Jump to content

French brigRonco(1808)

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other ships with the same name, seeHMS TuscanandTuscan (ship).

Ronco
History
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameRonco
NamesakeRonco (river)
BuilderVenice
Laid downJune 1807
LaunchedApril 1808
Captured2 May 1808
United Kingdom
NameTuscan
Acquired2 May 1808 by capture
Honours and
awards		Naval General Service Medalwith clasp "1 Nov. Boat Service 1809"
FateSold 29 January 1818
United Kingdom
NameTuscan
Owner
  • Thomas Pittman
  • Alexander & George Birnie
Acquired29 January 1818 by purchase
FateCondemned 1840; sold at public auction on 6 April 1840
General characteristics[1][2]
Displacement360 tons
Tons burthen3343⁄94or 380[3][4](bm)
Length
  • 97 ft 7 in (29.7 m) (overall)
  • 76 ft 5 in (23.3 m) (keel)
Beam28 ft 8 in (8.7 m)
Draught3.55 m (11.6 ft) (unloaded)
Depth of hold4.38 m (14.4 ft)
Sail planBrig
Complement
  • French service:112
  • British service:100
Armament
  • French service: 14 × 24-poundercarronades+ 2 × 6 or 12-pounderchase guns
  • British service: 14 × 24-pounder carronades + 2 × 9-pounder chase guns

Roncowas a FrenchIllyrienorFriedland-classbrigbuilt at Venice and launched in April 1808.HMSUnitecaptured her less than two months later. TheRoyal Navytook her into service as HMSTuscan.She served in the Mediterranean and participated in one action that earned her crew a Naval General Service Medal. She was first offered for sale in 1816 and sold in 1818. At that time mercantile interests purchased her and she became awhaler,making six voyages before being condemned as no longer seaworthy in March 1840 and sold in April during her seventh voyage.

Capture

[edit]

UniteencounteredRoncoat daybreak on 2 May 1808 some seven or eight miles NW of Cape Promontore,Istria.Roncofired several broadsides that cut upUnite's sails and rigging, and then surrendered. Captain Campbell ofUnitedescribedRoncoas being armed with sixteen 32-pounder carronades, and "only Two Months off the Stocks, measures about Four Hundred Tons, extremely well found, and in my Opinion, very fit for His Majesty's Service."[5]Roncohad barelystruckwhenUnitesighted a frigate and a schooner to windward.Uniteimmediately gave chase, but her quarry escaped intoPola.[5]The Royal Navy heeded Campbell and tookRoncointo service as HMSTuscan.

HMSTuscan

[edit]

Tuscanwas commissioned in August 1808 in the Mediterranean under Commander John Gourley (acting). One month later Commander John Wilson replaced Gourly.[2]

Between 30 October and 1 NovemberTuscanwas part of AdmiralBenjamin Hallowell'ssquadron at the Bay ofRosas.On 30 October, boats fromTuscanjoined with boats fromHMSTigre,Cumberland,Volontaire,Apollo,Topaze,Philomel,andScoutin a cutting out attack after a squadron off the south of France chased an enemy convoy into the Bay of Rosas in theBattle of Maguelone.[6]The convoy had lost its escorting ships of the line,RobusteandLion,which had run aground nearFrontignanand been scuttled by their crew. Still an armed storeship of 18 guns, two bombards, and axebecprotected the convoy. Some of the British boats took heavy casualties in the clash, butTuscanhad only one officer slightly wounded, and one seaman dangerously wounded. By the following morning the British had accounted for all eleven vessels in the bay, burning those they did not bring out.[7]In January 1813, prize money was awarded to the British vessels that took part in the action for the capture of the ships of warGrondeurandNormande,and of the transportsDragonandIndien.A court declaredInvinciblea joint captor. Head money was also paid for theGrondeurandNormandeand for the destruction ofLamproieandVictoire.[8]In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "1 Nov. Boat Service 1809" to all surviving claimants from the action.

In December 1810 Commander George Matthew Jones replaced Wilson. However, in January 1811, Lieutenant Phillips (acting) took temporary command. Jones returned to command by February, holding it until through 1812.[2]

In 1811Tuscansupported the British Army in Spain, especially in the efforts to break the siege of Cadiz by landing troops to attack the French atIsla de León.In 20 February a naval force of warships and transports under the command of CaptainEdwin BraceHMSSt Albansweighed anchor. The 7000 troops Lieutenant-GeneralThomas Grahamlanded atAlgecirasand marched toTariffa.There the transports the artillery and military stores in heavy surf. Subsequently, Graham participated in theBattle of Barrossa.The Royal Navy ships involved, in addition toSt Alban'sandTuscan,includedDruid,Comus,Sabine,Ephira,SteadyandRebuff.[9]

In October, a French force was pressing on Spanish GeneralFrancisco Ballesterosin the vicinity ofSan Roque, Cádiz.Ballasteros asked for assistance. Rear-AdmiralLegge,the commander of the British fleet at Cadiz, dispatched a force on 11 October toTariffato come to his assistance.Stately,ColumbineandTuscancarried eight companies each from the47thand87thregiments of foot, a detachment of 70 men from the95th Regiment,and four light artillery pieces. The troops landed on 18 October and the next day the French advanced along the coast. Fire fromTuscan,Stately's boats, and Gunboat 14 sent them into retreat.[10]

