Hired armed cutter Active
During the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, there were two or three vessels known as His Majesty's hired armed cutter Active that served the British Royal Navy. The reason for the uncertainty in the number is that the size of the vessels raises the possibility that the first and second may have been the same vessel.
Active served the Royal Navy from 12 May 1794 to 22 November 1800. She was of 712⁄94 tons (bm) and carried ten 3-pounder guns.
In 1795 Active served as Royal Escort for Princess Caroline of Brunswick.
Active's next noteworthy appearance occurred when she signaled the approach of the Dutch fleet to Admiral Adam Duncan before his victory at Camperdown on 11 October 1797. Her commander, Master John Hamilton, was on the deck of Venerable when Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter surrendered his sword. As a member of the fleet, even though she did not participate in the combat, she was entitled to share in the £120,000 in prize money for the sale of the Dutch ships captured then. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General service Medal with clasp "Camperdown" to any surviving claimants from the action. Active's officers and crew qualified.
Active participated in the disastrous Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland against the Batavian Republic under Vice-admiral Andrew Mitchell and Lieutenant General Ralph Abercromby. On 28 August 1799, she and the hired armed cutter Swan participated in the capture of the Dutch hulks Drotchterland and Broederschap, and the ships Helder, Venus, Minerva, and Hector, in the New Diep, in Holland. Prize money for these vessels was due to be paid on 24 February 1802.
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