eller ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s . ▁Under ▁a ▁crash ▁programme ▁announced ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁to ▁provide ▁the ▁n avy ▁with ▁a ▁steam - dri ven ▁battle f le et , ▁the ▁design ▁was ▁further ▁modified ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁Survey or , ▁Captain ▁Bald win ▁Walker . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁cut ▁apart ▁in ▁two ▁places ▁on ▁the ▁stock s ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁length ened ▁by ▁ 3 0   fe et ▁( 9 . 1   m ) ▁overall ▁and ▁given ▁sc rew ▁prop ulsion . ▁She ▁received ▁the ▁ 7 8 0   hp ▁engines ▁designed ▁and ▁built ▁by ▁Robert ▁Nap ier ▁and ▁S ons ▁for ▁the ▁iron ▁fr ig ate ▁Sim oon , ▁which ▁had ▁surrender ed ▁them ▁on ▁conversion ▁to ▁a ▁tro op ship . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁On ▁that ▁day ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁Well ington ▁died , ▁and ▁she ▁was ▁subsequently ▁re - named ▁in ▁his ▁honour ▁and ▁provided ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁figure head ▁in ▁the ▁image ▁of ▁the ▁du ke . ▁ ▁Service ▁history ▁When ▁completed ▁on ▁ 4 ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁HMS ▁Duke ▁of ▁Well ington ▁was , ▁on ▁paper ▁at ▁least , ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁war ship ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁( and ▁would ▁remain ▁so ▁until ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Bret agne ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ) ▁and ▁the ▁largest ▁yet ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁Royal