HMS Egeria (1807)
Encyclopedia
The first HMS Egeria was a Royal Navy
26-gun Cormorant-class
ship-sloop launched at Bridport
in 1807. During the Gunboat War
she captured three privateers and several merchant vessels. After the Napoleonic Wars she continued on active service until 1825, after which she served as a receiving or accommodation ship. She was eventually broken up in 1865.
as 16-gun ship-sloops. The first batch, ordered in 1793 was armed with 6-pounder long guns, but Egeria was one of the second batch, ordered in 1805, and carried 32-pounder carronades instead. She was rated as an 18-gun at first, but was later re-rated as a 26-gun sixth rate. Under the rating system of the day
her number of guns could be largely nominal (in this case the number of long guns she would have carried had she been so-armed); the re-rating in February 1817 included her carronades in the total and did not involve any actual change to her armament.
On 21 December 1808, Egeria captured the French 10-gun vessel Noesois, Giermund Holm, Master, off The Skaw and after a two-hour chase. She had a complement of 36 men, but had only 26 on board. She was one day out of Fredriksvern, without having taken anything.
On 2 March 1809 Egeria captured the Danish 6-gun cutter Aalborg, after the packet ship
Lord Nelson had already engaged her. Aalborg had a crew of 25 men and was bound to Norway with army clothing. On the same day Egeria also captured the Frederica, Emanuel, Isabella, and Margaretta. On 24 July Egeria captured the Danish vessel Jagten Nicolini (or Jagten Nicolene). On 9 August Egeria recaptured the American ship Pompey.
Six months later, on 5 February 1810, Egeria captured the Danish cargo vessels Rodefiord, Til Fredjchead, and Sechs Wenner. On 23 October Egeria recaptured the Swedish brig Hoffnung.
On 12 March 1811, Clio, with Egeria in company, captured the Danish brig Krabbes Minde.
On 28 November 1811, Egeria captured the Christiansand. Then two days later, Egeria left Leith
to search for vessels from an inbound Baltic convoy. Early the following day, about 70 miles off St Abb's Head
, she engaged and captured the Danish privateer cutter Alvor, of 70 tons. Alvor was armed with 14 guns and had a crew of 38 men. She was 15 days out of North Bergen without having taken any prizes.
On 17 February 1812, Egeria captured the Danish ship Maria Bonaventura. Then a little over one month later, on 27 March, she captured the Caroline, the Falken and two vessels both named Einighed, while Plover was in sight.
Captain John Toup Nicolas was captain of Egeria from 5 January 1820 until 1823, at first at Newfoundland. There he served as a "naval surrogate" (judge), trying over 1000 cases. In May 1822 he returned to England. Egeria first formed part of the royal squadron that escorted the king on his visit to Scotland. She then served on anti-smuggling patrol.
On 3 and 4 October 1822, Egeria, under the command of John Toup Nicolas, picked up at sea some spirits, tea and tobacco. In June 1823 she received a reward for the recovery.
In November Nicholas commanded a small squadron on the Tyne where he subdued "a spirit of insubordination among the keelmen." He broke the strike by using the men of his squadron to man the keelboats and move the coal that had piled up out to the vessels that were waiting for it. Nicholas kept up the operation for six weeks. At one point Nicholas landed from his gig and seized six ringleaders who had been throwing stones and calling out insults. Eventually, he succeeded in talking with the strikers and agreed to take their complaints to the government himself if the grievances were justified. Shortly thereafter the strikers returned to work. The government, the merchants and the corporation of Newcastle all thanked him for this service.
Egeria was recommissioned in January 1823 under Captain Samuel Roberts, and she sailed for Newfoundland and the West Indies. She returned home and was paid off. Then, still under Roberts's command, she sailed for Barbados and Cartagena in January 1825. She returned home from Vera Cruz and Havana in July 1825.
and then at Plymouth in June 1826. The Admiralty lent her to the breakwater department at Plymouth on 16 December 1843. She then became an accommodation ship in December 1845 and police accommodation in April 1860. She was finally broken up in 1865.
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...
26-gun Cormorant-class
Cormorant class ship-sloop
The Cormorant class were built as a 16-gun class of ship-sloops for the Royal Navy, although an extra 2 guns were added soon after completion.-Design:...
ship-sloop launched at Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
in 1807. During the Gunboat War
Gunboat War
The Gunboat War was the naval conflict between Denmark–Norway and the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the conventional Royal Navy...
she captured three privateers and several merchant vessels. After the Napoleonic Wars she continued on active service until 1825, after which she served as a receiving or accommodation ship. She was eventually broken up in 1865.
