British Sixth Rate ship 'Ariadne' (1776)

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Ariadne	3115
Nominal Guns	20	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	10.4.1775	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	5.1775	BWAS-1714
Named	15.5.1775	BWAS-1714
Launched	27.12.1776	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	20.12.1776	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Sphinx Class	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1765	BWAS-1714
Constructor	William PownallBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	7.8.1814	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck108' 0"Imperial Feet32.9184
Length of Keel89' 8"Imperial Feet27.1498
Breadth30' 1"Imperial Feet9.1694
Depth in Hold9' 8"Imperial Feet2.9464
Draught Forward7' 4"Imperial Feet2.2352
Draught Aft11' 8"Imperial Feet3.556
Burthen431 ⁶⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

27.12.1776Broadside Weight = 90 Imperial Pound ( 40.815 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder

1793Broadside Weight = 98 Imperial Pound ( 44.443 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 4-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 4-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1773140Design Complement
1793160 BWAS-1714
1794155 BWAS-1714

19 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
20.12.1776 - 6.11.1779Captain ADM 6/21/244BWAS-17146.11.1779 - 25.4.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/46BWAS-171425.4.1781 - 30.11.1781CaptainBWAS-171430.11.1781 - 23.12.1782Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/375BWAS-17144.1783 - 1784CaptainBWAS-17144.4.1783 - 10.4.1783Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/45ADM 6/2331.10.1783 - 1783Captain ADM 6/23/158ADM 6/231784 - 30.10.1787CaptainBWAS-171422.11.1790Captain ADM 6/24/88ADM 6/2425.1.1793 - 1.1794Captain ADM 6/24/197BWAS-171420.1.1794 - 8.1794CaptainBWAS-171411.8.1794 - 4.1795CaptainBWAS-171421.4.1795 - 3.1796CaptainBWAS-17143.1796 - 4.1797CaptainBWAS-17144.1797 - 1800CaptainBWAS-171428.7.1801 - 28.9.1802CaptainBWAS-171411.1803 - 1805CaptainBWAS-17141805 - 5.1806CaptainBWAS-17145.1806 - 23.2.1809CaptainBWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1787 - 30.10.1787CommodoreBWAS-1714

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
14.11.1803 - 27.9.1804LieutenantNBD1849

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
9.1801 - 3.9.1805MidshipmanNBD1849

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
28.8.1797 - 1798BoyNBD184912.12.1797 - 8.18001st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
5.1775Began building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
27.12.1776Completed building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £11179.4.4dBWAS-1714
27.12.1776Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
23.2.1777Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
27.3.1777Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
5.6.1777Took the Schooner
29.11.1777Took the Privateer
9.3.1778Took the Ship
14.12.1778Battle of St. Lucia
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
2.1780Began refitting at UnknownBWAS-1714
3.1780Completed refitting at a cost of £3418.18.3dBWAS-1714
30.4.1780Action of 30th April 1780
14.6.1780Took the Frigate in the North Sea
30.6.1782Took the Frigate
3.4.1783Paid offADM 34
21.12.1783Sailed for Nova ScotiaBWAS-1714
30.10.1787

Paid off

BWAS-1714
1792great repair at Northam - Devon at a cost of £12286.12.5dBWAS-1714
8.1792Began repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1792Completed repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4892.0.0dBWAS-1714
1793Refitted as a 24 gun Sixth Rate Ship
13.5.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
7.1795Nelson's squadron off GenoaBWAS-1714
13.7.1795Battle of Hyeres
8.1795Nelson's squadron off VadoBWAS-1714
3.1796In the North SeaBWAS-1714
5.1798At OstendBWAS-1714
28.9.1802Paid offBWAS-1714
10.1803Began fitting at UnknownBWAS-1714
12.1803Completed fittingBWAS-1714
17.7.1805Action off Calais
5.1806In the North SeaBWAS-1714
10.2.1807Took the Privateer
7.1.1808Took the Lugger BG
8.1.1808Took the Lugger off FlamboroughBG
4.10.1808Took the Privateer
24.2.1809

Paid off

ADM 35
2.1810Laid up at ChathamBWAS-1714
7.8.1814Sold at Chatham for £1,400BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
14.5.1798-20.5.1798	Raid on Ostend	Home Riggs PophamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1783-1820

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ADM 34 Document

BGOfficial, Web Site

ADM 35 Archive

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Tuesday 20th of February 2018 13:33

Circa 24 Dec 1803 last week a court martial was held on board the Ariadne, in Sheerness harbour, upon D Madden, a marine from the Hound, for drunkenness, disobedience, wounding the pilot, and attempting to strike a midshipman. The charges being in part approved he was sentenced to 250 lashes. J Clark, a private marine, for having prevaricated in his evidence was given 3 months in prison.

Posted by Brian Stephens on Thursday 24th of April 2014 21:18

The Edinburgh Magazine, and Literary Miscellany: 1778
Capt. Pringle of His Majesty's ship Ariadne, to Adm. Young, Carli?ls Bay, March 18, 1778
I have the honour to acquaint you, that, early in the morning of the 9th instant, I saw two sail to the eastward; whom I chased, having His Majesty's sloop Ceres in company. The two strangers at first showed a disposition to attack us, but, in consequence of the King's ships having brought the sternmost to close action about noon, the other made off. The ship in action, after having given to and received from the Ariadne and Ceres some broadsides, struck, and proved to be the rebel ship Alfred of 20 nine pounders and 180 men. Her consort was the Raleigh of 32 guns; whom with the utmost dispatch we made sail after, and chased from that time until ten o'clock next day. But finding that we did not come up with her, and that she was throwing everything over
board to lighten, we left off chase. The two rebel cruisers had been at Port Le Orient in France to fit out; and came here to cruise for the English and Irish convoys having take the coast of Guinea in their way. They had taken no vessels since theri leaving France.

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