British Fifth Rate frigate 'Arethusa' (1781)

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Arethusa	3105
Nominal Guns	38	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	12.2.1779	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	23.8.1779	BWAS-1714
Launched	10.4.1781	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Bristol - England	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Minerva Class	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Edward HuntBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1731-1740	BWAS-1714
Constructor	James Martin HillhouseBritish Designer Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	5.1814	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck141' 1 ½"Imperial Feet42.9895
Length of Keel116' 10 ⅝"Imperial Feet35.3727
Breadth39' 0 ½"Imperial Feet11.8999
Depth in Hold13' 9 ½"Imperial Feet3.9751
Burthen947 ⁶³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.4.1781Broadside Weight = 390.5 Imperial Pound ( 177.0921 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck6 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck8 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
6.11.1778270Design Complement

10 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
28.3.1781 - 25.3.1783Captain ADM 6/22/268BWAS-171410.5.1790 - 28.2.1793Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/26BWAS-17146.9.1793 - 21.12.1793Captain ADM 6/24/266BWAS-171421.12.1793 - 4.1795Captain ADM 6/24/292BWAS-17144.1795 - 3.1796Captainref:7193.1796 - 8.1801CaptainBWAS-17148.1801 - 1802CaptainBWAS-17144.1805 - 9.1808CaptainBWAS-17149.1808 - 1811CaptainBWAS-17141811 - 1813CaptainBWAS-1714

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
17.11.1797 - 29.4.1799LieutenantNBD18491799LieutenantTNC1806First LieutenantDAR-1837

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
5.1805 - 10.1807MidshipmanNBD18497.1805 - 1806Master's MateNBD18491806 - 10.1808MidshipmanNL18659.1808 - 20.3.1809MidshipmanNBD184911.1809 - 1811MidshipmanNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
27.9.1805 - 18061st Class VolunteerNL1865

Service History

DateEventSource
10.4.1781building at Bristol - England at a cost of £12178.1.2dBWAS-1714
10.1781Began refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
11.1781Completed refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £5368.4.9dBWAS-1714
12.12.17812nd Battle of Ushant
17.12.1781

Arrived at Spithead

BG
14.1.1782Took the Unrated BG
17.2.1782Took the Brig BWAS-1714
24.2.1782Took the Cutter BWAS-1714
17.4.1782Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
20.8.1782Took the Corvette after a chase of 25 hoursBG
25.3.1783

Paid off at Portsmouth

BWAS-1714
5.1790RecommissionedBWAS-1714
6.1790Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
8.1790Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £5034.0.0dBWAS-1714
6.1792Began great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1793RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1794Completed great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £21978.0.0dBWAS-1714
23.4.1794Action of 1794-04-23
23.4.1794Took the Corvette
23.8.1794Destruction of the Volontaire
21.10.1794Capture of the Révolutionnaire
21.10.1794Took the Frigate
9.2.1796Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
2.1797At TrinidadBWAS-1714
20.8.1797Took the Corvette BG
1.4.1800Took the Cutter BG
12.4.1801Took the Lugger BG
27.7.1801Took the Ship at 43°03' N, 11°42' W, off Cape Ortegal MHVA
2.1805Began repairs at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
4.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1714
6.1805Completed repairs at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £14148.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.12.1805Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
1806Grounded on the ColoradosBWAS-1714
1.1.1807Present at the capture of CuracaoBWAS-1714
23.8.1808Took the Frigate off Havana
26.11.1808Took the Brig BG
5.4.1809Capture of the Niémen
17.3.1810Took the Schooner BG
21.11.1811Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
5.1814Broken up at SheernessBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:719 Family History

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

DAR-1837 Digital Book

NL1865The Admiralty, Digital Book

BGOfficial, Web Site

MHVALars Bruzelius, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Friday 13th of January 2017 19:50

Circa Feb 1800 Lieut. Norman, late of the Cormorant, is appointed to the Arethusa38.

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