HMS Espoir (1797)

L'Espoir was a French brig-sloop (Fr. brick-aviso) that served for 9½ years in the French Navy before HMS Thalia captured her in September 1797. In her subsequent short career in British service as HMS Espoir she captured three prizes, with the capture in 1798 of the more heavily armed Genoese pirate Liguria earning her crew a clasp to the Naval General Service Medal. Espoir was laid up in 1799 and sold in 1804.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Espoir and French ship Espoir.

Espoir and Liguria, with Gibraltar in the background.
An aquatint by Nicholas Pocock, 1801
History
France
NameEspoir
BuilderBayonne
Laid downDecember 1787
LaunchedMarch 1788
CompletedApril 1788
Renamed
  • Lazouski, 28 September 1793
  • Espoir, 30 May 1795
CapturedBy Thalia, 18 September 1797
Great Britain
NameHMS Espoir
Acquiredby capture, 18 September 1797
CommissionedJune 1798
DecommissionedDecember 1799
Honours and
awards		Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Espoir 7 Augt. 1798"
FateSold, September 1804
General characteristics
Class and typeHasard-class brig-sloop
Tons burthen267 (bm)
Length92 ft 10 in (28.3 m) (overall); 75 ft 1 in (22.9 m) (keel)
Beam25 ft 10 in (7.9 m)
Depth of hold10 ft 10 in (3.3 m)
Complement
  • In French service (1794):
  • 125
  • In British service (1797):
  • 80
Armament
  • In French service (1794):
  • 12 × 6-pounder guns
  • In British service (1797):
  • 14 × 6-pounder guns
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