of Trafalgar, third rates carried 64 guns or more (usually 74 or more – the 64's were 'hangovers' from earlier days, and none had been built since the third quarter of the 18th century, IIRC).

  5. True enough technically, Peter. But after USS America was ripped out of John Paul Jones' hands and given to the French, Constitution was the largest vessel built for the fledgling Navy until after the War of 1812. Small country, small Navy, small line of battle, I reckon.

    Leatherneck

  6. HMS Victory, commissioned in 1778, is indeed the oldest commissioned warship in the world.

    USS Constitution, commissioned in 1797 is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

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