HMS Electra (1808)
Encyclopedia
HMS Electra was a 16-gun brig-sloop. She was built by the Enterprise Ethéart at (St Malo) as the French Curieux class brig Espiègle and launched in 1804. She was armed in 1807 at Saint Servan.
The British frigate Sybille
captured her on 16 August 1808. There was already an Espiegle in the Royal Navy
so the Navy took the vessel they had just captured into service as HMS Electra. Electra was sold in 1816.
on 15 August 1807 under the command of Lieutenant de vaisseau Maujouan and in the company of Diligente
and Sylphe
. The three ships were sailing across the Bay of Biscay en route to Martinique when they encountered Comet, under Captain Cuthbert Featherstone Daly, on 17 August 1808. Comet soon captured Sylphe but the other two escaped. The next day Captain Clotworthy Upton in Sybille captured Espiègle. Diligente, though, escaped.
s and two 6-pounder guns.
Electra was only commissioned in February 1812 under Commander William Gregory and spent most of her brief career escorting convoys to and from Newfoundland. She did make one capture.
On 7 July 1813 Electra captured a U.S. privateer near Newfoundland after a six-hour chase. She was the schooner Growler, pierced for 14 guns but carrying only one long 24-pounder gun and four 18-pounder guns. She had a crew of 60 men. Growler, under Captain N. Lindsey, had had a relatively successful cruise having taken the ship Arabella, a brig, the schooner Prince of Wales, and the brig Ann.
Commander Thomas Walbeoff Cecil took command in June 1814 but died of yellow fever in October in the West Indies. (On 28 April 1814, then Lieutenant Cecil of Argo
had killed Captain Hassard Stackpole, of Statira, in a duel. Earlier, Cecil had served under Stackpole in Tonnant, and the duel grew out of that experience.) Cecil died of yellow fever at Port Royal on 24 October 1814.
The British frigate Sybille
French frigate Sibylle (1792)
The Sibylle was an 38-gun Hébé class frigate of the French Navy. She was launched in 1791 at the dockyards in Toulon and placed in service in 1792...
captured her on 16 August 1808. There was already an Espiegle in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
so the Navy took the vessel they had just captured into service as HMS Electra. Electra was sold in 1816.
French service
She sailed from LorientLorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
on 15 August 1807 under the command of Lieutenant de vaisseau Maujouan and in the company of Diligente
French corvette Diligente (1801)
The Diligente was a 20-gun corvette of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. Built at Brest on private plans by Pierre Ozanne, she was particularly fast. The French Navy adopted the design and copied the plans as late as 1848. Originally armed with 6-pounder guns, she was later rearmed with...
and Sylphe
French corvette Sylphe (1804)
Sylphe was ar Abeille class 16-gun brig of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805 under commander Langlois, capturing the merchantman Brothers...
. The three ships were sailing across the Bay of Biscay en route to Martinique when they encountered Comet, under Captain Cuthbert Featherstone Daly, on 17 August 1808. Comet soon captured Sylphe but the other two escaped. The next day Captain Clotworthy Upton in Sybille captured Espiègle. Diligente, though, escaped.
British service
In British service she carried fourteen 24-pounder carronadeCarronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s and two 6-pounder guns.
Electra was only commissioned in February 1812 under Commander William Gregory and spent most of her brief career escorting convoys to and from Newfoundland. She did make one capture.
On 7 July 1813 Electra captured a U.S. privateer near Newfoundland after a six-hour chase. She was the schooner Growler, pierced for 14 guns but carrying only one long 24-pounder gun and four 18-pounder guns. She had a crew of 60 men. Growler, under Captain N. Lindsey, had had a relatively successful cruise having taken the ship Arabella, a brig, the schooner Prince of Wales, and the brig Ann.
Commander Thomas Walbeoff Cecil took command in June 1814 but died of yellow fever in October in the West Indies. (On 28 April 1814, then Lieutenant Cecil of Argo
HMS Argo (1781)
HMS Argo was a 44-gun fifth-rate Roebuck-class ship of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1781 from Howdon Dock. She was the largest vessel that had been launched on the River Tyne...
had killed Captain Hassard Stackpole, of Statira, in a duel. Earlier, Cecil had served under Stackpole in Tonnant, and the duel grew out of that experience.) Cecil died of yellow fever at Port Royal on 24 October 1814.
Fate
Cecil's replacement, Commander Richard Lewin, paid Electra off in 1815. On 17 June 1816 the Commissioners of the Navy offered her for sale at Deptford. She was sold there for ₤800 on 11 July 1816.External links
- Phillips, Michael: Ships of the Old Navy - HMS Electrahttp://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0821