British Fifth Rate frigate 'Hydra' (1797)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update Le Volontaire (4)
Update Pierre Joseph Regnier (d.1772)
Added Victor du Hamel de La Bothelière
Update La Terpsichore (30)
Update La Mignonne (16)
Update La Sauvage (32)
Update La Comète (30)
Added Chevalier Louis Le Moenne de Launay (Seigneur de la Chesnaye)
Update L'Hector (74)
Update Le Tonnant (84)
See more...

Hydra	4832
Nominal Guns	38	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	30.4.1795	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	11.1795	BWAS-1793
Named	15.10.1796	BWAS-1793
Launched	13.3.1797	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Gravesend - Kent	BWAS-1793
Constructor	William Cleverley	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Sold	13.1.1820	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck148' 2"Imperial Feet45.1104
Length of Keel123' 7 ⅜"Imperial Feet37.4999
Breadth39' 4"Imperial Feet11.8872
Depth in Hold12' 8"Imperial Feet3.6576
Burthen1,016 ²⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

4.1797Broadside Weight = 488 Imperial Pound ( 221.308 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
4.1797284 BWAS-1793

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1797 - 4.1801CaptainSir Francis Laforey (2^nd Baronet Laforey) (1767-1835)BWAS-17934.1801 - 1802Captain Charles Paget (1778-1839)BWAS-179312.1802 - 9.1810Captain George Mundy (1777-1861)BWAS-17937.1813 - 8.9.1815Commander Joseph Digby (1786-1860)BWAS-179311.1815 - 11.1817Commander Daniel RobertsBWAS-1793

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1803Lieutenant Francis M'Mahon TracyTRN59.7.1808 - 2.1810Lieutenant Maurice Frederick Fitzhardinge Berkeley (1788-1867)NBD1849

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
6.1797 - 6.1798Midshipman Edward BurtNBD18491798 - 4.1801Master's Mate Thomas Cull (d.1846)NBD184927.1.1799 - 1799Midshipman William Silvester Addington (1783-1863)NBD18491803Midshipman John BarclayTRN52.1810 - 1.1811Midshipman Algernon Percy (1792-1865)NBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
25.6.1797First cost, including fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £23012.0.0dBWAS-1793
1.5.1798Action of 1st May 1798
1.1799Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
4.1801Guardship at WeymouthBWAS-1793
1802Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
25.6.1803Took the Privateer La Phoebe (4) BG
7.1803Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
1.8.1803Capture of the Favori
1.8.1803Took the Lugger Le Favori (4) at Le Toquet
10.1805Blockade of CadizBWAS-1793
27.2.1806Took the Brig Le Furet (18)
12.4.1806Took the Unrated Argonauta (12)
6.8.1807Action of 1807/08/07
7.8.1807Took the Polacca Le Principe Eugenio (10) by boat at BeguBG
7.8.1807Took the Polacca La Bella Carolina (12) by boat at BeguBG
7.8.1807Took the Polacca Carmen del Rosario (4) by boat at BeguBG
7.1808refitting at UnknownBWAS-1793
11.1808Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
9.1810Paid off and laid up in Ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
5.1813Began fitting as a Troopship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
7.1813Recommissioned as a troop shipBWAS-1793
7.1813Refitted as a Unrated Troop Ship
9.1813Completed fitting as a Troopship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
11.1815Recommissioned for the West IndiesBWAS-1793
11.1817Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
13.1.1820Sold to Job Cockshot for £2,410BWAS-1793

Notes on Ship

Design basisBWAS-1793
Copied from the Melpomene, Coulomb designed French prize taken in 1794.

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

TRN5William Laid Clowes, Digital Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

BGOfficial, Web Site

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 4th of March 2021 15:09	paula	Richard Tyrrell (1691-1766)
Sunday 28th of February 2021 15:40	ulrich_hanke	Danish yacht 'Vildanden' (1789)
Sunday 28th of February 2021 10:49	Paul Walsh	British Fifth Rate ship 'Fellowship' (1643) (28)
Sunday 28th of February 2021 10:06	Cy	Philip Carteret (d.1748)
Sunday 28th of February 2021 06:20	Albert Parker	Philip Carteret (d.1748)

GDPR Statement