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LIVERPOOL
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(50) |
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Built in 1814, Blackpool.
Sold in 1822. |
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- Capt. Arthur FARQUHAR, 05/1814.
He continued in command, mainly on the Cape station, until April 1816. - 1818 Capt. Francis Augustus COLLIER, 02/1818, fitting out for the East Indies station.
At Bombay Rear Ad. KING placed Capt. COLLIER in charge of the naval part of an expedition against the pirates in the Persian Gulf; the first since Capt. WAINWRIGHT in CHIFFONNE in November 1809 His force included EDEN (20) the sloop CURLEW, several of the Hon. Company's cruisers and number of gun and mortar boats.
On passage they were joined by several vessels belonging to the Imam of Muscat.
Major Gen. Sir William Keir commanded 3,000 troops in transports. - Early on the morning of 4 December 1819 the troops began landing two miles S. W. of Ras-al-Khyma under cover of an armed pinnace and the gunboats commanded of Capt. WALPOLE of CURLEW.
Capt. LOCH of EDEN acted as beach-master.
The town stood on a sandy peninsula defended by a battery and the sea wall was fortified with single guns at intervals along its one and a quarter mile length.
The basin beyond the bar was full of shipping. - The first line of trenches was made using sandbags and an advanced battery established some 300 yards from the walls.
On the 5th. a heavy bombardment was launched with LIVERPOOL, EDEN, CURLEW and the gunboats joining in.
The fire continued on the 6th. but it became obvious that the 12 and 18-pounders were only making a slight impression, so two 24-pounders were landed from LIVERPOOL and dragged a long way through deep sand to form a breaching battery.
A party of seamen and marines to work the guns joined those already on shore under the command of Lieut. John Norman CAMPBELL of LIVERPOOL.
The seamen in the front line were remaining in the trenches for up to 24 hours without rest while the troops were relieved every four hours and this caused a certain amount of grumbling. - The 28-pounders opened up on the 8th. with an immediate effect on the walls and towers.
The bombardment was continued the following day and when the troops, together with 100 seamen, launched an assault they found the place deserted, the enemy having fled to the hills.
The sailors immediately began rounding up the bullocks and goats which had been abandoned and taking them down to the beach for embarkation. - Parties were set to work destroying the fortifications and the the guns and burning or sinking the vessels in the harbour.
- The town of Raumps surrendered on the 18th. but a fort on a hill called Zaire still held out.
Once more the seamen were called on to drag their two 24-pounders over more than two miles of rough and swampy ground.
A heavy bombardment from these soon resulted in capitulation.
Hassan Ben Ali, the most cruel of all the pirates, a handsome man of 36, was taken on board one of the transports. - LIVERPOOL was bought by a Persian prince at Bombay in 1822 to protect the trade against further pirate attacks.
Her captain, officers and crew transferred to the GANGES, a newly built vessel, and brought her home to Spithead on 6 October 1822
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