HMS Meteor (1803)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | Sarah Ann |
| Builder: | ?, Newcastle |
| Launched: | 1800 |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | HMS Meteor |
| Acquired: | October 1803 |
| Fate: | Sold on 28 May 1811 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | bomb vessel |
| Tons burthen: | 364 (bm) |
| Length: |
|
| Beam: | 29 ft (8.8 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 11 in (3.9 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Complement: | 67 |
| Armament: | 8 x 24-pounder carronades + 1 x 13" mortar + 1 x 10" mortar |
HMS Meteor was a bomb vessel of the Royal Navy. She was previously the merchant vessel Sarah Ann, which the Admiralty purchased in October 1803. She conducted bombardments at Havre de Grâce, the Dardanelles, and Rosas Bay, on the Catalan coast. She was sold in 1811.
Meteor was commissioned in December 1803 under Commander James Masters. In May 1804 Commander Joseph James replaced Masters. She then participated in the bombardments of Le Havre on 23 July 1804 as part of a squadron under Captain R. Dudley Oliver of Melpomene. At one point during the bombardment Meteor had to resupply two of her fellow bomb vessels, Explosion and Zebra with shells and powder. Over two days the bomb vessels conducted over four hours of bombardment, firing over 500 shells and carcasses into Le Havre and setting fires in the town.Meteor shared with the rest of the squadron in the prize money after Favourite captured the Shepherdess on 21 July, and after Explosion captured the Postilion on 31 July.
Next, and 1 August 1804, Meteor participated in a bombardment of Boulogne. She also participated is several actions off Boulogne.
On 13 April 1805, Meteor captured the Kniphausen ship Brant. On 30 May 1805, Meteor was in company with Entreprenant when they captured the Prussian sloop Omnibus.
In October Meteor come under the command of James Collins. On 15 November Meteor was in company with the gun-brig Speedwell when they captured the American brig Venus.
Collins sailed Meteor to the Mediterranean on 10 January 1807. There, Meteor was a member of Admiral Sir John Duckworth's Dardanelles expedition against the Turks. She had the misfortune to burst her 13-inch mortar while forcing a passage through the Dardanelles, and her 10-inch mortar on the way back. During the action on 3 March Meteor suffered eight men wounded, including one badly.
...
Wikipedia