HMS Suffolk (1765)

HMS Suffolk was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 February 1765 at Rotherhithe. She was designed by William Bateley, based on the principles of his earlier HMS Fame (1759), and was the only ship built to her draught.

On 4 May 1794 Captain Peter Rainier, with the Suffolk, a 64-gun ship, and four or five frigates, undertook to escort a convoy to India. In November arrived at Madras. In July, the Suffolk, now under Captain Robert Lambert, HMS Hobart, HMS Centurion and transports, sailed from Madras, joined en route by HMS Diomede, for Ceylon to take Trincomalee and other Dutch settlements on the island.

On 16 February 1796 Rear-admiral Peter Rainier arrived with a squadron, including the Suffolk, off Amboyna, Molucca islands and landed troops who were able to take possession without facing any resistance. Then on 7 March, the squadron arrived off Great-Banda, or Banda-Neira and again landed troops, this time taking possession after facing only a little resistance. The Admiral found in the Treasury at Amboyna, 81,112 Rixdollars, and in store 515,940 pounds (weight) of cloves; in the Treasury at Banda-Neira 66,675 Rix dollars, and 84,777 pounds of nutmeg, 19,587 pounds of mace, and merchandise and other stores. Estimates suggest that each of the captains in Rainier's squadron received £15,000 in prize money.

What is perhaps more interesting and of greater long-term significance is that on this voyage, Suffolk was taking part in an experiment under the auspices of the Sick and Hurt Board. At the instigation of Gilbert Blane, the Admiralty implemented a long-term trial of citrus fruit as a remedy for scurvy. Lemon juice was issued on board the Suffolk on her twenty-three week, non-stop voyage to India. The daily ration of two-thirds of an ounce mixed in grog contained just about the minimum daily intake of 10 mg vitamin C. There was no serious outbreak of scurvy. The following year the Admiralty adopted a general issue of lemon juice to the whole fleet.

At Colombo a serious mutiny broke out on Suffolk on 15 January 1798. However, it was suppressed.

Fate
Suffolk was broken up in 1803.