Hector, 1774
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Launched : 1774 ;
Notes:

14 Apr 1793, Queen 98, Rear-admiral Gardner, Captain John Hutt, Duke, 90, Captain the Honourable George Murray, Hector, 74, Captain George Montagu, Monarch 74, Captain Sir James Wallace, with one or two others, and a division of transports with British and French Royalist troops arrived at Martinique with a view to taking the island from the French, which ended in failure, and Rear-admiral Gardner's squadron returning to England.

4 June 1794, Rear-adm. George Montagu, Captain Lawrence William Halsted, sailed from Plymouth Sound with nine sail of the line and two frigates, to attempt to join Lord Howe and intercept a large French convoy from America. On the 8th, discovered and chased a French squadron, including 8 ships of the line, under the command of Rear-admiral Cornice, into bay of Bertheaume, and so stood back out to sea.

9 June 1794, sighted the French fleet of 19 sail of the line, returning from their recent meeting with the British fleet, which formed line-of-battle and briefly chased the squadron. With a squadron of equivalent rating on his other flank, Rear-admiral Montagu withdrew as quickly as the poor sailing qualities of the Ganges and Alexander would permit. Continued his search for a further 2 days, but failing in this, returned to Cawsand bay, Plymouth, on 12 June.

5 Dec 1798 with the squadron off Cadiz.

3 May 1799 prepared for action on receipt of news that the French fleet had escaped from Brest and was heading towards Cadiz. The French were sighted the following day, but stood on for the Mediterranean.

10 May 1799 arrived with the fleet at Gibraltar, and having watered and victualled sailed for the Mediterranean.

20 May 1799 anchored in Port-Mahon : sailed on 22nd on a cruise.

20 Feb 1800, Portsmouth, sailed for Torbay, with the Temeraire, London, Pompee, Venerable, Ramilies, and Montagu.

22 Feb 1800, Plymouth, an express arrived from Torbay to the Victualling Office, to send over craft with beer to complete the following men of War arrived there, viz. Temeraire, London, Venerable, Hector, Ramillies, Pompee, and Montagu.

24 Apr 1800, Torbay, sailed with the Channel Fleet, under the command of Sir Alan Gardner.

18 May 1800, Plymouth, the Channel fleet passed up for Torbay this morning having experienced the fury of the gale when laying to off Brest, on Friday last under storm stay-sails ; the sea ran mountains high, and the wind suddenly shifted from S. W. to N. W. lay several men of war on their beams ends, but soon righted, though they shipped several heavy seas and the Hector, 74, and Atlas, 98, received damage to their main top-masts.

Circa Jun 1800 Henry Harker, Esq. is appointed Purser of the Hector,

1 Jun 1800, Portsmouth, arrived the Hector, from Earl St. Vincent’s fleet.

18 Jun 1800, Portsmouth, sailed for Plymouth, to be paid, from whence she will proceed to the Mediterranean.

26 Jun 1800, Plymouth, arrived from Portsmouth.

27 Jun 1800, Plymouth, sailed.

26 Sep 1800 captured, on the Mediterranean station, the Danish Brig Randershoad, laden with Deal, from Staten to Malaga.

8 Feb 1801 sailed from off Cadiz to Gibraltar and Port-Mahon in pursuit of a French squadron which has passed through into the Mediterranean with a view to landing troops in Egypt. 25 Feb the French squadron was sighted off the island of Toro, and again in the early days of Jun., but was subsequently lost, having returned to Toulon.

8 Mar to 2 Sep 1801 Services off the coast of Egypt.

9 May 1801 chased the French corvette Héliopolis off Alexandria, but she escaped into the harbour.

1805 Plymouth, repairing in Ordinary