HMS Indus was an 80-gun two-deck second-rate

Second-rate

In the British Royal Navy, a second rate was a ship of the line which by the start of the 18th century mounted 90 to 98 guns on three gun decks; earlier 17th century second rates had fewer guns and were originally two-deckers or had only partially armed third gun decks. The term in no way implied...

 ship of the line

Ship of the line

A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, launched on 16 March 1839 at Portsmouth Dockyard.

The design of Indus was based upon the Danish

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 Christian VII, captured during the Second Battle of Copenhagen

Battle of Copenhagen (1807)

The Second Battle of Copenhagen was a British preemptive attack on Copenhagen, targeting the civilian population in order to seize the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in turn originate the term to Copenhagenize.-Background:Despite the defeat and loss of many ships in the first Battle of Copenhagen in...

. She was originally ordered in 1817 as a 74-gun ship, but the order was amended in 1820 to an 80-gunner.

She was attached to the Mediterranean fleet, and commanded by Captain Houston Stewart

Houston Stewart

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart GCB was a Royal Navy officer and briefly a Liberal Party Member of Parliament .-Naval career:...

 until 30 October 1840, when Captain James Stirling

James Stirling (Australian governor)

Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...

 took over as captain, serving until June 1844. Captain John Charles Dalrymple Hay

John Charles Dalrymple Hay

Admiral Sir John Charles Dalrymple-Hay, 3rd Baronet GCB was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He succeeded to the Baronetcy on 19 March 1861 and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1874.-Naval career:...

 had her until 25 November 1856, during which time she served as Rear-Admiral Houston Stewart

Houston Stewart

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart GCB was a Royal Navy officer and briefly a Liberal Party Member of Parliament .-Naval career:...

's flagship, based at Devonport

HMNB Devonport

Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...

. Captain William King-Hall

William King-Hall

Admiral Sir William King-Hall KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.-Naval career:King-Hall joined the Royal Navy in 1829 and took part in operations off the coast of Syria in 1840...

 was her next commander, and she continued to server as Houston Stewart's flagship, now on the North American and West Indian stations.

In 1860 Indus was converted to serve as a guardship. She was sold out of the service in 1898.