HMS Illustrious was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 7 July 1789 at Bucklers Hard under the direction of Henry Adams.

Illustrious was badly damaged in the engagement with the van of the French fleet.

Then the accidental firing of a lower deck gun damaged the ship so that she took on water.

[4] She attempted to anchor in Valence Bay (between Spezia and Leghorn) to ride out the bad weather that had descended upon her.

Her cables broke, however, and she struck on rocks and had to be abandoned.