Famous Nelson’s Flagship, HMS Victory

A visit to the ship that saved the nation

HMS Victory stern view. Photo by the author

I have recently fulfilled my dream of visiting HMS Victory, a legendary British warship of the Napoleonic wars era and a symbol of Britain’s naval glory. The ship is in a dry dock in Portsmouth, a museum attended by hundreds of thousands of tourists yearly.

HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. With 246 years of service as of spring 2024, she is the world’s oldest naval vessel still in commission.

HMS Victory in Portsmouth’s dry dock. Photo by the author

The first-rate ship of the line was ordered in December 1758 by William Pitt the Elder, then head of the British government, along with 12 other vessels to strengthen British naval power. She was laid down at Portsmouth on July 23, 1759. The name Victory was chosen in October 1760.

Victory was a masterpiece of naval engineering for her time. The naval architect chosen to design the ship was Sir Thomas Slade, who was the Surveyor of the Navy. The ship was designed to carry 100 guns, later increased to 104. A crew of 150 men was assigned to build Victory’s hull. Approximately 6,000 trees were used in her construction, standard for a ship of her…