Alfred, HMS, 1778

 HMS Alfred was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 October 1778 at Chatham.
   She fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780.
   Alfred was broken up in 1814.

   1782 Capt. T. DUMARESQ, North America.
   1782 Capt. W. BAYNE. With Sir George RODNEY in the West Indies. 
   ALFRED was attached to the red division of the fleet (Rear Ad. HOOD's) at the encounter of 9 April 1782 with the French under De Grasse in the passage between the Saintes and Dominica. 
   After initial exchanges of broadsides, nothing much happened except some distant cannonading. The principal loss was the death of Capt. BAYNE. 
   The next two days were spent in chasing. 
   On the 12 April De Grasse bore up with his fleet to protect a dismasted frigate being chased by four British ships as she made for Guadeloupe. RODNEY recalled his chasing ships and made the signal for line of battle. After four hours fighting the French bore up and were soon retreating in disorder. A general chase ensued after which four French ships were captured and one burnt. 
   ALFRED lost 12 killed, including the captain, and 40 wounded in these two actions. 
   ALFRED was with Rear Ad. HOOD when four more French ships were captured in the Mona Passage on the 19th. 
   1793 Capt. J. BAZELEY. 
   1795 ALFRED sailed with a fleet under Rear Ad. CHRISTIAN from St. Helen's in November 1795. Twice she put back due to bad weather and finally sailed with a convoy in February. 
   In March she captured the FAVORITE, 22, a French national ship. 
   1796 Capt. Thomas DRURY, 02/1796. 
   In the autumn of 1798 she returned from the West Indies, where she had captured RENOMMEE (44) on 12 July 1796 off San Domingo. The prize was added to the Royal Navy. 
   1797 Capt. T. TOTTY, 01/1797. 
   1799 On 6 January orders were received for ALFRED to be immediately fitted as a temporary hospital ship. Lieut. S. HOLMES was appointed to command her at Plymouth. 
   In the middle of February she was fitted as an additional prison ship. 
   1805 under repair at Plymouth. 
   1807 Capt. John BLIGH, 03/1807. He served under Ad. GAMBIER at Copenhagen and superintended the landing of the army and their stores. Later he served for a year off the coast of Portugal under the orders of Sir Charles COTTON. 
   At the beginning of July 1808 ALFRED, at the request of the inhabitants, landed marines to secure Figueiras and on the 9th. Capt. BLIGH landed at the head of 500 marines in Mondego Bay to secure the beach-head prior to the arrival of Sir Arthur Wellesley. He performed the same service for Brig. General Anstruther at Peniche, and Brig. General Acland at Maceira. 
   Capt. BLIGH was present at the decisive battle at Vimeira on 21 August then ALFRED returned to England with the Russian squadron which surrendered after being blocked up in the Tagus for so long. 
   1809 In January 1809 Capt. John HAYES, acting in ALFRED, commanded a small squadron left by Sir Samuel HOOD to cover the embarkation of part of Lieut. General Moore's retreating army. 
   Capt. Jos. R. WATSON, 03/1809. 
   On 16 December 1809 ALFRED, SCEPTRE and FREIJA joined Vice Ad. COCHRANE at Fort Royal Bay, Martinique. They were not allowed to anchor because the OBSERVATEUR brig had signalled that she had been chased by four enemy frigates which had captured and burnt the JUNON. 
   They arrived off the Saintes on the 18th. and Capt. WATSON was ordered to guard Basse-terre while the remainder of the ships destroyed two enemy frigates (LOIRE and SEINE) about 9 miles to the north of the town. 
   1811 Cadiz. 
   On 6 March 1811 her marines took part in the diversionary landing at Santa Maria between Rota and Catalina. Corporal John INGLEBY was wounded. 
   In June ALFRED, commanded pro tem. by Lieut. George WESTPHAL, was cruising between Capes Trafalgar and Spartel. 
   Later in the year Capt. A. P. HOLLES, Cadiz. 
   ALFRED was paid off at Portmouth in November 1812. 
   On 14 December 1812 a court-martial was held at Portsmouth on Lieut. RN MARLEY of ALFRED. He was charged with ordering the defacing the King's pistols belonging to his ship so that they could be used not only for his private use but also by other persons. Because of his previous good conduct and the wounds he had received in action he was sentenced to two years loss of seniority and a severe reprimand.