London, 1766
Type: 2nd rate ; Armament 98
Launched : 1766 ; Disposal date or year : 1811
BM: 1894 tons
Complement: 740
Notes:

22 Jul 1793, London, 98, Captain Richard Goodwin Keats, joined the Channel Fleet off the Scilly Isles, replacing the damaged Bellerophon.

31 Jul 1793 briefly sighted, but was unable to close the French fleet ; returned to Torbay on 10 Aug.

23 Aug 1793 the Channel Fleet departed to escort the Newfoundland trade, West Indian convoys in home waters.

27 Oct 1793 departed in search of the French fleet and squadrons. 18 Nov brief skirmish with a French squadron : by mid-December the fleet had returned to Spithead.

14 Feb 1795 the Channel fleet departed from Torbay for a brief cruise and to see various convoys safe out of the Channel.

12 Jun 1795 the Channel Fleet, under Lord Bridport, including the London, Vice-adm. (b.) John Colpoys, Captain Edward Griffith, departed from Spithead for Quiberon bay. 22 Jun sighted the French fleet to west of Belle-Isle, and finding the French admiral had no wish for a fight, ordered the Fleet in chase and to engage as ships came up. During the chase the former British 74, Alexander was retaken, along with the French 74s Tigre and Formidable (subsequently renamed Belleisle). And so ended the Battle of the Isle de Groix.

20 Sep 1795 Lord Bridport remained with his fleet off the coast protecting the ill-conceived Quiberon Bay expeditions until 20 Sep, when he returned with 2 or 3 ships to Spithead, leaving Rear-admiral Harvey in command.

1796 the Channel fleet was divided into three squadrons : the first, under Rear-admiral Sir Roger Curtis, in the Formidable 98, to cruise to the westward ; the second, under Rear-admiral Thompson, in the London 98, stationed off Brest, and the third, under Admiral Lord Bridport, in the Royal George 100, remained at Spithead, to be despatched wherever the intelligence received by government might lead.

29 Oct 1796 Vice-admiral Colpoys in the Niger frigate, joined the squadron off Brest, and exchanged ships with Rear admiral Thompson ; leaving the vice-admiral with ten sail of the line, in the London.

15 Apr - 15 May 1797 Mutiny at Spithead for improved pay and victuals etc. See also p. 521-522-> www.naval-review.org/issues/1927-3.pdf.

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 departed for the Mediterranean.

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

8 Feb 1800 Portsmouth, this afternoon the following ships, under the command of Admiral Whitshed, went down to St. Helen's, viz. Temeraire, London, Pompee, Venerable, Ramilies, and Montague.

20 Feb 1800 Portsmouth, departed for Torbay : Temeraire, London, Pompee, Venerable, Hector, 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, departed with the Channel Fleet, under the command of Sir Alan Gardner.

11 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived from off Brest, to refit.

12 Aug 1800 Plymouth, departed for the fleet with the Pompee, Mars, and Ajax, 84.

25 Aug 1800 operations in support of the Army against the harbour of Ferrol on the coast of Spain.

29-30 Aug 1800 ship's boats of the London, Renown, Imp�tueux, Courageux, Amethyst, Stag, Amelia, Brilliant, and Cynthia capture the French ship-privateer Gu�pe. See also p. 238, of Vol 4 of Naval Chronicle.

21 Oct 1800 Plymouth, departed to join the Channel Fleet.

3 Dec 1800 Plymouth, arrived from Earl St. Vincent's fleet, and passed up the Channel for Torbay.

Doubled and sheathed &c.from top of the side down to eight strakes under the wale and strengthened with diagonal braces

22 Dec 1800 arrived Plymouth with the Elephant, Triumph, and Prince of Wales, from the Channel Fleet, which they left off the Eddystone all well this morning, steering for Torbay.

25 Dec 1800 departed Plymouth with victuallers for the Fleet at Torbay.

20 Feb 1801 arrived Spithead from the Channel Fleet.

1 Mar 1801 appointed at Portsmouth, to form a part of the North Sea Fleet, St George, London, 98 ; Bellona, Ganges, Warrior, Ramilies, Russell, Saturn, and Defence, 74 ; Agincourt, 64, Harpy, 18, Alecto, Otter, fire ships ; Discovery, bomb.

3 Mar 1801 departed Spithead with a squadron bound for the Downs, Yarmouth Roads and Copenhagen.

9 Mar 1801 a request has been made by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker to the Trinity House at Hull for 12 pilots to join the fleet, now laying in Yarmouth Roads, shortly to depart for Copenhagen. The response appears to be that 12 or more will be sent as required.

