Hired armed lugger Spider
His Majesty's hired armed lugger Spider served the Royal Navy from 15 August 1795 to 4 April 1796. She was armed with eighteen 4-pounder guns and had a burthen of 172 51⁄94 tons (bm). She took part in one notable action before she was lost in a collision with the 74-gun Ramillies.
Spider's commander was Acting-Lieutenant James Oswald, and she served in the squadron under Admiral Adam Duncan off the Texel where she performed reconnaissance duties.
On 13 August 1795 Spider captured the "Neutral Vessel" Maria , suggesting that she was already on active duty in advance of the formal contract.
Two days later Oswald discovered the Dutch fleet some 9–10 miles NW of Camperdown, and reported that fact and the number and types of vessels to Duncan on 17 August. When Admirals Duncan and Pringle set out after the Dutch, together with a Russian squadron, they found that the Dutch had returned to port.
Spider's greatest moment occurred on 25 August. Spider sighted and engaged two French Navy brigs off the Texel until the squadron's larger vessels could come up. Once the French brigs had struck, Spider took possession of one of them.
One brig was Suffisante, of fourteen 8 and 6-pounder guns, and the other was Victorieuse, of fourteen 12-pounder guns. They were heading into the North Sea on a cruise.
French records show that Suffisante's captain was lieutenant de vaisseau Nosten, and state that her actual captors were the 74-gun third-rate Mars, the frigate Venus, and the lugger Speedy. Apparently, Suffisante exchanged fire with the 20-gun lugger Speedy, but the arrival on the scene of Mars and Venus rendered further resistance futile. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Suffisante.
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