British sloop 'Swift' (1783)

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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)
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(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
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Merchant East Indiaman
(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
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(1748)
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Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
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(1746)
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Swift
Nominal Guns	16	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Purchased	1783	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Unknown	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Brig	BWAS-1714
Sold	13.5.1784	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck75' 6"Imperial Feet22.8905
Length of Keel62' 4"Imperial Feet18.9484
Breadth20' 10"Imperial Feet6.096
Depth in Hold7' 9"Imperial Feet2.3622
Burthen143 ⁸⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1783Broadside Weight = 12 Imperial Pound ( 5.442 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck6 British 4-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
178335 BWAS-1714

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
3.1783 - 1784LieutenantBWAS-17141784 - 3.1784LieutenantBWAS-1714

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
10.12.1783 - 11.3.1784MasterADM 29-1

Service History

DateEventSource
1783Purchased in the West IndiesBWAS-1714
3.1783Paid offBWAS-1714
3.1783coppering at Antigua - Leeward Islands BWAS-1714
22.7.1783Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
12.1783Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £1351.5.7dBWAS-1714
13.5.1784Sold at Deptford for £555BWAS-1714

Notes on Ship

OriginBWAS-1714
Mercantile Le Dauphin

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 29-1 Document

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by COUVRAT on Tuesday 16th of December 2025 21:19

I am currently building a model of the HMS Swift at a 1:24 scale.and I believe this ship was clinker-built based on the shape of the bow.

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Recent comments to other pages

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"
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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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