Design
Sir William Rule and Sir John Henslow designed the Cormorant classCormorant class ship-sloop
The Cormorant class were built as a 16-gun class of ship-sloops for the Royal Navy, although an extra 2 guns were added soon after completion.-Design:...
as 16-gun ship-sloops. The first batch, ordered in 1793 was armed with 6-pounder long guns, but Egeria was one of the second batch, ordered in 1805, and carried 32-pounder carronades instead. She was rated as an 18-gun at first, but was later re-rated as a 26-gun sixth rate. Under the rating system of the day
Rating system of the Royal Navy
The rating system of the Royal Navy and its predecessors was used by the British Royal Navy between the beginning of the 17th century and the middle of the 19th century to categorise sailing warships, initially classing them according to their assigned complement of men, and later according to the...
her number of guns could be largely nominal (in this case the number of long guns she would have carried had she been so-armed); the re-rating in February 1817 included her carronades in the total and did not involve any actual change to her armament.
Service
In March 1808 Egeria was commissioned in Lieth, for the North Sea, and under Commander Fizowen Skinner. In May, Commander Lewis Hole replaced Skinner.On 21 December 1808, Egeria captured the French 10-gun vessel Noesois, Giermund Holm, Master, off The Skaw and after a two-hour chase. She had a complement of 36 men, but had only 26 on board. She was one day out of Fredriksvern, without having taken anything.
On 2 March 1809 Egeria captured the Danish 6-gun cutter Aalborg, after the packet ship
Packet ship
A "packet ship" was originally a vessel employed to carry post office mail packets to and from British embassies, colonies and outposts. In sea transport, a packet service is a regular, scheduled service, carrying freight and passengers...
Lord Nelson had already engaged her. Aalborg had a crew of 25 men and was bound to Norway with army clothing. On the same day Egeria also captured the Frederica, Emanuel, Isabella, and Margaretta. On 24 July Egeria captured the Danish vessel Jagten Nicolini (or Jagten Nicolene). On 9 August Egeria recaptured the American ship Pompey.
Six months later, on 5 February 1810, Egeria captured the Danish cargo vessels Rodefiord, Til Fredjchead, and Sechs Wenner. On 23 October Egeria recaptured the Swedish brig Hoffnung.
On 12 March 1811, Clio, with Egeria in company, captured the Danish brig Krabbes Minde.
On 28 November 1811, Egeria captured the Christiansand. Then two days later, Egeria left Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
to search for vessels from an inbound Baltic convoy. Early the following day, about 70 miles off St Abb's Head
St Abb's Head
St. Abb's Head is a rocky promontory at the village of St. Abbs, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, and a National Nature Reserve administered by the National Trust of Scotland...
, she engaged and captured the Danish privateer cutter Alvor, of 70 tons. Alvor was armed with 14 guns and had a crew of 38 men. She was 15 days out of North Bergen without having taken any prizes.
On 17 February 1812, Egeria captured the Danish ship Maria Bonaventura. Then a little over one month later, on 27 March, she captured the Caroline, the Falken and two vessels both named Einighed, while Plover was in sight.
Post-war
In December 1816 Captain Robert Rowley recommissioned her for the Newfoundland station. In November 1819 Captain Henry Shiffner took command until Egeria was paid off in January 1820.Captain John Toup Nicolas was captain of Egeria from 5 January 1820 until 1823, at first at Newfoundland. There he served as a "naval surrogate" (judge), trying over 1000 cases. In May 1822 he returned to England. Egeria first formed part of the royal squadron that escorted the king on his visit to Scotland. She then served on anti-smuggling patrol.
On 3 and 4 October 1822, Egeria, under the command of John Toup Nicolas, picked up at sea some spirits, tea and tobacco. In June 1823 she received a reward for the recovery.
In November Nicholas commanded a small squadron on the Tyne where he subdued "a spirit of insubordination among the keelmen." He broke the strike by using the men of his squadron to man the keelboats and move the coal that had piled up out to the vessels that were waiting for it. Nicholas kept up the operation for six weeks. At one point Nicholas landed from his gig and seized six ringleaders who had been throwing stones and calling out insults. Eventually, he succeeded in talking with the strikers and agreed to take their complaints to the government himself if the grievances were justified. Shortly thereafter the strikers returned to work. The government, the merchants and the corporation of Newcastle all thanked him for this service.
Egeria was recommissioned in January 1823 under Captain Samuel Roberts, and she sailed for Newfoundland and the West Indies. She returned home and was paid off. Then, still under Roberts's command, she sailed for Barbados and Cartagena in January 1825. She returned home from Vera Cruz and Havana in July 1825.
Fate
Egeria became a receiving ship at DevonportHMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
and then at Plymouth in June 1826. The Admiralty lent her to the breakwater department at Plymouth on 16 December 1843. She then became an accommodation ship in December 1845 and police accommodation in April 1860. She was finally broken up in 1865.