Tetis

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 16th of June 2026 12:39

All last week Plymouth was filled with merchants from London, Liverpool, Bristol, &c to attend the immense prize sales of goods and ships; near £100,000 worth of that species of property was disposed of. Government purchased the hull of El Thetis, of 40 guns, for £1600, and Santa Brigada, of 36, not being for the service, sold to private merchants for £1340 exclusive of guns, rigging and stores. [Hampshire Telegraph, 23 December 1799]

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 16th of June 2026 11:46

Letter from Capt James Young, of His Majesty’s ship Ethalion, Plymouth Sound, 21 October 1799:-
On the 16th instant, at three PM, in latitude 44 deg 53 min, longitude 9 deg 52 min west, we discovered three large sail on the weather bow, evidently men of war, steering SE with all sails set. I immediately tacked and stood under easy sail with intention to speak to the sternmost, or to follow them to the till daylight, with a view to ascertain their force. On a nearer approach to the above ship she made the private signal; concluding from that the other two ships were enemies, I made all possible sail in chace. At daylight I found her to be the Alcmene, and two large frigates a-head. At seven the Naiad made my signal to pass the sternmost, and stand on the headmost. At nine AM, being within random shot of the sternmost, I fired a few guns in passing, which made her alter her course.
At half past eleven the headmost ship bore up athwart us, at the distance of half a musket-shot: by the abilities and meritorious conduct of the officers, the steady spirit and prompt obedience of my orders of the seamen and marines, with a well-directed fire of two broadsides, from the Ethalion, and a running fight of an hour, exchanging bow and stern chases, the latter part within half a pistol-shot, I had the pleasure of seeing her haul down Spanish colours to His Majesty’s ship under my command.
She proves to be the Thetis [not Tetis] Spanish frigate, of 36 guns, twelve and six pounders, and 250 men, commanded by Don Juan de Mendoza, from V\era Cruz, bound to any port in Spain she could fetch, with one million four hundred and eleven thousand five hundred and twenty-six dollars, and a quantity of cocoa on board.
I have the additional satisfaction to acquaint your Lordship, that not a single man is hurt upon the Ethalion. The other Spanish frigate is called the Brigida, commanded by Don Antonio Pillon, the same force and lading as the Thetis. The last time I saw the Naiad, which was just before the action took place, she was nearly within gun-shot of her; and I have no doubt of being captured.
I beg leave to recommend to your Lordships’s notice Lieut Pym, the senior officer; the able assistance I received from him of the quarter-deck, and his indefatigable exertions in shifting the wounded masts and yards, on board the Thetis, do him the utmost credit. I cannot pass over in silence the praise due to Lieutenants Jauncey and Quillan, for their great attention to the guns on the main-deck, nor that of Mr Ducker, the master, and Lieut Peake, of the Marines. For their aid on the quarter-deck; the Warrant and Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines, also merit your Lordship’s notice. J Young.
Ethalion – none killed or wounded, Thetis – One killed and nine wounded.
[Hampshire Telegraph, 28 October 1799]