British Fifth Rate frigate 'Emerald' (1795)

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Emerald	4087
Nominal Guns	36	B028
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	24.5.1794	BWAS-1603
Keel Laid Down	6.1794	BWAS-1603
Launched	31.7.1795	B028
How acquired	Built by Contract	B028
Shipyard	Northfleet Dockyard - Northfleet	B028
Ship Class	Amazon Class (1794)	B028
Designed by	William RuleBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1778-1813	BWAS-1603
Constructor	Thomas PitcherBritish Ship Builder Service 1801	BWAS-1603
Category	Fifth Rate	B028
Ship Type	Frigate	B028
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B028
Broken Up	1.1836	B028

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck143' 2 ½"Imperial Feet43.5991
Length of Keel119' 5 ½"Imperial Feet36.2839
Breadth38' 4"Imperial Feet11.5951
Depth in Hold133' 6"Imperial Feet40.543
Burthen933 ⁶⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

31.7.1795Broadside Weight = 407 Imperial Pound ( 184.5745 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck8 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
5.1794264Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
8.1795 - 5.1797CaptainBWAS-17935.1797 - 12.1800CaptainBWAS-179312.1797 - 4.1798CommanderBWAS-17934.1798 - 12.1800CaptainBWAS-179312.1800 - 1804CaptainBWAS-17936.1806 - 1807CaptainBWAS-17931807 - 11.1811CaptainBWAS-1793

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
2.1.1809 - 9.1.1809Rear-Admiral of the Blue Transfered ADM 196/68/191ADM 196

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
12.1802 - 11.4.1803Acting LieutenantNBD184911.4.1803 - 1803LieutenantNBD18491804First LieutenantBWAS-179329.10.1810 - 18.12.1811LieutenantNBD1849

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1795 - 1797MasterE-WIKI28.5.1797 - 30.1.1798Acting MasterADM 29-17.8.1807 - 13.7.1808MasterADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
12.1806 - 4.1809MidshipmanNBD18494.1809 - 1809MidshipmanNBD18494.1809 - 1810Master's MateNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
19.7.1806 - 18092nd Class VolunteerNBD1849

1 Marine

DatesRankNameSource
1797 - 24.7.1797Lieutenant†TRN4

Service History

DateEventSource
6.1794Began building at Northfleet - Kent BWAS-1793
31.7.1795Completed building at Northfleet - Kent at a cost of £14419.0.0dBWAS-1793
31.7.1795Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1793
12.10.1795Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £9390.0.0dBWAS-1793
7.1.1797Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
20.2.1797Pursuit of the Santissima Trinidad
26.4.1797Action of 1797-04-26
24.7.1797Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
25.7.1797At Santa CruzBWAS-1793
12.2.1798Took the Brig nearly in Lat. 38 Deg. 14 Mio. N. and Long. 14 Deg. 66 Min. W. on the Lisbon StationBG
8.1798At AlexandriaBWAS-1793
2.9.1798In company with destroyed the at DamiettaBWAS-1793
19.6.1799Capture off Cape Sicie
8.1799Took the Privateer ref:692
5.4.1800Action of 1800-04-07
30.3.1801Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
21.6.1803Capture of St. Lucia and Tobago
24.6.1803Took the Schooner off St Lucia
13.3.1804Took the Schooner at Seron, Martinique
2.1806Began middling repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
6.1806Completed middling repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
4.1807At Basque Roads operationsBWAS-1793
14.4.1807Took the Privateer
13.3.1808Destroyed the schooner at ViveroBWAS-1793
5.4.1809Took the Frigate in the Bay of Biscay
8.10.1809Took the Lugger off the Irish Coast
6.11.1809Took the Corvette BG
6.11.1809Took the Brig Off BrestFWAS1786
23.3.1810Took the Privateer in the Bay of Biscay
6.4.1811Took the Privateer in the ChannelBG
11.1811Laid up in ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
4.1822Fitted as a receiving ship at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
4.1822Began fitting as a Receiving Ship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
5.1822Completed fitting as a Receiving Ship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
1.1836Broken up at PortsmouthBWAS-1793

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 19th of July 2026 06:30

Prize Money: Emerald – July 3d at the Lamb, Lamb’s Conduit-street, for the capture of the Chasseur Basque, French privateer, Feb 12, 1798. Recall at the same place. [Portsmouth Telegraph 29 June 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 6th of July 2026 14:01

Portsmouth, 23 December 1815: The Emerald, Apollo, Crescent, Hyperion, and President are to be fitted for troops. The Havoc is proposed to be fitted for sea service. [Hampshire Chronicle, 25 December 1815]

Posted by Tim Oakley on Saturday 6th of January 2024 05:06

8 Jan 1803 per letter from the Centaur at Barbados, the Blenheim, Excellent, Heureux, Thalia, Asp, and Netley were there. The deaths of Lieuts Bruce and Withers of the Emerald, and Lieut Grindall of the Castor, have recently taken place. The latter has departed for Antigua, and will depart for England.

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:49	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Lord Thurlow' (1789) (Unknown) 1789-1802 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:44	Jon Miller	Robert WardlawBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1799-1807
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:43	Jon Miller	William MaxwellBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1798-1809
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:42	Jon Miller	George GoochBritish Ship Owner Service 1809-1821
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:41	Jon Miller	John Altham CumberlegeBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1800-1802

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