HMS Speedwell (1780)

HMS Speedwell was a mercantile vessel that the Admiralty purchased in 1780. During the American Revolutionary War she served at Gibraltar during the Great Siege. In 1796 she was converted to a brig. Although she did capture two French privateers and participate in an incident in which the Royal Navy violated Swedish neutrality, her service in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars was apparently relatively uneventful. A storm in February 1807 destroyed her, causing the loss of her entire crew.

History
Great Britain
NameHMS Speedwell
AcquiredMay 1780 by purchase
FateFoundered 1807
General characteristics
Tons burthen1934394 bm
Length75 ft 3 in (22.9 m) (overall); 54 ft 6 in (16.6 m)
Beam25 ft 10 in (7.9 m)
Depth of hold10 ft 2 in (3.1 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planCutter; Brig (post-1796)
Complement70
Armament14 × 4-pounder guns (later 16) + 10 × ½-pound swivel guns
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.