Spanish frigate El Gamo
Encyclopedia
The Spanish ship El Gamo was a 32-gun xebec
-frigate
of the Spanish Navy
involved in action with, and subsequently captured by Lord Cochrane
on 6 May 1801. The skirmish is notable for the large disparity between the size and firepower of the El Gamo and her opponent, the British sloop
HMS Speedy; the former was around four times the size, had much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of HMS Speedy, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time of the engagement.
After her capture, the El Gamo was sold to the ruler of Algiers
as a merchantman
.
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...
-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"...
of the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
involved in action with, and subsequently captured by Lord Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
on 6 May 1801. The skirmish is notable for the large disparity between the size and firepower of the El Gamo and her opponent, the British sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
HMS Speedy; the former was around four times the size, had much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of HMS Speedy, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time of the engagement.
After her capture, the El Gamo was sold to the ruler of Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
as a merchantman
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
.