British sloop 'Viper' (1746)

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Viper ➡ 1755 Lightning	7339
Nominal Guns	10	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	11.4.1745	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.6.1745	BWAS-1714
Named	3.5.1746	BWAS-1714
Launched	11.6.1746	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	29.5.1746	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Poole - Dorset	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Merlin Class (1743)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Jacob AckworthBritish Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1690-1744	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Tito DurrellBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Snow	BWAS-1714
Sold	30.12.1762	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 0"Imperial Feet27.7368
Length of Keel74' 9"Imperial Feet22.6124
Breadth26' 1"Imperial Feet7.929
Depth in Hold12' 1"Imperial Feet3.6703
Burthen270 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

11.6.1746Broadside Weight = 33.5 Imperial Pound ( 15.1926 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck10 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1748Broadside Weight = 45.5 Imperial Pound ( 20.6346 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1743110Design Complement
1748125 BWAS-1714

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
29.5.1746 - 9.7.1747Commander: on board from 30.5.1746 ADM 6/17/109BWAS-17149.7.1747 - 7.10.1748Commander ADM 6/17/242BWAS-171428.10.1748 - 19.2.1753Commander ADM 6/17/395BWAS-17145.5.1756 - 17.1.1757Commander ADM 6/18/262ADM 6/1821.1.1757 - 12.12.1757Commander Transfered ADM 6/18/347ADM 6/1812.12.1757 - 23.1.1759Commander ADM 6/18/469ADM 6/1821.11.1760 - 21.10.1762Commander ADM 6/19/210ADM 6/19

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.10.1748 - 21.3.1748/49Lieutenant ADM 6/17/395ADM 6/1721.3.1748/49 - 15.11.1752Lieutenant ADM 6/17/450ADM 6/1714.10.1756 - 29.1.1757Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/315ADM 6/1829.1.1757 - 14.12.1757Lieutenant ADM 6/18/350ADM 6/1814.12.1757 - 29.1.1759Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/462ADM 6/18

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
16.9.1747 - 1747Boatswain ADM 6/17/268ref:1788

Service History

DateEventSource
1.6.1745Began building at Poole - Dorset BWAS-1714
11.6.1745Completed building at Poole - Dorset at a cost of £1043.10.0dBWAS-1714
11.6.1746Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.8.1746Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £1520.3.10dBWAS-1714
15.10.1746Took the Xebec
7.1.1746/47Took the Privateer
20.6.1747Took the Privateer
12.8.1747Took the Privateer BG
1748Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated SloopBWAS-1714
7.10.1748Paid offADM 106
1749Sailed to JamaicaBWAS-1714
19.2.1753

Paid off at Plymouth Dockyard

ADM 6/18
1.7.1753SurveyedBWAS-1714
29.7.1755Refitted as a 8 gun Unrated FireshipBWAS-1714
29.7.1755Renamed LightningBWAS-1714
8.1755Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
12.1755Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1891.4.11dBWAS-1714
8.1756Refitted as a 6 gun Unrated Hospital ShipBWAS-1714
8.1756fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1554.2.11dBWAS-1714
8.1757Louisbourg Expedition
6.6.1758The Siege of Louisbourg
3.1759fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £605.3.7dBWAS-1714
21.10.1762Paid offADM 33
20.12.1762SurveyedBWAS-1714
27.12.1762Ordered to be soldBWAS-1714
30.12.1762Sold at Woolwich for £1,105BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 106 Document

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:1788Christopher Donnithorne, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 00:56

London, 23 November 1751: By an express which arrived this morning from Bristol we have the following particular account (brought by the Cornwall, Capt Duncombe) of a violent hurricane which happened at Jamaica on the 11th of September last.
The Gloucester, of 50 guns, the Hon Geo Townshend, Esq; Commodore, rode it out without loss.
The Fox, of 20 guns, Capt Faulkner, ashore, beat over the rocks, and can’t be got off; the people and the money saved and landed at Withywood.
The sloops Ferret and Viper rode it out, but lost their masts.
[Kentish Post, 27 November 1751]

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