_wrecked.jpg) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) Great Britain | |
| Name | HMSProserpine |
| Ordered | 14 May 1777 |
| Builder | John Barnard,Harwich |
| Laid down | June 1776 |
| Launched | 7 July 1777 |
| Completed | 23 September 1777 (at Sheerness Dockyard) |
| Commissioned | 25 July 1777 |
| Fate | Wrecked 1 February 1799 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | 28-gunEnterprise-classsixth-ratefrigate |
| Tons burthen | 59537⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 33 ft7+1⁄2 in (10.2 m) |
| Depth of hold | 11 ft 0 in (3.35 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 200 officers and men |
| Armament |
|
HMSProserpine was a 28-gunEnterprise-classsixth-ratefrigate of theRoyal Navy. She was launched in 1777 was wrecked in February 1799.
Proserpine was firstcommissioned in July 1777 under the command of Captain Evelyn Sutton.
On 20 October 1779,Proserpine captured the French 26-gun frigateAlcmène, off Martinique.Alcmène had been severely damaged by a storm, and had thrown most of her guns overboard to stay afloat.[1]
On 29 November 1779Proserpine recapturedSphinx (orSphynx).[2] She had been in French hands for three to four months.[3]
On 26 June 1793 the Jamaica fleet returning to England sailed fromBluefields, Jamaica, under escort byProserpine, the sloopsFly andSerpent, and the troop transportEuropa. The only incident appears to have occurred in early July. On 4 July a gale forced the merchant shipAmity Hall away from the fleet, but she sighted it again on 5 July. AsAmity Hall was rejoining the fleet on 6 July she collided with the merchant shipAlbion.Albion's crew abandoned her andAmity Hall took them on board. The accident gave rise to a tort court case thatAmity Hall's owners lost toAlbion's owners on the grounds thatAmity Hall's master had not followed the sailing instructions that Captain Alms ofProserpine had issued on setting out.[4]
On 16 March 1794Penelope captured the Frenchbrick-aviso,Goéland, offJérémie.[5]Proserpine shared in the prize money, suggesting that she was in company with, or in sight of,Penelope. The Royal Navy briefly tookGoéland into service as HMSGoelan.
On 26 March 1798Proserpine, Captain James Wallis, captured the Danish merchant shipNeptunus.[6]
Proserpine was part of Admiral Duncan's squadron and so shared in the proceeds of the capture ofHoop (6 June 1798),Neptune (12 June),Stadt Embden (14 June),Rose and Endraft (14 June),Hoop (15 June), andVrow Dorothea (16 June).[7]
Proserpine was wrecked off the mouth of theElbe on 1 February 1799. She was under the command of Captain James Wallis, and was taking the HonourableThomas Grenville and his party toCuxhaven, from where they were to proceed on a diplomatic mission to meetFrederick William III of Prussia in Berlin during theWar of the Second Coalition. By 4pm on 31 January the weather had worsened to such a degree thatProserpine had to anchor, four miles short of Cuxhaven. The weather worsened, and by next morning the channels were blocked by ice. Wallis got under-weigh to attempt to withdraw and reach a Danish port, but around 9:30pm she grounded. Attempts to lighten her failed. The next morning it became clear that she was aground on theScharhörn Sand nearNewark Island in theElbe, and completely blocked in by ice, which was increasing.
At 1:30, all 187 persons onProserpine left her and started the six-mile walk to shore, in freezing weather and falling snow. Seven seamen, a boy, four Royal Marines, and one woman and her child died; the rest made it safely to Neuwerk where they took shelter in thetower there. The diplomatic party reached Cuxhaven a few days later.
The ship's master, Mr. Anthony, took five men and returned toProserpine on 10 February. They found her crushed. While they were still on board, the ship (still encased in ice), was swept out to sea, before she grounded again onBaltrum Island. Anthony and his companions survived this second shipwreck too.[8][9]
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| Other incidents |
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