Naval Database

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Swan, 1767
Type: Sloop ; Armament 16
Launched : 1767 ; Disposal date or year : 1814
Notes:

1 Apr 1795 captured the French privateer Société on the Jamaica station.

12 Aug 1797 captured the Dutch privateer Goede Verwagting, sloop, 8 guns, 28 men, North Sea.

10 Sep 1800, Portsmouth, arrived the Swan, with the Commerce under convoy, from Halifax ; also the John, from New York, for Amsterdam, detained by the Swan.

May 1805 Portsmouth in Ordinary.

Portsmouth 30 Sep 1812 Arrived from the Downs.

Portsmouth 27 Jan 1813 Sailed for the Downs.


Swan, 1790
Type: Revenue cruiser ; Armament
Launched : ? ; Disposal date or year : Taken by the French circa 1797 and again in 1808, off Portland.
Notes:

NB These events may well cover more than one vessel.

The following appeared in the London Gazette : www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/13290/pages/160
That the following Night [11 Dec 1790] about Eight o'Clock, a Boat, belonging to the Swan Revenue Cutter, in the Service of the Customs, commanded by Joseph Goodridge, an Officer cf this Revenue, fell in with tbe said Lugger near Christ Church, which he immediately chased, and came up with, when the Crew of the Lugger ordered the Officer and his Men on Board, whom they forced below, and kept a Guard over them, whilst the Lugger proceeded to the Westward, and at Two o'Clock next Morning landed her Goods at Bourn Bottom, consisting of above 1000 Casks of Foreign Spirituous Liquors, some Tea and Tobacco. They then ordered the Officer and his Boat's Crew into their Boat, and dismissed them, after having plundered the Boat of Fire Arms and some of her Materials.
The above Lugger is about 160 Tons Burthen, mounting Fourteen or Sixteen Guns, Nine and Eighteen Pounders, and is commanded by a Man about Thirty Tears cf Age and full Six Feet high. The Crew in general were supposed to be Iriss, and between 60 and 70 in Number. One of the Crew, a Man belonging to Hastings, in the County of Kent, is well known to the Officers.

Feb 1793 captured the French privateer Europa in the Channel.

Feb 1793 captured the French privateer Marie Anne in the Channel.

Mar 1793 captured a French privateer, name unknown, off Start Point.

Mar 1793 captured the French privateer Malberses off Portland.

24 Feb 1797 captured the French privateer Aventure near the South Foreland.

2 Feb 1799, Anson, at Sea, captured, when in company with the Ethalion, Le Bayonnaise, French cutter privateer, of 14 guns, and 70 men, belonging to Dunkirk, a remarkable fine vessel, copper-bottomed. The capture of her gives me great satisfaction, as she has greatly annoyed the trade in the North Seas. I have the &c. P. C. Durham. It is understood that the Bayonnaise cutter was the late Swan revenue vessel.

9 Feb 1799, Plymouth, arrived the French privateer Bayonnaise cutter, 14, and 70 men, late Swan revenue vessel, captain Sanson, who was killed in an action about two years since with a French privateer off the Isle of Wight. She was re-captured in the Bay by the Anson and Ethalion frigates .

26 May 1800, Portsmouth, sailed the following revenue cutters on a secret service, viz. Repulse, Captain Mannings ; Greyhound, Captain Wilkinson ; Swan, Captain Ferris ; Rose, Captain Yeats ; Falcon, Chief Mate Warton ; Dolphin, Captain Johns ; and Swallow, Captain Amos."

1 Mar 1801 captured the French privateer Vengeur in the Channel.

29 Aug 1810 action off Alderney, with a French cutter, late British revenue-cutter Swan.

[NB It is patently obvious that the above would appear to refer to several revenue vessels of the same name, but I have no details regarding when they were in service.]


Swan, 1799
Type: Hired Cutter ; Armament 14
Hired : 1799 ; Disposal date or year : 1801
Notes:

25 Jul 1799, Plymouth, sailed the Childers sloop of war, and Swan cutter.

13 Aug-Oct 1799 employed on expedition to Holland.

15 Aug 1799, Plymouth, arrived the Swan, and Constitution, cutters, from a cruise.

28 Aug 1799 capture of the Dutch hulks Drotchterland and Brooderschap, and the ships Helder, Venus, Minerva, and Hector, in the New Diep, in Holland.

12 Sep 1799, Plymouth, arrived Prussian galliot Vrow Hillegunda with wines and brandies from Bourdeaux to Hamburg, sent in by the Swan cutter.

7 Dec 1799, Plymouth, arrived, from the Channel Fleet, with the Neptune, Russell, Ruby, Joseph cutter, and Plymouth, lugger.

16 Feb 1800, Plymouth, sailed the Swan and Fairy cutters, to join Adm. Sir A. Gardner off Brest.

26 Feb 1800 captured the Flying Mercarius.

28 Feb 1800, Plymouth, arrived the Flying Mercurius, from Bordeaux for Altona, detained and sent in by the Swan cutter.

5 Apr 1800, Plymouth, arrived from a cruise, the Plymouth lugger, Swan and Ranger cutters.

1 Mar 1801 captured the French privateer Vengeur in the Channel.

18 May 1801 the proceeds arising from the capture of the Uligeride Mercarius will be due for payment at Dartmouth, or on her next arrival there.

24 Feb 1802 prize money resulting from the capture of the Dutch hulks Drotchterland and Brooderschap, and the ships Helder, Venus, Minerva, and Hector due to be paid.

17 Nov-30 Dec 1802 prize money resulting from the expedition to Holland due for payment.