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Sylph

6540
Nominal Guns16BWAS-1793
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered13.7.1795BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down7.1795BWAS-1793
Launched3.9.1795BWAS-1793
How acquiredBuilt by ContractBWAS-1793
ShipyardDeptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards BWAS-1793
Ship ClassAlbatross Class (1795)BWAS-1793
Designed by
Sir John HenslowBritish
Designer
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1761-1805
BWAS-1793
Constructor
Frances BarnardBritish
Ship Builder
Service 1786-1813
BWAS-1793
CategoryUnratedBWAS-1793
Ship TypeSloopBWAS-1793
Sailing RigBrigBWAS-1793
Broken Up4.1811BWAS-1793

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck96' 2"Imperial Feet29.2693 
Length of Keel73' 10 ½"Imperial Feet22.2631 
Breadth30' 8"Imperial Feet9.3472 
Depth in Hold12' 9"Imperial Feet3.7719 
Draught Forward5' 9"Imperial Feet1.7526 
Draught Aft10' 6"Imperial Feet3.2004 
Burthen369 5294Tons BM 

Armament


3.9.1795Broadside Weight = 262 Imperial Pound ( 118.817 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck16 British 32-Pound Carronade
Bow Chaser2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
22.4.1795121Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
28.8.1795 - 2.8.1799Commander
John Chambers WhiteBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1845
BWAS-1793
2.8.1799 - 1801Commander
Charles DashwoodBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1815
DAR-1837
2.8.1799 - 2.11.1801Commander
Charles DashwoodBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1815
BWAS-1793
2.11.1801 - 11.1805Commander
William GoateBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1814
BWAS-1793

2 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
29.5.1797 - 1797Lieutenant
George BarnardBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1840
NBD1849
17.3.1800 - 6.6.1803First Lieutenant
Samuel BurgessBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1830
NBD1849

2 Warrant Officers


DatesRankNameSource
16.10.1795 - 8.4.1797Master
David DonaldsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1795-1807
ADM 29-1
9.4.1797 - 13.8.1798Master
John William TrotterBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1797-1813
ADM 196/1/147
ADM 29-1

2 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
1797 - 28.11.1798Midshipman
James AtwaterBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1834
NBD1849
10.1799 - 7.1801Midshipman
James AtwaterBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1834
NBD1849

Service History


DateEventSource
7.1795Began building at Deptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards BWAS-1793
29.8.1795Completed building at Deptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards at a cost of £5322.0.0dBWAS-1793
3.9.1795Began coppering at Deptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards BWAS-1793
10.9.1795Completed coppering at Deptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards at a cost of £513.0.0dBWAS-1793
10.9.1795Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
23.9.1795Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3770.0.0dBWAS-1793
12.5.1796Took the Cutter
Mercuur (24) 1782-1796
Dutch 24 Gun
6th Rate Cutter
off the Texel

22.8.1796Destruction of the Andromaque
9.1796Took the Cutter
Le Phoenix (4) 1796-1796
French 4 Gun
Privateer Cutter
in the Channel

16.7.1797Destruction of the Calliope
11.8.1797Action of 1797-08-11
5.4.1798Took the Chasse-Maree
La Sainte Famille (Unknown) 1798-1798
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Chasse-Maree

28.3.1799

Arrived at Plymouth

TNC
9.4.1799

Arrived at Plymouth

TNC
24.5.1799Took the Packet
Golondrina (Unknown) 1799-1799
Spanish Unknown Gun
Unrated Packet
off Corunna

2.7.1799Attack on Aix Roads
17.11.1799Took the Lugger
La Fouine (8) 1799-1799
French 8 Gun
Unrated Lugger
off Brest

31.7.1801Actiion of 1801-07-31
31.7.1801Action of 28th September 1801
11.1805Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
4.1811Broken up at PortsmouthBWAS-1793

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 25th of July 2026 13:50

Prize Money: Sylph – Will be paid on board at Plymouth, the 13th inst, the salvage of the Polly. Recall, Mr Edmund Lockyer, Plymouth. [Hampshire Telegraph, 11 November 1799]


Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 20th of July 2026 09:44

Prize Money: Sylph – A distribution will be made for the capture of l’Amite, Thalie, Calliope, Anna Catharina, and Admiralitat, on board, on her arrival in port. [Portsmouth Telegraph, 3 August 1801] 3D


Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 12th of July 2026 18:30

Prize Money: The crew of the sloop the crew of the sloop Sylph, for the capture of the French sloop Le Dragon, will be paid on board the Sylph, at Plymouth the 20th inst. [Hampshire Chronicle, 23 March 1801]


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