HMS Sirius (1797)
The Sirius stranded on a coral shoal. Lithograph by A. Meyer (National Maritime Museum, London)
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Ordered: | 30 April 1795 |
| Builder: | John Dudman, Deptford |
| Laid down: | September 1795 |
| Launched: | 12 April 1797 |
| Honours and awards: |
|
| Fate: | Destroyed by fire (scuttled), 25 August 1810 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 1046 59⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: | 148 ft 10 in (45.36 m) (gundeck); 124 ft 0 1⁄8 in (37.798 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 39 ft 10 in (12.14 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 13 ft 3 in (4.04 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 247 officers and men |
| Armament: | |
HMS Sirius was a 36-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Between 1797 and 1805, the Sirius was engaged in maintaining the blockade of Napoleonic Europe. She was lost in 1810 when her crew scuttled her after she grounded during the Battle of Grand Port.
The Admiralty ordered her construction on 30 April 1795, and the keel was laid at the Dudman's yard at Deptford Wharf in September of that year. She was launched on 12 April 1797. The Sirius class of 1795 was established following the taking of the San Fiorenzo from the Spanish in 1794, upon whose lines this frigate was based.
Sirius was commissioned in May 1797 under the command of Captain Richard King. In her first action on 24 October 1798 Sirius took two Dutch ships, the Waakzaamheid and the Furie in the Texel.Waakzaamheid was under the command of Senior Captain Neirrop. She was armed with twenty-four 9-pounder guns on her main deck and two 6-pounders on her forecastle. She had 100 Dutch seamen aboard her, as well as 122 French troops, and was carrying 2000 stands of arms as well as other ordnance stores.Waakzaamheid put up no struggle. The sloop Kite shared in the capture.
Furie was armed with twenty-six 12-pounders on her main deck and ten 6-pounders on her quarter-deck and forecastle. She had a crew of 153 Dutch seamen, augmented with 165 French soldiers. She was carrying 4,000 stands of arms as well as other ordnance stores.Furie did exchange fire with Sirius for about half an hour. Sirius had only one man wounded. Furie had eight men killed and 14 wounded. The sloop Martin and the hired armed cutter Diligent shared in the proceeds of the capture.
...
Wikipedia