HMS Amfitrite (1804)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career (Spain)
'The Blanche frigate, lost among the Breakers'
Name:	Amfitrite
Fate:	Captured by HMS Donegal on 25 November 1804
Career (UK)
Name:	HMS Amfitrite
In service:	Captured by HMS Donegal on 25 November 1804
Renamed:	HMS Blanche on 3 December 1805
Fate:	Wrecked off Ushant on 4 March 1807
General characteristics
Class and type:	38-gun fifth rate frigate
Tons burthen:	1,036 tons
Length:	150 ft (46 m)
Beam:	40 ft (12 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Armament:	38 guns

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Amphitrite and HMS Blanche.

HMS Amfitrite was a 38-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She had previously served with the Spanish Navy, before being captured during the Napoleonic Wars and commissioned into the Royal Navy. She was renamed HMS Blanche, after spending just over a year as HMS Amfitrite. She has been the only ship in the Navy to bear this specific name, though a number of other ships used the conventional English spelling and were named HMS Amphitrite.

1 Career
- 1.1 Capture
- 1.2 As HMS Blanche
2 References

[edit] Career

[edit] Capture

Amfrite was sailing off the Spanish Atlantic coast in November 1804, when she was spotted by the 74-gun third rate HMS Donegal, then cruising off the coast under the command of Captain Richard Strachan, watching the port of Cadiz. The Donegal gave chase and after pursuing the Amfitrite for 46 hours, Amfitrite lost her mizzen-top-mast and was subsequently overhauled by the Donegal.

A boat was dispatched from the Donegal and the Spanish captain was brought aboard. Sir Richard did not speak Spanish and the captain did not speak English, so it was with difficulty that Sir Richard attempted to inform him that his orders were to return the Amfitrite back to Cadiz. Sir Richard allowed the captain three minutes to decide whether he would comply with the order, but after waiting for six minutes without an answer, opened fire on the Amfitrite. The engagement lasted only eight minutes, and resulted in a number of deaths, including the Spanish captain, who fell to a musket ball. The Amfitrite surrendered and after being searched, was found to be laden with stores and carrying dispatches from Cadiz to Tenerife and Havana. She was taken over and later commissioned into the Navy as HMS Amfitrite. She was renamed HMS Blanche on 3 December 1805.

[edit] As HMS Blanche

Blanche was under the command of Captain Thomas Lavie in 1806, and was used to patrol off the English coast, protecting English shipping from French privateers and raiders. On 28 March 1806, the French frigates Guerrière, Revanche and Syrène, and the brig-corvette Néarque were dispatched from Lorient, with orders to attack and destroy British and Russian whalers in the Arctic, off Greenland. The Guerrière became separated from the rest of the squadron, but was able to capture and burn several whaling vessels. By 16 July, news of her activities, including a recent sighting off the Faroe Islands reached Captain Lavie aboard the HMS Blanche, then off the Shetland Islands. The Blanche quickly sailed to the reported area and on 18 July, sighted the Guerrière. By this point Guerrière was carrying 50 guns, to the Blanche’s 46.

Blanche quickly closed the distance, but Guerrière, perhaps mistaking the British frigate for one of her squadron, did not initially take action. The Blanche opened fire at about 15 minutes past midnight, firing two broadsides before the Guerrière could respond. A fierce fight followed, with the Guerrière eventually surrendering at half past one that morning, having lost her mizzenmast. Blanche had suffered light damage and four men wounded out of her complement of 265. The Guerrière had suffered considerable damage to her lower masts, as well as to her hull, both above and below the waterline. Out of her complement of 350, 20 of her officers, seamen and marines had been killed, whilst another 30 were wounded, ten of them seriously. Many of the French crew had been ill below decks during the engagement. The Guerrière had been aiming to cripple the Blanche by firing to bring down her masts, so that the Guerrière might escape. When this failed, the Guerrière was eventually worn down and forced to strike.

Blanche escorted the Guerrière back to Britain, arriving with her prize on 26 July in Yarmouth Roads. The Guerrière was commissioned into the Navy as HMS Guerriere, after a repair and refit which brought her to 48 guns. The captain of the Blanche was knighted and the first lieutenant was promoted. Captain Lavie continued to serve as commander of the Blanche and was part of a squadron under Captain Richard Keats blockading the port of Rochefort. On 15 January 1807 Lavie and the Blanche intercepted the George Washington off Bordeaux. She was found to be carrying Captain Kargarian, the former commander of the French frigate Valeureuse and 306 of his officers and men. Lavie took the prisoners aboard and sent the George Washington to England.