Alceste, 1806
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 46
Taken : 25 Sep 1806 ; Disposal date or year : 18 Feb 1817
Disposal Details : Wrecked off island of Pulo-Leat, China Sea: crew saved. Captain Murray Maxwell, C.B
BM: 1101 tons
Notes:

25 Sep 1806 Captured by the Monarch, a part of the British squadron under Commodore Sir Samuel Hood, off Rochefort.

24 Dec 1807 occupation of the island of Madeira.

4 Apr 1808 with a small squadron, the frigate Mercury, and brig Grasshopper, including the ship's boats, involved in an attack on a Spanish convoy abreast of the town of Rota.

21 Oct 1809 Pomone and Alceste, a part of the Mediterranean fleet off Toulon, having observed a small French squadron, with a convoy sail from the port for Barcelona, sailed for the coast of Catalonia to inform Lord Collingwood.

22-25 May 1810 having chased a number of French vessels into the bay of Agaye, near the gulf of Fréjus, and destroyed a shore installation, by deception induced the convoy to sail again and in the process captured four feluccas using the ship's boats.

4-5 May 1811 the frigates Belle-Poule and Alceste chased and destroyed a French man-of-war brig in the harbour of Parenza.

28 Nov 1811 leaving the ship Acorn to assist in the defence of the port, the frigates Alceste, Active, and Unité sailed from Lissa in pursuit of a French frigate squadron, and following a chase captured the Pomone and the Persanne, laden with military stores etc.

Portsmouth, Aug 29 1814 Sailed for Plymouth.

Plymouth Sep 1 1814 Arrived from Portsmouth.

Plymouth Sep 18 1814 Sailed as part of a squadron, probably for Bermuda, with several army regiments.

Alceste 14 Dec 1814 distribution of head-money arising from the capture of American gun-boats and sundry bales of cotton, [per London Gazette of 26 Jun 1821].

Portsmouth May 17 1815 Arrived from the coast of America.

Plymouth Aug 26 1815 Arrived

Plymouth Sep 2 1815 Sailed to the Eastward.

9 Feb 1816 sailed from Spithead, with the Lyra, for the Far East with Lord Amherst on a diplomatic mission to China. See p. 231 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

21 May 1816 Is reported to have arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 26th February, bound for China.

2 Nov 1816 anchored off the island of Lin-tin. Problems proceeding up the Canton River. Lord Amherst re-embarked. See p. 232 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

9 Jan 1817 sailed from China for England, via Manilla.

3 Feb 1817 arrived Manilla and sailed on the 9th inst.

18 Feb 1817 Report of the loss of the Alceste on a reef off the island of Pulo Leat. [Somewhat unfortunate that when we were anchored off Pulo Leat in 1960 and 1970 I was unaware of the loss of the frigate, but did find wonderful sailing conditions, and gorgeous beaches for a matelot's banyan : probably something like a modern day BBQ.]

2 Sep 1817 Following the recent loss of the ship in the China Seas the crew (who have recently been accommodated on board the Royal Charlotte), were paid off on Friday. Several of her midshipmen have been appointed to the Glasgow.