Fate
At about 6am on 17 March 1800, whilst operating as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Lord Keith, Queen Charlotte was reconnoitring the island of Cabrera when she caught fire. Keith was not aboard at the time and observed the disaster from the shore.
The fire was believed to have resulted from loose hay having been accidentally thrown on a match tub. Two or three American vessels lying at anchor off Leghorn were able to render valuable assistance, losing several men in the effort as the vessel's guns exploded in the heat. Captain A. Todd wrote several accounts of the disaster that he gave to sailors to give to the Admiralty should they survive. He himself perished with his ship. The crew was unable to extinguish the flames and at about 11am the ship blew up with the loss of 673 officers and men.
Read more about this topic: HMS Queen Charlotte (1790)
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