British survey vessel 'Drake' (1771)

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Drake ➡ 1771 Resolution	7795
Nominal Guns	12	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Named	25.12.1771	BWAS-1714
Purchased	11.1771	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	28.11.1771	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Whitby - Yorkshire	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Survey Vessel	BWAS-1714
Captured	10.6.1782	BWAS-1714
Becomes	French flûte 'Le Resolution' (1782) (16) 1782-1783 French 16 Gun Unrated Flûte

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck110' 8"Imperial Feet33.5483
Length of Keel93' 6"Imperial Feet28.3972
Breadth30' 5 ⅛"Imperial Feet9.1472
Depth in Hold13' 1 ½"Imperial Feet3.9751
Burthen461 ²⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

11.1771Broadside Weight = 39 Imperial Pound ( 17.6868 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck12 British 6-Pounder
Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
11.1771110 BWAS-1714

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
28.11.1771 - 1775Commander ADM 6/20/415BWAS-171410.2.1776 - 11.2.1779Commander† Discharged Dead ADM 6/21/156BWAS-171411.2.1779 - 22.8.1779Commander†BWAS-171422.8.1779 - 2.10.1780LieutenantBWAS-17143.10.1780 - 2.11.1781Commander Transfered ADM 6/22/178ADM 6/221782 - 9.6.1782Lieutenant†BWAS-17149.6.1782 - 10.6.1782MasterBWAS-1714

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.11.1771 - 10.8.1775First Lieutenant ADM 6/20/415CCSU28.11.1771 - 26.8.1775Second Lieutenant ADM 6/20/415BWAS-171429.11.1771 - 12.2.1776Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/20/415CCSU10.2.1776 - 11.2.1779First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/21/156BWAS-171423.2.1776 - 3.10.1780Lieutenant: on board from 6.1776 ADM 6/21/160ref:676

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
30.11.1771 - 8.4.1772Midshipman1772 - 1775MidshipmanE-WIKI12.6.1772 - 30.6.1773MidshipmanCCSU1.11.1772 - 12.3.1776MidshipmanLPC12.3.1776 - 19.10.1780Master's MateLPC

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
22.1.1772 - 11.6.1773Able SeamanCCSU1.7.1773 - 10.2.1776Able SeamanCCSU9.2.1776 - 12.3.1776Able SeamanLPC

Service History

DateEventSource
11.1771Purchased at Unknown at a cost of £4151.0.0dBWAS-1714
18.11.1771Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
25.12.1771Renamed ResolutionBWAS-1714
8.4.1772Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £10080.12.9dBWAS-1714
17.5.1772Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
22.6.1772Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £882.3.0dBWAS-1714
10.6.1782Taken by off Negapatam
10.6.1782Taken by off Negapatam

Notes on Ship

OriginBWAS-1714
Mercantile Collier Marquis of Granby built 1769-70 by Fishburn at Whitby

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

Book

ADM 6/22 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

CCSU Web Site

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

LPC Document

ref:676 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Cy on Monday 22nd of June 2020 19:19

I have no evidence of James cook receiving a commission as a post captain, he was appointed to the post of Captain of Greenwich Hospital in 1775 (the same year various source give for his 'posting'), which is not the same thing.

His commission to the Resolution as noted in ADM ADM 6/21/156 states "Captain James Cook Commander Resolution Sloop" so the rank as given is correct.

If you have any evidence of the supposed promotion to post captain, which must, by definition, have been to a ship of 20 guns or more I would be delighted to see it.

Posted by C Heathcote on Monday 22nd of June 2020 18:52

James Cook's had been promoted to the rank of Post Captain on the vessel's second expedition. He was Commander only on the prior expedition

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