British sloop 'Espiegle' (1812)

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Ambuscade (32) 1773-1798
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Robert BaylisBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1795
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Espiegle
Nominal Guns	16	BWAS-1793
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	2.11.1811	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	1.1812	BWAS-1793
Launched	10.8.1812	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Ipswich - Suffolk	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Cruizer Class (1797)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	William RuleBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1778-1813	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Jabez BaileyBritish Ship Builder Service 1804-1814	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Brig	BWAS-1793
Sold	11.1832	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck100' 2"Imperial Feet30.5308
Length of Keel77' 4 ⅝"Imperial Feet23.4855
Breadth30' 7 ¼"Imperial Feet9.1504
Depth in Hold12' 9"Imperial Feet3.7719
Draught Forward6' 3"Imperial Feet1.905
Draught Aft11' 6"Imperial Feet3.5052
Burthen385 ⁵⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.8.1812Broadside Weight = 262 Imperial Pound ( 118.817 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck16 British 32-Pound Carronade
Bow Chaser2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1797121Design Complement

11 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
9.1812 - 2.1814CommanderBWAS-17932.1814 - 5.1816CommanderBWAS-17935.1822 - 1.1823CommanderBWAS-17931.1823 - 29.12.1824CommanderBWAS-179329.12.1824 - 1826CommanderBWAS-17931825 - 1834LieutenantNBD18491.1826 - 3.1827CommanderBWAS-17933.1827 - 2.1828CommanderBWAS-17934.1828 - 7.1828CommanderBWAS-17937.1828 - 9.1829CommanderNBD184912.1829 - 3.1830CommanderBWAS-1793

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
15.3.1828 - 1830LieutenantNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
6.1822 - 18221st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
18.8.1812Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1793
1.10.1812Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £5259.0.0dBWAS-1793
22.1.1813Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
5.1816Paid off at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
2.1817Refitted as a 18 gun Unrated Unknown
4.1819Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
7.1819Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4385.0.0dBWAS-1793
5.1822Recommissioned for the Cape of Good HopeBWAS-1793
6.1822Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
9.1822Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3763.0.0dBWAS-1793
1.1826Recommissioned for the Jamaica StationBWAS-1793
1.1826Refitted as a 18 gun Unrated Unknown
1.1826Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
6.1826Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £5733.0.0dBWAS-1793
3.1830Paid off at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
11.1832Sold to Thomas Ward, Ratcliffe for £650BWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Ireneusz Wojewódzki on Wednesday 2nd of July 2025 19:55

On the 8th of Jan. 1813 Frederick Marryat was appointed to Espiegle as lieutenant and on the 8th of the following month, he leaped overboard after Jacob Small, a sailor who had fallen from the main rigging, but was unsuccessful. On this occasion, Mr. Marryat was picked up in exhausted state.

After visiting Surinam, Demerara, and Barbadoes Marryat left Espiegle at New Providence; proceeded from thence to sick-quarters at Halifax; and returned home a passenger on board the Spartan.
Royal Naval Biography
John Marshall

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