Hired armed cutter Kent
Encyclopedia
The Royal Navy
employed two vessels described as the Hired armed
cutter Kent.
), and was armed with twelve 12-pounder carronade
s.
In 1799 Kent recaptured two colliers, the brig Autumn and the schooner Zephyr.
Between April and July 1799, Kent sailed in company with the 28 gun sloop and the 14-gun brig-sloop . Together, these three vessels captured a number of prizes. On 23 April they captured Blenie Rosetta. On 29 May they took Active and Providence. One month later, on 28 June, they captured five fishing boats. Then on 13 July they captured the Altona. Three days later they captured the Antony Wilhelm. Lastly, on 29 July, they captured the Nancy. (On 20 January 1803 prize money resulting from the capture of the Blenie Rosetta, Active, Providence, five fishing boats, Altona, Antony Wilhelm and Nancy was due for payment.) Kent, under Lieutenant William Lanyon, also captured the Vrouw Saakje on 17 June 1799.
On 27 November 1799, Kent captured the French lugger
privateer Quatre Freres (Four Brothers) five leagues
off the North Foreland. Four Brothers was under the command of Citizen Charles Desobier and carried four 4-pounders, swivel gun
s, small arms, and a crew of 24. She was one day out of Calais
and had yet to take any prizes. Lanyon sent her into Ramsgate
. Kent shared the capture with .
In July 1800, Kent, under Lieutenant Robert Baron Cooban, participated in the Raid on Dunkirk
that resulted in the cutting out of the French frigate Désirée
. During the action on 8 July, Kent, together with the gun-brig and the Hired armed cutter Ann
, engaged some French gunboats and prevented them from intervening. Biter had three officers and men wounded and each of the cutters suffered one man wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded all surviving claimants from the action the Naval General Service Medal with a clasp that acknowledged the capture of the Desiree.
On 9 March 1805, a Kent, under the command of Robert Hosier and of 121 tons burthen and 12 12-pounder cannon, received a Letter of Marque
.
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...
employed two vessels described as the Hired armed
Hired armed vessels
right|thumb|250px|Armed cutter, etching in the [[National Maritime Museum]], [[Greenwich]]During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels...
cutter Kent.
First Hired armed cutter Kent
The first Kent served the Royal Navy from 22 December 1798 until 19 October 1801 when she was returned to her owners. Kent had a burthen of 13113/94 tons (bmBuilder's Old Measurement
Builder's Old Measurement is the method of calculating the size or cargo capacity of a ship used in England from approximately 1720 to 1849. It estimated the tonnage of a ship based on length and maximum beam...
), and was armed with twelve 12-pounder carronade
Carronade
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.
In 1799 Kent recaptured two colliers, the brig Autumn and the schooner Zephyr.
Between April and July 1799, Kent sailed in company with the 28 gun sloop and the 14-gun brig-sloop . Together, these three vessels captured a number of prizes. On 23 April they captured Blenie Rosetta. On 29 May they took Active and Providence. One month later, on 28 June, they captured five fishing boats. Then on 13 July they captured the Altona. Three days later they captured the Antony Wilhelm. Lastly, on 29 July, they captured the Nancy. (On 20 January 1803 prize money resulting from the capture of the Blenie Rosetta, Active, Providence, five fishing boats, Altona, Antony Wilhelm and Nancy was due for payment.) Kent, under Lieutenant William Lanyon, also captured the Vrouw Saakje on 17 June 1799.
On 27 November 1799, Kent captured the French lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
privateer Quatre Freres (Four Brothers) five leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
off the North Foreland. Four Brothers was under the command of Citizen Charles Desobier and carried four 4-pounders, swivel gun
Swivel gun
The term swivel gun usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun with two barrels that rotated along their axes to allow the shooter to...
s, small arms, and a crew of 24. She was one day out of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
and had yet to take any prizes. Lanyon sent her into Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
. Kent shared the capture with .
In July 1800, Kent, under Lieutenant Robert Baron Cooban, participated in the Raid on Dunkirk
Raid on Dunkirk (1800)
The Raid on Dunkirk of 7 July 1800 was an attack by a British Royal Navy force on the well defended French anchorage of Dunkirk in the English Channel during the French Revolutionary Wars...
that resulted in the cutting out of the French frigate Désirée
French frigate Désirée (1796)
The Désirée was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She was captured in a Raid on Dunkirk by HMS Dart, under Patrick Campbell, on 8 July 1800.-References:...
. During the action on 8 July, Kent, together with the gun-brig and the Hired armed cutter Ann
Hired armed cutter Ann
The hired armed cutter Ann served the Royal Navy from 9 May 1795 to 19 October 1801 during the French Revolutionary Wars. She was of 104 91/94 tons burthen and carried twelve 3-pounder guns.-Service:...
, engaged some French gunboats and prevented them from intervening. Biter had three officers and men wounded and each of the cutters suffered one man wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded all surviving claimants from the action the Naval General Service Medal with a clasp that acknowledged the capture of the Desiree.
Second Hired armed cutter Kent
The second Kent served from 23 to 29 September 1804 when she was returned to her owners. She had a burthen of 121 tons (bm).On 9 March 1805, a Kent, under the command of Robert Hosier and of 121 tons burthen and 12 12-pounder cannon, received 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...
.