British bomb vessel 'Tartarus' (1797)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
Sea-flower (4) 1714-1718
British 4 Gun
Merchant Sloop
Added
Charles BainsBritish
Ship Owner
Merchant Sailor
Service 1714-1718
Added
John ScottBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1798
Update
La Vengeance (20) 1797-1800
French 20 Gun
Privateer Unknown
Update
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Woodcot (Unknown) 1786-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Raymond (Unknown) 1782-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman (EIC Regular Ship)
Update
Cassandra (26) 1720-1723
Pirate 26 Gun
6th Rate Ship
Update
Cassandra (26) 1719-1720
British 26 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Added
Richard LazenbyBritish
Naval Sailor
Pirate
Service 1719-1723
See more...

Recent Comments

Devastation (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
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
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
Charles PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Shark (8) 1732-1755
British 8 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1732)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
See more...

Tartarus
Nominal Guns	10	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Purchased	4.1797	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Unknown	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Bomb Vessel	BWAS-1793
Foundered	20.12.1804	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck108' 9"Imperial Feet32.947
Length of Keel90' 7"Imperial Feet27.6098
Breadth29' 8"Imperial Feet8.8618
Depth in Hold9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Burthen424Tons BM

Armament

4.1797Broadside Weight = 190 Imperial Pound ( 86.165 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck4 British 68-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck2 British 10" Mortar
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
179767Design Complement

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
7.1797 - 10.1797CommanderBWAS-179310.1797 - 1803CommanderBWAS-17934.7.1803 - 6.1804Commander TransferedBWAS-17931.5.1804 - 6.1804CommanderBWAS-17936.1804 - 20.12.1804CommanderBWAS-1793

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
4.7.1803 - 1804LieutenantNBD1849

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
5.1804 - 20.12.1804MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
28.4.1797Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
9.9.1797Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
14.5.1798Operations against Ostend
6.1803Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1793
8.1803Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1793
20.12.1804Lost on Margate Sands in a gale, 1 drownedBWAS-1793

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
14.5.1798-20.5.1798	Raid on Ostend	Home Riggs PophamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1783-1820

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
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
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:26	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate frigate 'Seahorse' (1748) (24) 1748-1784 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement