|
TOPAZE
|
(38) |
|
Taken by Ad. Lord HOOD in Mediterranean in December 1793.
Sold in 1814. |
|
|
- Capt. S. G. CHURCH, 01/1796.
During 1800 she operated out of Portsmouth on regular cruises in the Channel. She sailed on her first cruise of the year on 4 February and returned on 8 March.
During her next cruise from 19 April to 22 May she sent in one prize, the galliot LOUISA.
On 2 July she sailed with ENDYMION and CASTOR and returned on 6 October from the Downs after escorting there a convoy from Lisbon.
A Danish prize she had detained arrived in Portsmouth on 22 September. - 1801 Capt. Willoughby Thomas LAKE, West Indies.
- 1803 Ditto Portsmouth.
On 25 September 1804 TOPAZE fell in with the French letter of marque ship MINERVE bound from Bordeaux to Martinique and took her into Cork on 2 October. She had fourteen 9-pounders mounted, although pierced for eighteen, and a complement of 111 officers and men. - On 13 February 1805, some 250 miles south west of Ireland, TOPAZE captured the French privateer ketch-rigged dogger GENERAL AUGEREAU, mounting fourteen 12-pounder carronades and 88 men on board.
Although she was well known and had taken the WILLIAM HEATHCOTE, West Indiaman on a previous voyage, she had been out from Bayonne for 47 days on her present cruise without making any captures. - TOPAZE and VENUS arrived in Cork on 21 July 1805 with the French privateer brig HIRONDELLE (16), a prize to the latter.
- 1807 Capt. A. J. GRIFFITHS, Irish station.
- 1808 Ditto, Mediterranean.
On 31 May 1809 Capt. GRIFFITHS found nine enemy vessels at anchor in the road of Demata on the coast of Albania under the fortress of St. Maura.
They were behind a reef of rocks and the boats he sent to bring them out had to row, in daylight, along the outside of the reef under fire at half musket-shot range.
Four of the vessels were taken and five destroyed.
All save one were loaded with timber and brandy, cargoes which were much needed at Corfu.
A marine, George Worthington, was killed and a seaman, Henry JOHNSON, was slightly wounded. - The officers in the boats were the first lieutenant, Mr Charles HAMMOND; Mr G. GARSON, acting master; Lieuts. E. S. Mercer and William Halsted, royal marines, and H. P. TAYLOR and F. B. FENWICK, master's mates.
They were opposed by 17 guns, 6 swivels and 124 men in the five armed vessels.
Lieut. HAMMOND had earlier received a severe wound while capturing two enemy vessels and his right hand was virtually useless. - 1809 Capt. Henry HOPE, Mediterranean.
A convoy from Toulon taking supplies to French troops on the south eastern coast of Spain October 1809 was intercepted and, on the 23rd., the transports took refuge in the Bay of Rosas under the protection of an armed storeship, two bombards and a xebec. - The boats of the British squadron (TIGRE, CUMBERLAND, VOLONTAIRE, APOLLO, TOPAZE, PHILOMEL, SCOUT AND TUSCAN) under Capt. HALLOWELL went in after dark on 31 October and either burnt or brought off all the enemy vessels.
TOPAZE lost four seamen: James CALLAGHAN, Douglas CARMICHAEL, James M'DONALD and William MARCH.
Six seamen were wounded, one, Thomas WILSON, very severely, and two marines. - From 1812 TOPAZE was out of commission at Portsmouth.
|
|
|
