Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad (1751)
| Career (Spain) | Spanish Navy Ensign |
|---|---|
| Name: | Santísima Trinidad |
| Builder: | Bagatao Shipyards |
| Launched: | April 30, 1751 |
| Captured: | September 30, 1762, by Royal Navy |
| Fate: | Sold 1763 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 54-gun Galleon |
| Tons burthen: | 4,409 tons (2,000 tonnes) |
| Length: | 167 ft 6 in (51.05 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 50 ft 6 in (15.39 m) |
| Draught: | 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Complement: | 413 |
| Armament: | 54 guns of various weights of shot |
The Santísima Trinidad was a galleon destined for merchant shipping between the Philippines and México. She was the largest of the Manila galleons; officially named Santísima Trinidad y Nuestra Señora del Buen Fin, and was familiarly known as The Mighty (Spanish: El Poderoso). She is not to be confused with the Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad, the biggest warship in the world in its time, which sank at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Career
She was 51,1m long, 15,4m across the beam and drew 9,3m and displaced 2,000 tons. Armed with 54 guns, she was laid in Manila in 1750 under orders from the Governor-General of the Philippines Don Francisco José de Ovando, 1st Marquis of Brindisi. Her large volume and some construction errors made a transformation necessary in 1757 to reduce her deplacement.
Capture
In August 1762 she departed from Cavite towards Acapulco, but due to bad winds and a typhoon in the night of October 2 which brought down 2 masts, the captain decided to return to the Philippines. He was unaware that Manila had fallen into British hands after the Battle of Manila. The ship was intercepted by HMS Panther under captain Hyde Parker and the frigate HMS Argo under Richard King. Panther opened fire, but did little damage to her thick wooden hull and caused few casualties. Nevertheless the disheartened crew of the Santísima Trinidad decided to surrender. On board was a treasure to the value of two million dollars.
The ship was taken to Portsmouth, where her sale earned the two captains 30,000 pounds, a fortune at that time. It is not known what happened to the ship after the sale but she was probably scrapped.
Additional information
See also
Sources
- Marley, David F (1991). The Last Manila Galleon. Warship 1991. London, UK: Conway Maritime Press
- Silos Rodríguez, José María. "Viaje de 1755 del Galeón "Santísima Trinidad"" (in Spanish). Todo a Babor. http://www.todoababor.es/articulos/vje_trnd.htm. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- Schurz, William Lytle (1985). The Manila Galleon. Manila, Philippines: Historical Conservation Society
ca:Santísima Trinidad (galió) es:Santísima Trinidad (galeón) nl:Santísima Trinidad
