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Castor, 1785
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 32
Launched : 1785 ;
Disposal date or year : 1819
Displacement : 681 tons (BM)
Complement : 217
Notes:
Jun 1793 Castor and Mermaid captured a French privateer, Name unknown, on the Mediterranean station.
8 May 1794 Captured by Admiral Nielly's squadron, off Cape Clear ; Captain Thos. Troubridge. On the 19 May M. Villaret was joined by the Patriote from M. Nielly's squadron, with information that he had been so lucky as to fall in with and capture the Castor, along with the chief part of a convoy from Newfoundland, which the frigate had in charge.
29 May 1794 28-gun frigate Carysfort, Captain Francis Laforey, fell in with and recaptured the French (late British) 32-gun frigate Castor, Captain L'Huillier, along with some of her former crew. This capture brought about the famous legal case in the High Court of Admiralty as to whether the Admiralty was liable to pay for the prize, she not having visited a French port since being captured.
5 Oct 1795, a squadron under Rear-admiral Mann, including the Castor, sailed from San-Fiorenzo in pursuit of a French squadron returning from Toulon to Brest ; but too late !
Oct 1796 in harbour at Plymouth, used in the attempt to raise the Amphion, which had blown-up in the harbour.
26 Dec 1799 captured the Spanish privateer Sta. Levirata y Aninimas, 2 guns, 38 men, off Oporto.
2 May 1800 a court martial was held on board the Gladiator, on a seaman, John M'Kenny, of the Castor, for striking the Boatswain's Mate. As the charge was not proven he was acquitted.
May 1805 Sheerness
12-17 Apr 1809 a part of a British squadron, off the Saintes, West Indies, which chased a French squadron, and captured the French 74-gun d'Haupoult of 1871 tons, and, under the name of Abercromby, cruised for three or four years in the British service.
15 Dec 1809 sailed from Basse-terre, Guadeloupe, with a small squadron in search of a French sqadron reported to be in the area. In subsequent days was joined by 2 sloops and 2 frigates.
17 Dec 1809 the French ships Loire and Seine were sighted and anchored under a shore battery in a cove at Arise la Basque, where the British squadron was joined by the Sceptre, 74. The French ships were subsequently engaged and destroyed on the 18th.
9 Feb 1810 a part of a British squadron at Basse-terre which discovered the French frigate Néréide off the port and proceeded in chase.
14 Jan 1814 Captured l'Heureux.
Portsmouth 17 Jun 1812 Arrived from Jamaica.
Portsmouth 14 Oct 1812 Sailed for Gibraltar, with specie.
Lymington 21 Oct 1812 Sailed for the Cape of Good Hope.
Torbay 27 Oct 1812 Arrived from Portsmouth, and remains with several brigs, coasters, &c., bound to the westward.
Torbay 28 Oct 1812 Sailed on a cruise.
22 Jun 1813 captured the French privateer Fortune off Catalonia.
22 Jan 1814 captured French privateer Le Minuit ; account of head-money deposited at the High Court of Admiralty, on or before the 10th of September 1832.
25 Jan 1814 captured the French privateers Heureux and Minuit off Barcelona.
Minorca 7 Aug 1814 Assisting in the clearance of English property.
Gibraltar 13 Jan 1815 Remains.
Portsmouth 24 Jun 1815 Sailed to Ostend, for sick, wounded and prisoners.
Deal 25 Jun 1815 Arrived from Portsmouth.
Deal 26 Jun 1815 Embarked French prisoners of war and sailed to Portsmouth.
Portsmouth 28 Jun 1815 Sailed with French prisoners bound for Plymouth.
22 May 1830 Prize money due on the capture of l'Heureux in 1814, now payable.