British sloop 'Espion' (1793)

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Espion
Nominal Guns	16	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French Privateer corvette 'Le Robert' (1793) (16) 1793-1793 French 16 Gun Privateer Corvette
Captured	13.6.1793	BWAS-1793
First Commissioned	3.1794	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Nantes - Brittany	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Captured	22.7.1794	BWAS-1793
Becomes	French corvette 'L'Espion' (1794) (18) 1794-1795 French 18 Gun Unrated Corvette

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck86' 5 ½"Imperial Feet26.2255
Length of Keel69' 6 ⅜"Imperial Feet21.0407
Breadth27' 3 ¾"Imperial Feet8.2487
Depth in Hold13' 0"Imperial Feet3.9624
Burthen275 ⁸³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

4.1794Broadside Weight = 48 Imperial Pound ( 21.768 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck16 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
4.1794120 BWAS-1793

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
17.3.1794 - 22.7.1794Commander ADM 6/25/20BWAS-1793

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
19.3.1794 - 7.4.1794Lieutenant ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/258.4.1794 - 11.5.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/27ADM 6/2512.5.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/41ADM 6/2512.5.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/41ADM 6/25

Service History

DateEventSource
1793Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
5.1794Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £4300.0.0dBWAS-1793
22.7.1794Taken by south of the Scilly Isles

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/25 Archive

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 12th of June 2026 21:43	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Boadicea' (1797) (38) 1797-1858 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Friday 12th of June 2026 21:41	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate ship of the line 'Janus' (1778) (44) 1778-1810 British 44 Gun 5th Rate Ship of the Line 1788 Renamed "Dromedary"
Friday 12th of June 2026 21:39	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Phaeton' (1782) (38) 1782-1828 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Friday 12th of June 2026 21:37	Jon Miller	British Merchant merchantman 'Coverdale' (1795) (Unknown) 1795-1806 British Unknown Gun Merchant Merchantman
Friday 12th of June 2026 20:23	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Diamond' (1794) (38) 1794-1812 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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