British Fifth Rate frigate 'Hydra' (1797)

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Hydra	4832
Nominal Guns	38	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	30.4.1795	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	11.1795	BWAS-1793
Named	15.10.1796	BWAS-1793
Launched	13.3.1797	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Gravesend - Kent	BWAS-1793
Constructor	William CleverleyBritish Ship Builder Service 1800	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Sold	13.1.1820	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck148' 2"Imperial Feet45.1104
Length of Keel123' 7 ⅜"Imperial Feet37.4999
Breadth39' 4"Imperial Feet11.8872
Depth in Hold12' 8"Imperial Feet3.6576
Burthen1,016 ²⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

4.1797Broadside Weight = 488 Imperial Pound ( 221.308 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
4.1797284 BWAS-1793

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1797 - 4.1801CaptainBWAS-17934.1801 - 1802CaptainBWAS-179312.1802 - 9.1810CaptainBWAS-17937.1813 - 8.9.1815CommanderBWAS-179311.1815 - 11.1817CommanderBWAS-1793

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1803LieutenantTRN59.7.1808 - 2.1810LieutenantNBD1849

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1801 - bef.14.4.1801First Surgeons' Materef:198116.5.1801 - 15.1.1805Master Transfered ADM 196/1/1ADM 196

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
6.1797 - 6.1798MidshipmanNBD18491798 - 4.1801Master's MateNBD184927.1.1799 - 1799MidshipmanNBD18491803MidshipmanTRN52.1810 - 1.1811MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
25.6.1797First cost, including fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £23012.0.0dBWAS-1793
1.5.1798Action of 1st May 1798
1.1799Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
4.1801Guardship at WeymouthBWAS-1793
1802Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
25.6.1803Took the Privateer BG
7.1803Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
1.8.1803Capture of the Favori
1.8.1803Took the Lugger at Le Toquet
10.1805Blockade of CadizBWAS-1793
27.2.1806Took the Brig-Corvette
12.4.1806Took the Unrated
6.8.1807Action of 1807/08/07
7.8.1807Took the Polacca by boat at BeguBG
7.8.1807Took the Polacca by boat at BeguBG
7.8.1807Took the Polacca by boat at BeguBG
7.1808refitting at UnknownBWAS-1793
11.1808Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
9.1810Paid off and laid up in Ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
5.1813Began fitting as a Troopship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
7.1813Recommissioned as a troop shipBWAS-1793
7.1813Refitted as a Unrated Troop Ship
9.1813Completed fitting as a Troopship at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
11.1815Recommissioned for the West IndiesBWAS-1793
11.1817Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
13.1.1820Sold to Job Cockshot for £2,410BWAS-1793

Notes on Ship

Design basisBWAS-1793
Copied from the Melpomene, Coulomb designed French prize taken in 1794.

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 196 Document

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TRN5William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

ref:1981 Document

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Friday 29th of May 2026 05:44

London, 5 March 1801: A Court Martial was held on board his Majesty’s ship Hydra, at Sheerness, on Saturday, the 28th ult, to try Wm Billington, a private Marine belonging to La Desiree, for desertion, when the charge being proved, the Court adjudged him to receive 200 lashes. [London Packet, 6 March 1801]

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