HMS Topaze (1793)
Encyclopedia
HMS Topaze was a Royal Navy
32-gun frigate
, originally built in 1791 as a French Magicienne class frigate
. In 1793 she was captured by Lord Hood
's fleet off Toulon
and taken into British service under the same name.
from Cape Henry
when they spotted three strange vessels. was the closest to them and signaled that they were enemy frigates. The British were not able to set out in pursuit until midday. Topaze was the first to catch the breeze and outdistanced her companions. She caught up with the laggard after about five and half hours. The French vessel fired a broadside and then surrendered. and Bermuda then took possession of the prize and accompanied her to Halifax
while the rest of the squadron pursued, unsuccessfully, the other two French frigates. When Assistance took possession the French vessel she turned out to be the Elizabeth, of twenty-four 12-pounder and twelve 8-pounder (or 9-pounder) guns, and with a crew of 297 men. The Royal Navy did not purchase Elizabeth. She was an Indiaman, i.e., a merchant vessel, that the French government had bought and apparently was "an indifferent sailer".
In 1800 Topaze captured a few small prizes, one of them being the galliot Louisa, which came into Plymouth on 30 May. Topaze and sailed for the West Indies on 13 February 1801 as escorts to a large convoy. Church died in August in the West Indies, of a fever. In 1802 she was under the command of Captain Robert Honeyman who sailed her on the Irish station.
On 25 September 1804, Topaze encountered and captured the French letter of marque
ship Minerve, of Bordeaux, which was sailing to Martinique. She was pierced for 18 guns, but carried only fourteen 9-pounders, and had a crew of 111 men.
Then some six months later, on 13 February 1805, Topaze captured and brought into Cork the ketch-rigged General Augereau, of Bayonne. General Augereau was armed with fourteen 12-pounder carronades, and had a crew of 88 men. She had been cruising 47 days but had taken no prizes. Apparently General Augereau was notorious for her past success, and particularly the capture of the West Indiaman, William Heathcote.
On 7 May 1805, Lake and Topaze captured the Spanish privateer Napoleon, of St. Sebastian. Napoleon was pierced for 20 cannon but was armed with ten 9-pounder guns and four 18-pounder carronades; she had a crew of 108 men. She was out of Bordeaux in the 57th day of her first cruise during which she had captured the letter of marque
Westmoreland, of Liverpool, after a sharp action, and the brig Brunswick, which had been sailing from Honduras.
Then on 20 May, Topaze captured the Spanish privateer brig Fenix, also of St. Sebastian. Fenix armed with 14 guns and had a crew of 85 men. She was ten days out of Vigo and had taken no prizes.
In 1808, Topaze sailed to the Mediterranean and in 1809 she joined the forces operating in the Adriatic campaign of 1807-1814. On 31 May, off Demata, Albania
, her boats attacked a French coastal convoy under the fortress of St. Maura. The boats captured:
Her boats destroyed four vessels whose names were unknown:
All the vessels, except Joubert, were carrying government-owned cargoes of timber and brandy for Corfu. The boat action took place under heavy fire with the result that Topaze lost one man killed and one man wounded.
In 1809, Captain Henry Hope took command of Topaze and operated off the coast of Spain
. On October 1809, a squadron under Rear Admiral George Martin
, of Collingwood's fleet, chased an enemy convoy off the south of France. They succeeded in driving two of the three escorting ships of the line, Robuste
and Lion
, ashore near Frontignan
, where their crews burnt them after dismantling them and stripping them of all useable material. The crews of the third ship of the line, Borée, and the frigate Pauline escaped into Sète
.
The transports that had been part of the convoy, including the armed storeship Lamproie, of 18 guns, two bombards (Victoire and Grondeur), and the xebec
Normande, sailed into the Bay of Rosas where they hoped that the castle of Rosas, Fort Trinidad and several shore batteries would protect them. On 30 October Tigre, Cumberland
, Volontaire
, Apollo
, Topaz, Philomel, Tuscan and sent in their boats. By the following morning the British had accounted for all eleven vessels in the bay, burning those they did not bring out. Some of the British boats took heavy casualties; Topaze lost four men killed and eight men wounded. On January 1813 prize money was awarded to the British vessels that took part in the action for the capture of the ships of war Grondeur and Normande, and of the transports Dragon and Indien. A court declared a joint captor. Head money was also paid for the Grondeur and Normande and for the destruction of Lemproye and Victoire.
On 21 June 1810, the boats of and Topaze captured two vessels in the bay of Martino in Corsica.This may be San-Martino-di-Lota, near Bastia. A landing party captured a battery of three guns that protected the entrance to the bay. They were able to capture and render the guns unserviceable, and kill or wound a number of the garrison. The British lost one man killed and two wounded in the action. On 24 August Topaze captured the Centinelle. Topaze was also involved in the Battle of Fuengirola
in October 1810.
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...
32-gun frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, originally built in 1791 as a French Magicienne class frigate
Magicienne class frigate
The Magicienne class was a type of twelve 32-gun frigates of the French Navy. They were designed by Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb.* MagicienneThe Magicienne class was a type of twelve 32-gun frigates of the French Navy...
. In 1793 she was captured by Lord Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
's fleet off Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
and taken into British service under the same name.
French Revolutionary Wars
In August 1795, Topaze was commissioned under the command of Captain Stephen George Church. She sailed for Halifax in March 1796. On the morning of 28 August Topaze was part of a British squadron that was sitting becalmed about four leaguesLeague (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...
from Cape Henry
Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia north of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Charles...
when they spotted three strange vessels. was the closest to them and signaled that they were enemy frigates. The British were not able to set out in pursuit until midday. Topaze was the first to catch the breeze and outdistanced her companions. She caught up with the laggard after about five and half hours. The French vessel fired a broadside and then surrendered. and Bermuda then took possession of the prize and accompanied her to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
while the rest of the squadron pursued, unsuccessfully, the other two French frigates. When Assistance took possession the French vessel she turned out to be the Elizabeth, of twenty-four 12-pounder and twelve 8-pounder (or 9-pounder) guns, and with a crew of 297 men. The Royal Navy did not purchase Elizabeth. She was an Indiaman, i.e., a merchant vessel, that the French government had bought and apparently was "an indifferent sailer".
In 1800 Topaze captured a few small prizes, one of them being the galliot Louisa, which came into Plymouth on 30 May. Topaze and sailed for the West Indies on 13 February 1801 as escorts to a large convoy. Church died in August in the West Indies, of a fever. In 1802 she was under the command of Captain Robert Honeyman who sailed her on the Irish station.
Napoleonic Wars
In April 1803 Topaze was commissioned under Captain Willoughby Lake. On 4 June the Providence came into Plymouth. Topaze had captured her while she was sailing from Charlestown to Ostend with a cargo of rice and cotton.On 25 September 1804, Topaze encountered and captured the French 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...
ship Minerve, of Bordeaux, which was sailing to Martinique. She was pierced for 18 guns, but carried only fourteen 9-pounders, and had a crew of 111 men.
Then some six months later, on 13 February 1805, Topaze captured and brought into Cork the ketch-rigged General Augereau, of Bayonne. General Augereau was armed with fourteen 12-pounder carronades, and had a crew of 88 men. She had been cruising 47 days but had taken no prizes. Apparently General Augereau was notorious for her past success, and particularly the capture of the West Indiaman, William Heathcote.
On 7 May 1805, Lake and Topaze captured the Spanish privateer Napoleon, of St. Sebastian. Napoleon was pierced for 20 cannon but was armed with ten 9-pounder guns and four 18-pounder carronades; she had a crew of 108 men. She was out of Bordeaux in the 57th day of her first cruise during which she had captured the 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...
Westmoreland, of Liverpool, after a sharp action, and the brig Brunswick, which had been sailing from Honduras.
Then on 20 May, Topaze captured the Spanish privateer brig Fenix, also of St. Sebastian. Fenix armed with 14 guns and had a crew of 85 men. She was ten days out of Vigo and had taken no prizes.
In 1808, Topaze sailed to the Mediterranean and in 1809 she joined the forces operating in the Adriatic campaign of 1807-1814. On 31 May, off Demata, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, her boats attacked a French coastal convoy under the fortress of St. Maura. The boats captured:
- xebecXebecA xebec , also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. It would have a long overhanging bowsprit and protruding mizzen mast...
Joubert, armed with eight guns and six swivel gunsSwivel gunThe 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...
