British fireship 'Prometheus' (1807)

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Prometheus ➡ 1839 Veteran	5976
Nominal Guns	18	BWAS-1793
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	1.10.1805	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	12.1805	BWAS-1714
Acquired	27.3.1807	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Southampton - Hampshire	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Thais Class (1805)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir John HenslowBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1761-1801	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Ralph ThompsonBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Fireship	BWAS-1793
Broken Up	8.1852	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck109' 6"Imperial Feet33.2401
Length of Keel91' 4 ⅞"Imperial Feet27.759
Breadth29' 9 ½"Imperial Feet8.8519
Depth in Hold9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Draught Forward8' 3"Imperial Feet2.5146
Draught Aft10' 3"Imperial Feet3.1242
Burthen431 ⁴⁹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

27.3.1807Broadside Weight = 273 Imperial Pound ( 123.8055 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck16 British 24-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck6 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

3.1815Broadside Weight = 135 Imperial Pound ( 61.2225 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
3.1807121 BWAS-1793

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
3.1807 - 12.1807CommanderBWAS-179312.1807 - 7.1809CommanderBWAS-17937.1809 - 30.8.1809LieutenantBWAS-179330.8.1809 - 11.1814CommanderBWAS-179311.1814 - 11.1816CommanderBWAS-179311.1816 - 1816CommanderBWAS-1793

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1809 - 7.7.1809Lieutenant†BG6.6.1812 - 28.3.1815LieutenantNBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1807 - 6.7.1807BoatswainBG

4 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1809 - 6.7.1809Able SeamanBG1809 - 7.7.1809Able SeamanBG1809 - 7.7.1809Able Seaman†BG7.12.1817 - 1818VolunteerNBD1849

1 Marine

DatesRankNameSource
1809 - 7.7.1809Private†BG

Service History

DateEventSource
3.1807Commissioned as a fireship for the Downs stationBWAS-1793
30.3.1807Moved to Portsmouth for completionBWAS-1793
30.3.1807Began Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
22.7.1807Completed at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
22.7.1807Completed Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
12.1807Began fitting as a sloop at SheernessBWAS-1793
12.1807Commissioned for the BalticBWAS-1793
12.1807Began fitting at Sheerness - Kent BWAS-1793
2.1808Completed fitting as a sloopBWAS-1793
2.1808Completed fitting at Sheerness - Kent BWAS-1793
3.1808Refitted as a 18 gun Unrated Sloop
7.7.1809Her boats, with those of the Implacable, the Bellerophon adn the Melpomene attacked a Russian convoy in Baro Sound (sinking one gunboat, taking 6 and capturing 12 other vessels)BWAS-1793
25.7.1809Her boats, with those of the Princess Carolina, Minotaur and the Cerberus took 3 gunboats and a Brig at FrederickshammBWAS-1793
1811Refitted as a 20 gun Sixth Rate Sloop
11.5.1811Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1793
1814Sailed to NewfoundlandBWAS-1793
8.5.1814Took the Schooner off Newfoundland?
12.1814Cut down to 16 guns by having her spar deck removedBWAS-1793
12.1814Began rebuilding at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
3.1815Work completed at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
3.1815Completed rebuilding at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
27.8.1816Present at the Bombardment of AlgiersBWAS-1793
2.1817Refitted as a 24 gun Sixth Rate Post Ship
4.1819Started fitting as a lazarette (completed May 1819)BWAS-1793
4.1819Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
5.1819Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
1829In use as a receiving shipBWAS-1793
2.5.1839Renamed Veteran

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

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