HMS Sapphire (1651)

History
Commonwealth of England
Name	Sapphire
Builder	Peter Pett I, Ratcliffe
Launched	1651
Commissioned	1651
Honours and; awards	Kentish Knock 1652; Dungeness 1652; Portland 1653; The Gabbard 1653; Scheveningen 1653;
Fate	Wrecked 30 May 1657
England
Name	Sapphire
Acquired	May 1660
Fate	Run ashore to evade capture on 31 March 1670
General characteristics
Class and type	38-gun Fourth-rate
Tons burthen	442+20⁄94 tons bm
Length	100 ft 0 in (30.5 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	28 ft 10 in (8.8 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft 5 in (4.4 m)
Sail plan	ship-rigged
Complement	140 in 1653; 160/130/90 in 1666;
Armament	38 guns in 1653; 40 guns under 1666 Establishment; 12 x culverins; 10 x demi-culverins; 14 x sakers; 4 x 3-pounder guns; 36/30 guns in 1670;

Sapphire was a 38-gun fourth-rate of the Commonwealth of England. After commissioning she was actively involved in the First Anglo-Dutch War participating in most major fleet actions. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War she was only in the first two engagements then spent her time in Irish Waters and the Mediterranean. She was run ashore due to a pending attack by suspected Algerian pirates on Sicily in March 1670.

Sapphire was the first named vessel in the English and Royal Navy.

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