The List of shipwrecks in the 1720s includes some ships sunk, wrecked or otherwise lost during the 1720s.
1720
In the British Empire, 1720 began on 25 March 25 rather than on 1 January. Thus, the day before "25 March 1720" O.S. (old style) was "24 March 1719" (O.S.). [Note 1] In most of continental Europe, the Gregorian calendar had already been adopted and the year began on 1 January 1720. In addition, the "old style" Julian Calendar was 13 days behind the "new style" Gregorian calendar, so the day recorded as 1 January 1719 "old style" in the British press is now considered 14 January 1720.
20-gun sixth rate launched in 1711 and wrecked in 1721. The ship struck a rock "half a musket shot" off Castle Cornet, Guernsey, Channel Islands, on 7 December 1721, and 21 hands were lost including the Captain Fuzzard. The loss was attributed to the "ignorance of the pilot". 94 of the ship's company were saved.[6] Amongst those rescued was the ship's surgeon, Mr Forkington, "who was laid up with the gout, but made shift to swim to a rock not far distant, and the cold baths that endangered his life, hath effectively cured his said distemper."[7] The pilot was tried and found guilty, and was sentenced to three years imprisonment and loss of pay.[8]
The East Indiaman ran aground at Cape Agulhas, Africa, at 04h00 at night through negligence of her skipper and officers. All evidence contradict allegation of deliberate beaching.[13]
The East Indiaman departed from Texel in the Netherlands on 27 September 1723 and reached the Cape of Good Hope on 2 January 1724 (20 December 1723 O.S.) On 18 January 1724 (dated as "5 January 1723" on the British calendar, she left for the Netherlands East Indies. No further trace, possibly wrecked on the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago.
During a voyage from the Dutch Republic to China, she went off course and wrecked in the night of 8-9 May 1726 at Ari Atoll, Maldives. The wreck was discovered in 1997 and after research her final voyage was reconstructed.[19]
The galleon caught fire, exploded and sank off Recife, Brazil, with the loss of all but seven of the approximately 700 people on board. She was on a voyage from Salvador to Portugal.[20]
Luxborough Galley.African slave trade: The ship was accidentally set on fire in the Atlantic Ocean and burnt down to the waterline with the eventual loss of all but eleven of her crew.
1728
A public house sign that depicts a ship believed to be sunk in UK waters, 1720s
There is a public house in Walmer, Kent, UK, called The Stag. The building dates from 1715 and, as an inn, it was tenanted from 1733 by Nathaniel Long, also a sailmaker. The Stag is believed to have sunk near Deal in 1728 'under ill-fated circumstances'. It is possible that Long had supplied the ship at some time.[citation needed]
^ Until 1752 in the British Empire, the year began on Lady Day (25 March) Thus 24 March 1720 was followed by 25 March 1721. 31 December 1721 was followed by 1 January 1721.
France
Royal Navy
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