Hired armed vessels
Encyclopedia
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy
made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels. These were generally smaller vessels, often cutters and luggers, that the Navy used for duties ranging from carrying despatches and passengers to convoy escort, particularly in British coastal waters, and reconnaissance.
The Navy Board
usually hired the vessel complete with master and crew rather than bareboat
. Contracts were for a specified time or on an open-ended monthly hire basis. During periods of peace, such as the period between the Treaty of Amiens
and the commencement of the Napoleonic Wars
, the Admiralty returned the vessels to their owners, only to rehire many on the outbreak of war.
The Admiralty provided a regular naval officer, usually a lieutenant for the small vessels, to be the commander. The civilian master then served as the sailing master. For purposes of prize money or salvage, hired armed vessels received the same treatment as naval vessels.
That said, Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
wrote that throughout his life he "discouraged any friend of mine from serving in a cutter or hired armed vessel." He felt that a good officer would be wasting his time in such vessels, while a bad officer should not be allowed to serve in them. Cutters and hired armed vessels generally did not receive the sort of opportunities that would allow a good officer to shine, or give him visibility to senior officers, while giving bad officers too much independence. The most suitable officers were good sailors with a common education.
Numbers and types
In 1801, the Royal Navy had some 130 hired armed vessels on its rolls. Of these, 12 were ship-rigged, 12 were brig-rigged, and most of the rest were cutters. All but eight served in home waters.
During the period roughly 1804 to 1807, the vessels were sometimes referred to as, for example, His Majesty's armed defence ship Indefatigable, which recaptured the Melcombe on 21 June 1804, or hired armed defence-ship Norfolk
.
Service records
Despite St Vincent's strictures, some of these vessels had military careers as distinguished as those of the Royal Navy's own vessels. For instance, between 1796 and 1801, the hired armed cutter Telemachus
captured eight privateers in the Channel. Furthermore, some vessels qualified for clasps to the Naval General Service Medal (1847). Noteworthy examples include:
In each of these cases, the clasp bore the vessel's own name.
Letters of marque
Some of these hired armed vessels also sailed under a letter of marque
, either before (e.g. the Duke of York
) or after (e.g., the Kitty
) their service with 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...
made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels. These were generally smaller vessels, often cutters and luggers, that the Navy used for duties ranging from carrying despatches and passengers to convoy escort, particularly in British coastal waters, and reconnaissance.
The Navy Board
Navy Board
The Navy Board is today the body responsible for the day-to-day running of the British Royal Navy. Its composition is identical to that of the Admiralty Board of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom, except that it does not include any of Her Majesty's Ministers.From 1546 to 1831, the Navy...
usually hired the vessel complete with master and crew rather than bareboat
Bareboat charter
A bareboat charter is an arrangement for the chartering or hiring of a ship or boat, whereby no crew or provisions are included as part of the agreement; instead, the people who rent the vessel from the owner are responsible for taking care of such things....
. Contracts were for a specified time or on an open-ended monthly hire basis. During periods of peace, such as the period between the Treaty of Amiens
Treaty of Amiens
The Treaty of Amiens temporarily ended hostilities between the French Republic and the United Kingdom during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was signed in the city of Amiens on 25 March 1802 , by Joseph Bonaparte and the Marquess Cornwallis as a "Definitive Treaty of Peace"...
and the commencement of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the Admiralty returned the vessels to their owners, only to rehire many on the outbreak of war.
The Admiralty provided a regular naval officer, usually a lieutenant for the small vessels, to be the commander. The civilian master then served as the sailing master. For purposes of prize money or salvage, hired armed vessels received the same treatment as naval vessels.
That said, Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
wrote that throughout his life he "discouraged any friend of mine from serving in a cutter or hired armed vessel." He felt that a good officer would be wasting his time in such vessels, while a bad officer should not be allowed to serve in them. Cutters and hired armed vessels generally did not receive the sort of opportunities that would allow a good officer to shine, or give him visibility to senior officers, while giving bad officers too much independence. The most suitable officers were good sailors with a common education.
Numbers and types
In 1801, the Royal Navy had some 130 hired armed vessels on its rolls. Of these, 12 were ship-rigged, 12 were brig-rigged, and most of the rest were cutters. All but eight served in home waters.
During the period roughly 1804 to 1807, the vessels were sometimes referred to as, for example, His Majesty's armed defence ship Indefatigable, which recaptured the Melcombe on 21 June 1804, or hired armed defence-ship Norfolk
Hired armed cutter Norfolk
The hired armed cutter Norfolk, of eight guns, served the Royal Navy from 1807 to 1812, during which time she captured a privateer. She was sometimes referred to as the "hired armed defence ship" Norfolk.-Service:...
.
Service records
Despite St Vincent's strictures, some of these vessels had military careers as distinguished as those of the Royal Navy's own vessels. For instance, between 1796 and 1801, the hired armed cutter Telemachus
Hired armed cutter Telemachus
The hired armed cutter Telemachus served the Royal Navy from 17 June 1795 until 15 January 1801. She was of 1285/95 tons burthen, and was armed with fourteen 4-pounder guns...
captured eight privateers in the Channel. Furthermore, some vessels qualified for clasps to the Naval General Service Medal (1847). Noteworthy examples include:
- Hired armed brig AnnHired armed brig AnnThere were two, and possibly three, hired armed brigs that shared the name Ann . The first participated in an engagement in 1807 that would earn her crew the Naval General Service Medal. She is sometimes referred to in sources as the hired armed cutter Ann or the hired armed brig Anne...
- Hired armed cutter CourierHired armed cutter CourierThe Hired armed cutter Courier appears twice in the records of the Royal Navy. The size and armament suggests that both contracts may represent the same vessel...
- HM hired brig Telegraph HM Hired Brig Telegraph (1798)HM hired brig Telegraph was built in 1798 and served on contract to the Royal Navy from 10 November. During the French Revolutionary Wars she took several prizes and was the victor in one notable ship action before she was lost at sea with all hands in 1801.-Telegraph vs Hirondelle:At daylight on...
In each of these cases, the clasp bore the vessel's own name.
Letters of marque
Some of these hired armed vessels also sailed under a letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
, either before (e.g. the Duke of York
Hired armed lugger Duke of York
The Hired armed lugger Duke of York served the Royal Navy from 14 October 1794 to 2 January 1799 when she foundered in the North Sea. She was of 57 44/94 tons burthen and was armed with eight 4-pounder guns....
) or after (e.g., the Kitty
Hired armed ship Kitty
The Hired armed ship Kitty served the Royal Navy only from 17 May 1804 to 17 January 1805. She was armed with sixteen 18-pounder carronades and was of 16671/94 tons burthen ....
) their service with the Royal Navy.
External source
- National Archives: ADM 359/24A/54 - An Account of the Number of Hired Armed Cutters, Ships, Vessels and Boats employed in the Public Service on the 31st December 1793, 1794,1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 30th September 1801, 31st December 1802, 1803 and 15th March 1804, with headings for vessels' names, the nature and force of guns and men, the time employed and when paid off.