French corvette Etna (1795)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
|
|
| Name: | Etna |
| Builder: | André-François and Joseph-Augustin Normand, Honfleur |
| Laid down: | June 1794 |
| Launched: | April 1795 |
| Captured: | November 1796 |
 UK
|
|
| Name: | HMS Aetna |
| Acquired: | November 1796 by capture |
| Renamed: | HMS Cormorant in 1797 |
| Fate: | Wrecked May 1800 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 564 40⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: | 119 ft 4 in (36.37 m) (overall); 98 ft 2 1⁄2 in (29.934 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 32 ft 10 1⁄2 in (10.020 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 14 ft 9 1⁄2 in (4.509 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Complement: | 155 (British establishment) |
| Armament: |
|
Etna was a French naval Etna-class ship-sloop launched in 1795 that the Royal Navy captured in November 1796. She was taken into service as HMS Aetna and renamed to HMS Cormorant the next year. She captured several merchant vessels and privateers before she was wrecked in 1800 off the coast of Egypt.
Etna's first commander was lieutenant de vaisseau Coudre Lacoudrais. By the time of her capture off Barfleur, he had received a promotion to capitaine de frégate.
In the night of 13 to 14 November 1796, Etna departed Le Havre, and was chased in the morning by HMS Melampus and Childers, which she tried to distance. Melampus came within range around 15:30 Etna resisted for two hours before striking her colours as Childers joined the battle.
The London Gazette reported that on 13 November HMS Melampus and HMS Minerva drove a French navy corvette ashore near Barfleur. However the British were not able to get close enough to assure her destruction. Then Melampus and Childers captured another corvette, which was the Etna. Etna was armed with eighteen 12-pounder guns and had a crew of 137 men under the command of Citizen Joseph La Coudrais. The prisoners stated that both corvettes were carrying military and naval stores and that the corvette that had run ashore was the Etonnant. Both were new ships on their first cruise.
Captain Coudre Lacoudrais was found innocent of the loss of his ship by the court-martial.
Etna arrived in Portsmouth in November and the Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Aetna. However, she then underwent fitting out until 25 July 1797. At some point she was renamed HMS Cormorant and was classed as a post ship.
Captain John Clarke Searle commissioned Cormorant in May 1797. On 14 November she recaptured the George.
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Wikipedia