British sloop 'Merlin' (1796)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
Devastation (6) 1841-1866
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Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
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(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
Mercury (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1745)
Seahorse (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
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Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
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Merlin			5378
Nominal Guns	16
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	24.1.1795
Keel Laid Down	6.1795
Launched	25.3.1796
How acquired	Built by Contract
Shipyard	Deptford - London
Ship Class	Merlin Class (1795)
Designed by	William RuleBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1778-1813
Constructor	John DudmanBritish Ship Builder Service 1750-1817
Category	Unrated
Ship Type	Sloop
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Broken Up	1.1803

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck106' 2"Imperial Feet32.3173
Length of Keel87' 7"Imperial Feet26.543
Breadth28' 2 ½"Imperial Feet8.5471
Depth in Hold13' 10"Imperial Feet3.9624
Draught Forward7' 5"Imperial Feet2.2606
Draught Aft11' 5"Imperial Feet3.4798
Burthen370 ⁶⁵⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

25.3.1796Broadside Weight = 81 Imperial Pound ( 36.7335 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck16 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 12-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
29.1.1795121Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1796 - 9.7.1798CommanderBWAS-17939.7.1798 - 8.1799CommanderBWAS-179327.8.1799 - 1800CommanderBWAS-17931800CommanderBWAS-17931801 - 1802CommanderBWAS-17931802 - 1.1803CommanderBWAS-1793

Service History

DateEventSource
6.1795Began building at Deptford - London BWAS-1793
25.3.1796Completed building at Deptford - London at a cost of £4824.0.0dBWAS-1793
25.3.1796Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
1.6.1796Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £1724.0.0dBWAS-1793
8.1796Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1793
27.9.1798

At St. George's Key, Honduras

TNC
2.9.1799Attack on Belize
1.1803Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

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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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