Neptune-class ship of the line

The Neptune class consisted of three 98-gun, second rate ships of the line built for the Royal Navy (RN) during the 1790s. The ships often served as admirals' flagships during their careers. Completed during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1797, Neptune was the first of the class to enter service when she played a small role in suppressing the Nore mutiny that same year. Together with her sister ships Temeraire and Dreadnought, Neptune spent the time from her completion to 1805 assigned to the Channel Fleet on blockade duty, aside from a brief interregnum during the Peace of Amiens of 1802–1803.

All three of the ships took part in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Temeraire was badly damaged during the battle, but captured two French ships of the line. Neptune only captured one ship, but she was the largest and most powerful warship in the world, the 136-gun Santísima Trinidad. Dreadnought took the least damage of the sisters and captured a Spanish ship of the line during the battle. She remained on station off the Spanish coast after the battle, while her sisters returned to England for repairs. Dreadnought followed home the following year.

The sisters spent much of 1806 and part of 1807 refitting. Dreadnought was the first one to return to service when she rejoined the Channel Fleet and spent the next few years on blockade duty. The ship was transferred to the Baltic Fleet in 1811 before returning home for a lengthy refit that lasted until 1814 after which she was placed in ordinary (reserve). Temeraire was next and was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet and remained there until the ship was transferred to the Baltic Fleet in 1809. She returned to the Mediterranean Fleet the following year. Temeraire was sent back to England in 1811 and was placed in ordinary upon her arrival. Neptune's refit was not completed until late 1807 and she was assigned to the Channel Fleet. She was transferred to the Leeward Islands in 1808 where she participated in the invasion of Martinique early the following year and the subsequent operations. The ship returned home in 1810 and was placed in ordinary upon her arrival.

Neptune and Temeraire were converted into prison hulks in 1812–1813. The former ship was broken up for scrap in 1818. Temeraire was converted into a receiving ship in 1820 and was sold for scrap in 1838. Dreadnought was converted into a lazaretto in 1825 and then into a hospital ship in 1831. The ship was broken up in 1857.