, with a crew of 55 men under the command of Enseigne de Vaisseau Martin; - Cutter Menteur, of four guns and 20 men, under the command of Enseigne de Vaisseau P. Gabriel;
- felucca Esperance, of three guns and 18 men;
- balancelles San Juan, of 18 tons; and
- trabaccoloTrabaccoloThe Trabaccoló, Trabaccalo, or Trabakul, is a type of Adriatic Sea sailing coaster. The name comes from the word trabacca, which means tent, which in turn recalls the vessel's sails. The trabaccoló was a typical Venetian boat-form that dates back to the first half of the 15th Century, and which...
San Nicolai, of 14 tons.
Her boats destroyed four vessels whose names were unknown:
- gun-boat, of one gun and 16 men;
- gun-boat, of one gun and 15 men;
- trabaccolo, of 29 tons; and
- trabaccolo, of 30 tons.
All the vessels, except Joubert, were carrying government-owned cargoes of timber and brandy for Corfu. The boat action took place under heavy fire with the result that Topaze lost one man killed and one man wounded.
In 1809, Captain Henry Hope took command of Topaze and operated off the coast of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. On October 1809, a squadron under Rear Admiral George Martin
George Martin (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Martin GCB, GCMG was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars...
, of Collingwood's fleet, chased an enemy convoy off the south of France. They succeeded in driving two of the three escorting ships of the line, Robuste
French ship Robuste (1806)
The Robuste was an 80-gun Bucentaure-class 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, designed by Jacques-Noël Sané.She was commissioned under Captain Louis-Antoine-Cyprien Infernet, and was later captained by Julien Cosmao....
and Lion
French ship Lion (1803)
The Lion was a Téméraire-class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805 under Captain Eleonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil....
, ashore near Frontignan
Frontignan
Frontignan la Peyrade is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.Frontignan is renowned for its AOC wine, the Muscat de Frontignan, a sweet wine made solely from the Muscat grape variety.-Sights:...
, where their crews burnt them after dismantling them and stripping them of all useable material. The crews of the third ship of the line, Borée, and the frigate Pauline escaped into Sète
Sète
Sète is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are called Sétois....
.
The transports that had been part of the convoy, including the armed storeship Lamproie, of 18 guns, two bombards (Victoire and Grondeur), and the xebec
Xebec
A xebec , also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. It would have a long overhanging bowsprit and protruding mizzen mast...
Normande, sailed into the Bay of Rosas where they hoped that the castle of Rosas, Fort Trinidad and several shore batteries would protect them. On 30 October Tigre, Cumberland
HMS Cumberland (1807)
HMS Cumberland was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 19 August 1807 at Northfleet.She was converted to serve as a prison ship in 1830. She was renamed Fortitude in 1833....
, Volontaire
French frigate Volontaire (1796)
The Volontaire was a 44-gun Virginie class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806, and was captured by HMS Diadem in March 1806. She was brought into Royal Navy service as HMS Volontaire....
, Apollo
HMS Apollo
Nine ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Apollo, after the Greek god Apollo: was 20-gun storeship captured from the French in 1747 and wrecked in 1749 off Madras....
, Topaz, Philomel, Tuscan and sent in their boats. By the following morning the British had accounted for all eleven vessels in the bay, burning those they did not bring out. Some of the British boats took heavy casualties; Topaze lost four men killed and eight men wounded. On January 1813 prize money was awarded to the British vessels that took part in the action for the capture of the ships of war Grondeur and Normande, and of the transports Dragon and Indien. A court declared a joint captor. Head money was also paid for the Grondeur and Normande and for the destruction of Lemproye and Victoire.
On 21 June 1810, the boats of and Topaze captured two vessels in the bay of Martino in Corsica.This may be San-Martino-di-Lota, near Bastia. A landing party captured a battery of three guns that protected the entrance to the bay. They were able to capture and render the guns unserviceable, and kill or wound a number of the garrison. The British lost one man killed and two wounded in the action. On 24 August Topaze captured the Centinelle. Topaze was also involved in the Battle of Fuengirola
Battle of Fuengirola
At the Battle of Fuengirola a small Polish garrison of a mediæval Moorish fortress in Fuengirola held off a much larger Anglo-Spanish expeditionary corps under Lord Blayney.- Background:...
in October 1810.