British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 4' (1797)

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Gunboat No. 4 ➡ 1797 Assault
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	7.2.1797	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	2.1797	BWAS-1793
Launched	10.4.1797	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Acute Class (1797)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir John HenslowBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1761-1801	BWAS-1793
Constructor	John RandallBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1780-1802	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Gunboat	BWAS-1793
Sold	6.6.1827	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck75' 0"Imperial Feet22.86
Length of Keel61' 7 ⅝"Imperial Feet18.6087
Breadth22' 0"Imperial Feet6.7056
Depth in Hold7' 11 ¼"Imperial Feet2.14
Draught Forward3' 6"Imperial Feet1.0668
Draught Aft6' 0"Imperial Feet1.8288
Burthen158 ⁶³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.4.1797Broadside Weight = 132 Imperial Pound ( 59.862 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck12 British 18-Pound Carronade
Bow Chaser2 British 24-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
2.179750Design Complement

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1797 - 1798LieutenantBWAS-179312.1798 - 4.1802LieutenantBWAS-17938.1803 - 7.1807LieutenantBWAS-1793

Service History

DateEventSource
10.4.1797Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
12.5.1797Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
7.8.1797Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated Gun-brig
7.8.1797Renamed AssaultBWAS-1793
1.1799Began coppering at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
5.1799Completed coppering at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
4.1802Paid offBWAS-1793
8.1803RecommissionedBWAS-1793
7.1807Paid off and used as a dockyard lighterBWAS-1793
1816Laid upBWAS-1793
1817In use as a lighterBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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