British fireship 'Pluto' (1782)

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Pluto	5842
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.12.1780	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1781	BWAS-1714
Launched	1.2.1782	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Sandgate - Kent	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Tisiphone Class (1779)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Joshua StewartBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Fireship	BWAS-1714
Sold	19.7.1817	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck108' 10 ½"Imperial Feet32.9311
Length of Keel90' 7"Imperial Feet27.6098
Breadth29' 9"Imperial Feet8.8646
Depth in Hold9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Burthen426 ⁴²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.2.1782Broadside Weight = 48 Imperial Pound ( 21.768 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 12-Pounder

2.1793Broadside Weight = 133 Imperial Pound ( 60.3156 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck14 British 18-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck2 British 6-Pounder
Gun Deck4 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
177955Design Complement

16 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.8.1781 - 16.2.1782Commander ADM 6/22/330BWAS-171416.2.1782 - 7.6.1782Commander ADM 6/22/412ADM 6/228.6.1782 - 15.6.1782Commander ADM 6/22/478ADM 6/2215.6.1782 - 4.1783CommanderBWAS-17141.12.1787 - 8.9.1789Commander Transfered ADM 6/23/440ADM 6/2314.8.1790 - 21.9.1790Commander ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2428.9.1790 - 22.11.1790Commander ADM 6/24/71ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 25.3.1791Commander Transfered ADM 6/24/89ADM 6/2426.3.1791 - 25.12.1792Commander ADM 6/24/112BWAS-171426.12.1792 - 6.10.1793Commander ADM 6/24/188BWAS-17147.10.1793 - 1795Commander ADM 6/25/5
Issued by , Newfoundland - Canada
Confirmed 15.1.1794BWAS-17141796 - 3.1798CommanderBWAS-17145.3.1798 - 29.4.1802CommanderBWAS-171429.4.1802 - 1803CommanderBWAS-17148.1803 - 5.1804CommanderBWAS-17145.1804 - 2.1809CommanderBWAS-1714

10 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.8.1790 - 21.11.1790Lieutenant ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 28.3.1791Lieutenant ADM 6/24/91ADM 6/2429.3.1791 - 30.3.1791Lieutenant ADM 6/24/114ADM 6/2431.3.1791 - 12.6.1792First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/114ADM 6/2431.3.1791 - 23.12.1792Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/114ADM 6/2426.12.1792 - 9.5.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/188ADM 6/2426.12.1792 - 10.5.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/188ADM 6/2411.5.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/238ADM 6/2411.5.1793 - 29.10.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/238ADM 6/2430.10.1793 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/43
Issued by , Newfoundland - Canada
Confirmed 23.5.1794ADM 6/25

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.1800 - 1.1803MidshipmanNBD18491.9.1803 - 1.1805MidshipmanNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
1795 - 17981st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
1.1781Began building at Sandgate - Kent BWAS-1714
1.2.1782Completed building at Sandgate - Kent at a cost of £9365.1.7dBWAS-1714
24.2.1782coppering and fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
3.1782Commissioned for the Channel and Western SquadronBWAS-1714
4.1783Paid offBWAS-1714
11.1787Began coppering at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1.1788Completed coppering at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1790Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
9.1790Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £1398.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1791RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1791fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £938.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
11.1792Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
12.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
2.1793Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3651.0.0dBWAS-1714
16.5.1793Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
25.7.1793Took the Brig off Newfoundland
30.7.1798Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
1801Surveying in NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
7.1803Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
8.1803Recommissioned for the ChannelBWAS-1714
9.1803Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
2.1809Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
19.7.1817Sold at Portsmouth to Mr Warwick for £950BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ADM 6/25 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 4th of February 2019 06:08

24 Apr 1804 J Nightingale, a seaman of the Pluto was Court Martialled and sentenced to 50 lashes due to his normally good conduct.
Circa 5 May 1804 Capt W H Kittoe, to the Pluto, vice Forbes, in consequence of an old wound from the last war showing unpleasant symptoms.
Circa 19 May 1804 Capt Janverin of the Sea Fencibles at Brading, apptd to the Pluto, vice Capt W H Kittoe.

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