10 Mar 1801 the North Sea Fleet has come together at N. Yarmouth, and consists of the London, and St George, 98 guns, Adm. Sir Hyde Parker having transferred his flag from the Ardent to the St George ; Monarch, Bellona, Saturn, Ramilies, Ganges, Warrior, Russell and Defence, 74 ; Veteran, Ardent, Polyphemus, Agamemnon, Raisonable, 64 ; Glatton, Madras, 54 ; Isis, 50 ; Desiree, Blanche, Amazon frigates Pylades, Squirrel, Zebra, sloops ; Harpy ; Biter, Blazer, Bruiser, Tigress, Pelter, Zebra, Teazer, Hasty, Force, Sparkler Brigs ; Terror, Volcano, Explosion, Hecla, Zebra, Albion, Sulphur, and Discovery bombs ; Eling, schooner ; cutters Fox and Hazard ; and luggers Rover and Lark.

12 Mar 1801 fleet under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Lord Nelson, consisting of 17 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 10 gun-brigs, nearly as many bomb-ketches, with smaller vessels usually attendant on a fleet, making in the whole nearly 50 sail, got under weigh from Yarmouth Roads at the break of day, and by eight o'clock had cleared the Sands ; they directed their course to the northward, wafted by a fine breeze at S.W. as departed from Yarmouth roads for Copenhagen (Naval Chronicle). 31 Mar Copenhagen : remained anchored off the Middle Ground with Admiral Parker whilst Nelson departed with the rest of the fleet for the forthcoming engagement. 2 Apr moved closer to Copenhagen

9 Apr 1801 letters received Plymouth from an officer of the London, of 98 guns, dated off the Schaw, the 24th ult. state that the fleet were all in high spirits and had been clear for action for 4 days.

15 Apr 1801 Captain Otway arrived in London from Copenhagen with despatches for the Admiralty from Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, announcing the forcing of the Sound, and the the capture and destruction of their line of defence before Copenhagen, but not, it would appear, Denmark's ships-of-the-line. However, when it was learned that the Russian Tsar had been assassinated and that the pact of armed neutrality was likely to be disbanded, the need for having carried out the action had disappeared, especially following the receipt of expressions to renew old treaties etc. by the new Tsar Alexander.

9 Aug 1801 arrived Spithead from the Baltic as a part of a Fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Pole.

11 Aug 1801 came into Portsmouth harbour from Spithead yesterday.

C 17 Aug 1800 Capt Murray apptd from the Edgar to the London, vice Act Capt Otway. Act Capt Otway apptd to the Edgar.

1 Sep 1801 went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

17 Sep 1801 departed Spithead, the London, Capt Murray, for Plymouth.

19 Sep 1801 came into Cawsand Bay from Spithead.

24 Sep 1801 departed Cawsand Bay, the London, Capt G Murray, to join the Channel Fleet.

19 Nov 1801 remained in Torbay the Ville de Paris, Royal Sovereign, Prince of Wales, Neptune, Prince, Royal George, San Joseph, London, Magnificent, Bellerophon, Hercule, Donegal, Robust, Edgar, Belleisle, Courageux, Fisgard, Amelia, Indefatigable, Childers, Atlanta, Nimrod. The Nile cutter departing for Plymouth to be paid off.

28 Dec 1801 remained with the Channel Fleet in Torbay with the Ville de Paris.

27 Feb 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound from Torbay, to be paid six months wages, the London, 98.

4 Mar 1802 paid the Barfleur, 98, and the London, 98.

8 Mar 1802 departed Plymouth Sound for Torbay the Barfleur, 98, and the London, 98, victualled and stored for five months.

3 May 1802 the Barfleur, London, Irresistible, Ramillies, Magicienne, and Sirius, departed Torbay yesterday evening with a light air, to be paid off at Plymouth and Portsmouth, leaving just the fire ship Magaera, and sloops Childers, Atalante, and Sylph off Brixham.

4 May 1802 arrived Plymouth from Torbay.

5 May 1802 went up the Harbour, to be stripped and paid off.

12 May 1802 the London, 98, Captain G. Murray, paid off at Plymouth, and laid up in ordinary, her crew having been discharged to shore.

22 Jul 1802 head money for those present at the Engagement at Copenhagen, on the 2 April 1801, due for payment.

May 1805 Plymouth, to repair in Ordinary.

3 Jan 1806 Sir J.B. Warren's squadron at St. Helen's, adverse winds preventing him sailing. 12 Jan departed for Madeira to gain intelligence of the French squadron under V.-adm. Leissegues.

13 Mar 1806 London, Foudroyant, and Amazon capture the Marengo and Belle-Poule, returning to France. The former was used as a prison ship ; the latter was also purchased into the service.

Torbay 29 Dec 1806 Remains.

Early Nov 1807 departed as a part of a squadron under R.-Adm. Sir W. S. Smith, in the Hibernia, for the Tagus, where they commenced a blockade on the 17th.

By 29 Nov 1807 the Portuguese Royal Family had decided to spend the rest of the war in Brazil and the squadron escorted the Royal Family to latitude 37� 47' north, and longitude 14� 17' west where the Marlborough, London, and Bedford were detached to maintain the escort to Bahia and thence to Rio de Janeior.