British sloop 'Hornet' (1747)

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Hornet

20530
Nominal Guns10BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Previously
French snow 'Le Hornet' (1747) (10) 1747-1747
French 10 Gun
Unrated Snow
Captured10.1747BWAS-1714
First Commissioned11.12.1747BWAS-1714
ShipyardWest Itchenor - Chichester BWAS-1714
CategoryUnratedBWAS-1714
Ship TypeSloopBWAS-1714
Sailing RigSnowBWAS-1714
Sold3.4.1770BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 0 ½"Imperial Feet27.7495 
Length of Keel73' 9"Imperial Feet22.3266 
Breadth26' 4 ½"Imperial Feet7.9375 
Depth in Hold12' 2"Imperial Feet3.683 
Burthen272 43⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


10.1747Broadside 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
11.12.1747 - 26.3.1753Commander
John HollwallBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1771
ADM 6/17/295BWAS-171428.1.1755 - 3.5.1758Commander
Sampson SaltBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1733-1759
ADM 6/18/125BWAS-17143.5.1758 - 17.12.1759Commander
Charles NapierBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1783
Transfered ADM 6/19/89
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 28.8.1759BWAS-17146.2.1760 - 11.8.1762Commander
George JohnstonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1787
ADM 6/19/134BWAS-171411.8.1762 - 1.6.1763Commander
Jeremiah MorganBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1768
ADM 6/19/429BWAS-17143.6.1763 - 5.3.1768Commander
Jeremiah MorganBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1768
ADM 6/19/504ADM 6/1926.5.1768Commander
Edward MedowsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1756-1793
ADM 6/20/204ADM 6/20

2 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
20.4.1750 - bef.24.5.1752Lieutenant
James John PurcellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1732-1752
ADM 6/18/72
Issued by
The Hon. Edward BoscawenBritish
Naval Sailor
Ship Owner
Administrator
Marine
Service 1726-1759
, East Indies - Asia
Confirmed 27.6.1753ADM 6/1825.5.1752 - 26.3.1753Acting Lieutenant
John DrummondBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1717-1760
ADM 107/4/259ADM 107/4

2 Warrant Officers


DatesRankNameSource
23.2.1748 - 24.5.1752Master
John DrummondBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1717-1760
ADM 107/4/259ADM 107/41760Master
John McLaurinBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1759-1782
ref:889

2 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
19.7.1750 - 2.12.1751Midshipman
William WilkinsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1755
ADM 107/4/260ADM 107/425.5.1752 - 26.3.1753Midshipman
John CrewsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1762
ADM 107/4/261ADM 107/4

1 Crewman


DatesRatingNameSource
14.4.1749 - 18.7.1750Able Seaman
William WilkinsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1755
ADM 107/4/260ADM 107/4

Service History


DateEventSource
6.11.1747

Surveyed at Plymouth

BWAS-1714
12.1747Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
4.1748Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1372.0.0dBWAS-1714
1750In the Carolinas and BahamasBWAS-1714
1751In the Carolinas and BahamasBWAS-1714
3.1750/51Sheathed in CarolinaBWAS-1714
1752In the Carolinas and BahamasBWAS-1714
26.3.1753

Paid off at Portsmouth Dockyard

ADM 33
15.5.1753SurveyedBWAS-1714
10.1754Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1755Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3353.15.1dBWAS-1714
22.4.1755Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
1756In North AmericaBWAS-1714
3.1757Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
10.1759Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
12.10.1759SurveyedBWAS-1714
12.1759Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £1810.8.5dBWAS-1714
1760In the ChannelBWAS-1714
8.1.1761Took the Snow
Le Chevalier d'Artesay (8) 1756-1761
French 8 Gun
Privateer Snow
off Granville and brought into PlymouthBG
15.1.1761Took the Privateer
La Société (6) 1760-1761
French 6 Gun
Privateer Unknown
and carried to LisbonBG
1.6.1763

Paid off

ADM 33
1.8.1763Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
5.3.1768

Paid off

BWAS-1714
14.7.1768SurveyedBWAS-1714
15.2.1770SurveyedBWAS-1714
31.3.1770Paid offADM 33
3.4.1770Sold at Chatham for £190BWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 26th of May 2026 12:25

London, 3 December 1751: The Lords of the Admiralty have put into commission the Spy and Hornet sloops and the Joseph and Matilda tenders, in order to be manned and victualled to cruise against the smugglers. [Kentish Post, 7 December 1751]

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