British Sixth Rate frigate 'Triton' (1773)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Pedro de Linze y BerasteguiSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1754-1769
Update
Galga (36) 1744-1784
Spanish 36 Gun
Privateer Frigate
Added
Lorenzo BeyenisSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1769
Update
Juan Agustin de IradySpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Guipuzcoano (64) 1778-1780
Spanish 64 Gun
Merchant Ship of the Line
Update
San Rafael (30) 1774-1780
Spanish 30 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Update
Luis ArburuSpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Fermín UrtizbereaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780
Update
San Carlos (32) 1772-1780
Spanish 32 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
See more...

Triton	7215
Nominal Guns	28	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	25.12.1770	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	2.1771	BWAS-1714
Launched	1.10.1773	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Buckler's Hard - Hampshire	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Mermaid Class (1760)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Henry AdamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1713-1805	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	1.1796	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck124' 1"Imperial Feet37.7963
Length of Keel103' 4 ⅝"Imperial Feet31.4103
Breadth33' 7"Imperial Feet10.1177
Depth in Hold11' 0"Imperial Feet3.3528
Burthen620 ²¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.10.1773Broadside Weight = 117 Imperial Pound ( 53.0598 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck24 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 3-Pounder

8.1779Broadside Weight = 171 Imperial Pound ( 77.5488 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck24 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 3-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade

2.1780Broadside Weight = 177 Imperial Pound ( 80.2698 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck24 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1760200Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
10.8.1775 - 7.11.1780Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/118BWAS-17145.12.1780 - 12.12.1780Captain ADM 6/22/305
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 28.6.1781ADM 6/2212.12.1780 - 21.10.1782Captain ADM 6/23/33BWAS-17141.12.1787 - 24.6.1790Captain ADM 6/23/439ADM 6/2324.6.1790 - 20.12.1793Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/44BWAS-171421.12.1793 - 17.4.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/292ADM 6/2411.4.1794 - 10.11.1795Captain ADM 6/25/29BWAS-1714

11 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
24.6.1790 - 21.8.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/44ADM 6/2418.10.1790 - 2.11.1790Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/243.11.1790 - 2.4.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/85ADM 6/2422.8.1791 - 28.8.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/129ADM 6/2429.8.1791 - 23.12.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/130ADM 6/2415.2.1792 - 16.9.1793Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/155ADM 6/2417.5.1793 - 13.1.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/239ADM 6/2414.1.1794 - 16.6.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/4ADM 6/2514.1.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/4ADM 6/256.2.1794 - 2.6.1794First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/25/11ADM 6/2517.6.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/50ADM 6/25

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
- bef.25.9.1794Surgeon Transferedref:1981

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
29.1.1791 - 1794Boy TransferedNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
1.10.1773building at Buckler's Hard - Hampshire at a cost of £9623.17.10dBWAS-1714
15.10.1773Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
4.11.1775Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £2132.14.11dBWAS-1714
16.3.1776Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
1777In the St LawrenceBWAS-1714
1778In the St LawrenceBWAS-1714
13.6.1778Took the Privateer
2.1779Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1779Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £3557.16.2dBWAS-1714
29.9.1779Took the Sloop
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas Convoy
16.1.1780Battle of Cape St. Vincent
5.1780Home from the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
5.1781Sailed to TobagoBWAS-1714
12.4.1782Battle of the Saintes
25.4.1782At St KittsBWAS-1714
21.10.1782

Paid off

BWAS-1714
3.1783Began great repair at Limehouse - London BWAS-1714
8.1784Completed great repair at Limehouse - London BWAS-1714
5.1790Began fitting at Deptford - London BWAS-1714
6.1790RecommissionedBWAS-1714
7.1790Completed fitting at Deptford - London at a cost of £3971.0.0dBWAS-1714
6.9.1791Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
8.3.1795Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
8.1795Returned home with a convoyBWAS-1714
10.11.1795Paid offADM 51
1.1796Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ADM 6/25 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ref:1981 Document

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Barbara C-P on Sunday 1st of September 2024 19:30

15 July 1790 Calcutta Gazette (page not noted) has a letter listing deserters from 22 vessels in previous seasons. Triton is listed with 6 men who left Oct.-Dec. 1788. Charles Key Bruce, Surgeon "left sick" in Bengal. Triton must have had at least one voyage to India during this time.

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement