| Career (UK) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Maria (or Marie) |
| Acquired: | By capture 21 June 1805 |
| Fate: | Foundered October 1807 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | schooner |
| Tonnage: | 130 bm |
| Length: | 72 ft 0 in (21.95 m) (overall) c.60 ft 6 in (18.4 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 20 ft 1 in (6.12 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Schooner |
| Complement: | 46 |
| Armament: | 12 x 12-pounder carronades |
HMS Maria (or Marie) was the French privateer schooner Constance (or Constanza) that the Royal Navy captured in 1805 and that foundered in 1807. During her brief career in the Leeward Islands she participated in the capture of five small prizes.
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On 21 June 1805, Circe captured the privateer Constance in the Leeward Islands. Constance was armed with 10 guns and had a crew of 75 men.[1] She was just out of Guadeloupe. However, she may have been the same Constance that Circe had earlier captured off the coast of Spain.[2]
The Admiralty registered her on 10 November and purchased her on 2 December.[3] The Admiralty named her Maria and she was commissioned under Lieutenant John Henderson.[3][4]
On 9 June Maria was in company with a small squadron that also included Galatea, Africaine, Circe, Hippomenes, and Amelia when they captured the brig Hiram.[5]
On 26 July 1807, His Majesty's schooners Maria and Grouper captured the schooner Atlantic.[6][Note 1]
On 2 August, Maria was in company with the sloop Pert when they captured the schooner Governor M'Kean.[8]
On 6 August, Maria was in company with Jason, Hart, and the schooner Tobago when they captured the Hercules.[9]
On 4 October, Maria was in company with Jason, Hart, and Pert when they captured the schooner Rebecca.[10][Note 2]
However the prize money for these vessels arrived in 1809, too late to be of much use to Maria's crew.
Maria foundered during a hurricane among the Leeward Islands on 16 October 1807. There were no survivors.[12]