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''Neptuno'' was an 80-gun ''Montañes''-class ship of the line of the Spanish Navy. She was built in 1795 and took part in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. She fought with the Franco-Spanish fleet in the battle of Trafalgar, and was wrecked in its aftermath. ''Neptuno'' was built at Ferrol and launched in 1795. She entered service in time to support an attempt to unite with a French force and land troops in England, but the Spanish fleet under Admiral José de Córdoba y Ramos was intercepted and engaged by a British fleet under Sir John Jervis. ''Neptuno'' did not take part in the battle, having been sent into port beforehand. Several years later she was in a Spanish port when the combined Franco-Spanish fleet under Vice-Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve arrived, having sailed to the West Indies and back, and been engaged by a British fleet in the Battle of Cape Finisterre. ''Neptuno'' joined the fleet in her attempt to reach Brest, but the plan to join with another French fleet failed and ''Neptuno'' ended up with the rest of the fleet, blockaded in Cadiz by a British fleet under Lord Nelson. Villeneuve came out of Cadiz in late 1805, and was engaged by Nelson in the decisive Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October. As the lead ship of the line, ''Neptuno'' was initially isolated from the main fighting, though she joined in an attempt later in the day to come to the aid of Villeneuve's flagship. Instead she became trapped and engaged by two British ships and, after fighting for over an hour, surrendered. She was taken in hand by a British prize crew, but two days after the battle a sortie by some of the survivors from the battle succeeded in retaking her. She was towed towards a friendly port but, already badly damaged in the battle, was caught up in the powerful storm that struck the area and ran aground. Her crew were evacuated, and ''Neptuno'' broke up in the heavy seas. ==Construction and commissioning== ''Neptuno'' was built at the Royal Dockyard at Ferrol as one of the ''Montañes''-class of 74- and 80-gun ships of the line, a design developed by Romero Landa and based on his earlier ''San Ildefonso class'' of 1785. Among her sisters were the ''Argonauta'' and ''Monarca'', both of which fought alongside ''Neptuno'' at Trafalgar.〔 She carried twenty-eight 24-pounder guns on her lower gundeck, thirty 18-pounders on her upper deck, fourteen 8-pounders on her quarter deck and four 8-pounders on her forecastle.〔 By 1805 she had been fitted with four 18 pounder carronades on her poop, while the 18 pounders on her upper deck had been replaced by 24 pounders.〔 Overall work on the ships of the ''Montañes'' class was overseen by Julién de Retamosa, and ''Neptuno'' was launched at Ferrol in 1795.〔 There then followed a period of fitting out and carrying out sea trials during 1796, after which she was assigned to the Spanish Mediterranean fleet at Cartagena under Admiral José de Córdoba y Ramos.〔 Shortly afterwards Spain allied with Republican France and entered the French Revolutionary Wars against Britain and her allies. The Spanish Navy was assigned to support the planned invasion of Britain.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Spanish ship Neptuno (1795)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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