Royal James 1671

Royal James was a 100 gun first rate built at Portsmouth for the royal navy, she was launched in 1671 and was one of the finest three decked ships of war built in England.

The James was designed by Sir Anthony Deane a renown ship builder in his time, she was the first ship to use Iron work in her construction besides nails and bolts, this was looked down opon by other designers but was approved by Samuel Pepys the naval surveyor at the time, this was not repeated until the 1719 establishment nearly 50 years later.

Her career was short being commissioned for sea to fight in an Anglo French invasion force for the Netherlands. However while the combined fleet had anchored in Solebay refitting their ships some ships with masts disassembled and many crews were sent on shore leave, the dutch fleet arrived with 70 warships to the French and English 85 warships.

With crews ashore and ships under repair the English were in no shape to fight. upon seeing that the Dutch fleet was upon them Jean d'Estrees took his fleet on thirty ships and left the English to the Dutch knowing they were unprepared. Now the English had to face the Dutch unprepared with 55 ships to the Dutch 70.

The Royal James was engaged by 82 gun Dolphijn and Groot Hollandia for hours battering them to a pulp, Now Royal James was drifting away and sinking then she was attacked by several fireships sinking many with her guns, but a Dutch fireship shielded be another warship got close enough to catch her afire. She burned with great loss of life but in her loss she caused twice her built cost in damage to the dutch ships plus the sunken fire ships.

The end result was a hard fought draw for the English with the Dutch losing three warships (one explodeing) and and many heavily damaged and 1400 men lost.
and the Anglo fleet losing 4 ships and 1600 men.