HMS Terrible (1785)

HMS Terrible was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the British Royal Navy. She was launched in 1785 and served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

Terrible was built at Harwich by Christopher Bayley and launched on 28 July 1785. Her design adhered to the lines established by the 1745 Establishment. As a 74-gun ship, she carried a crew of around 550 men and was armed with 28 x 32-pounder guns on her lower gun deck, 28 x 18-pounder guns on her upper gun deck, and 14 x 9-pounder guns on her quarterdeck and forecastle.

Throughout her career, Terrible participated in several notable actions and patrols. Details of specific engagements are often found within broader accounts of naval campaigns and are sometimes difficult to verify due to the commonality of ship names within the Royal Navy during this era. Further research into naval logs and period documents would be required to provide a complete history of her service.

Terrible was eventually broken up in 1836. Her longevity indicates the quality of her construction and the significant role ships of this type played in maintaining British naval power during a crucial period in European history.