HMS Gloucester was a 60-gun fourth-rate ship of the line constructed for the Royal Navy in the 1690s. She measured 145 feet 2 inches (44.2 meters) at the gundeck and had a keel length of 120 feet 4 inches (36.7 meters). The vessel's beam was 37 feet 5 inches (11.4 meters), with a depth of hold of 15 feet 8 inches (4.8 meters). Her tonnage was approximately 896 tons burthen, reflecting her size and capacity for armed engagement. Initially, HMS Gloucester was armed with a combination of cannons: twenty-two 24-pounder guns on her main gundeck, twenty-two 9-pounder demi-culverins on her upper gundeck, ten 6-pounder cannon on the quarterdeck, and four 3-pounder guns on the poop deck. In 1703, her armament was revised to include twenty-four 18-pounder culverins, twenty-six 9-pounder demi-culverins, and fourteen 6-pounders, indicating an upgrade in firepower. Her crew complement ranged from 240 to 365 officers and ratings. Named after the port of Gloucester, she was the second vessel to bear this name in the Royal Navy. She was ordered on 27 March 1693 from Bristol shipbuilder Thomas Clements and launched on 5 May 1695 at a cost of £8,659. She served prominently during the War of the Spanish Succession, notably acting as the flagship for Rear-Admiral John Benbow in 1698 during his West Indies cruise, where she remained until 1703. The ship then returned to European waters in 1704 and later voyaged to Brazil in 1706. HMS Gloucester was hulked on 24 April 1708, marking a transition from active service to stationary status, and was eventually broken up in October 1731. Her career highlights her role in key naval conflicts of the early 18th century and her contribution to British maritime power during her period of active 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.