HMS Cornwallis was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 12 May 1813 at Bombay. Constructed from teak, her build exemplified the durability and quality typical of ships from that era. The launch was delayed due to the capture of Java by USS Constitution, which hindered the delivery of her copper sheathing from England. Upon completion, Cornwallis arrived at Deal, Kent, on 31 May 1814, after escorting several East Indiamen—including the Baring, Charles Mills, and Fairlie—and two whalers, notably the Indispensable. Her early service included engagement with the American sloop USS Hornet on 27 April 1815, mistakenly identified as a merchant vessel. Outgunned, Cornwallis's crew forced the Hornet to retreat by forcing her to abandon boats, guns, and equipment in the process. A notable chapter in her history was her role as the site of the signing of the Treaty of Nanking on 29 August 1842, which marked the end of the First Opium War. British and Qing representatives, including Sir Henry Pottinger and Qiying, signed the treaty aboard Cornwallis in Nanjing, underscoring her significance in maritime diplomacy. In 1855, Cornwallis was modified with screw propulsion and reduced to 60 guns, reflecting technological advances and changes in naval warfare. She participated in the Crimean War under the command of George Wellesley, the future admiral and First Sea Lord, and nephew of the Duke of Wellington. Later, she was converted into a jetty at Sheerness in 1865. Her long service life concluded when she was renamed HMS Wildfire in 1916 and used as a base ship, eventually being broken up in 1957. Cornwallis’s extensive history highlights her importance as a vessel of both military and diplomatic significance over more than a century of service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.