When theWar of 1812broke out, the British captured several American ships in the Mediterranean.Tuscanshared withSan Juan,Sabine,Lavinia,Hindostan,andHyacinthin the AmericandroitsforPhoenix,Margaret,AlleganyandTyger,captured on 8 August 1812.[11][a]

Tuscanarrived at Portsmouth on 11 October, having convoyed transports from Gibraltar.[13]

In May 1813, Jones recommissionedTuscan,which returned to the Mediterranean.Tuscanshared withPomoneand some other British vessels in the salvage for the recapture two Spanish vesselsEl Correv Diligente de CarraccasandNostra Senora de los Desemperadoson 26 May.[14][b]

On 6 or 8 July 1815 a privateer of one gun and 20 men came into Genoa.Tuscanhad captured her off Elba,[16]of 3 July.[c]

Tuscanarrived at Portsmouth on 29 November from the west.[13]

Disposal:The Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy offered the "Tuscan brig, of 334 tons", lying at Plymouth for sale on 28 August 1816.[19]However, she did not sell. Still, though inordinaryat Plymouth,Tuscanwas able to be of some use. On 8 November 1817 the port authorities moored her to serve as a breakwater sheltering workmen building a new pier.[13]Finally, after numerous unsuccessful listings,Tuscansold on 29 January 1818 Thomas Pittman for £800.[2]

Whaler

[edit]

Tuscanbecame a whaling ship, making her first of seven whaling voyages in 1819. Her owners were Alexander & George Birnie.[4]Tuscanfirst appears in theRegister of Shippingin 1819 with C. Colman, master, and "Burnie", owner.[3]

Captain Coleman sailedTuscanon her first whaling voyage, leaving England on 5 October 1819.[4]In May 1820 she was atPort Jackson.There she loaded the oil that the whalerMarthahad gathered beforeMarthawas condemned as unseaworthy.Tuscancarried the cargo back to England.

For her second whaling voyage,Tuscanleft London on 7 May 1821 and was at Portsmouth on 18 May.[4]She was under the command of Francis Stavers and bound for Timor. She sailed in company withZephyrandEarl Morley.She arrive at Tahiti on 25 September and stayed into October 1821.[4]She brought with her as passengers the Rev. Mr. Tyerman, and Mr. George Bennett, whom the directors of theLondon Missionary Societyhad deputed to visit the islands, as well as the new missionary, the Rev. Mr. Jones, and Messrs. Armitage and Blossom, artisans, and their wives.[20]She revisited Tahiti on 22 April 1822. She visited Honolulu and by 1823 had 1500 barrels of sperm oil. On 2 June 1823 she was at Mauritius with about 200 tons of oil. Later she was reported off Madagascar with 200 tons of sperm oil leaking, otherwise she would be full.Tuscanarrived back in Britain on 20 October 1823 with 420 casks.[4]

Thomas Reed Stavers wasTuscan's captain for her third, and three subsequent whaling voyage. She left Britain on 17 January 1824, bound for theSandwich Islands.She was at Tahiti from February to March 1826, and at Honolulu 18 to 20 May 1826. She was reported atMoweeand at Honolulu with 2200 barrels.Tuscanreturned to Britain on 7 May 1827.[4]

Stavers andTuscanleft Britain on 16 September 1827 on her fourth whaling voyage. She was at Madeira on 27 September 1827. She was then at Honolulu on 5 November 1828 and at Tahiti in December 1828. She returned to Honolulu from 9 to 13 May 1829 and was there again on 1 October 1829 with 2150 barrels.Tuscanreturned to Britain on 20 April 1830 2ith 520 casks of oil.[4]

Tuscanleft Britain on her fifth whaling voyage on 5 September 1830. She was at Tahiti in March 1831. She sailed to Honolulu from Tahiti and Maui, arriving 29 April 1831. She was at Honolulu on 24 September 1831 with 110 barrels. However she left Maui on 9 May 1832 with 1400 barrels. From MauiTuscanwas at Honolulu between 27 October to 14 November 1832, with 1850 barrels. Stavers andTuscanreturned to Britain on 11 June 1833.[4]

Stavers andTuscanleft Britain on her sixth whaling voyage on 17 October 1833. She was at Tahiti 22 to 26 March 1834 with 60 barrels. She was then at Honolulu 16 May 1834 from Tahiti with 60 barrels. She visited Pitcairn Island on 8 March 1834. She then returned to Oahu where she stopped from 7 to 20 October 1834 with 500 barrels. On 8 April 1835 she had built up her catch to 800 barrels. From 5 October to 3 November she was at Honolulu with 1700 barrels, being repaired. She was at Tahiti 11 March 1836. She reachedSt Helenaby 26 September, bound for London with 1950 barrels.[4]

Tuscan,Watson, master, left Britain in 1837. she was reported to have been at Tahiti from 24 February to 20 March 1838 with sperm oil. By 22 March she was reported to have gathered 850 barrels. She was reported to have been at Oahu from 14 to 21 October 1838, still with 850 barrels. She visited Maui and Lahaina but without catching anything. She was at Honolulu 2 to 22 September 1839 and reported that although she had been out 29 months, she had taken only 200 barrels in the preceding 12 months and 100 in the season. All whalers reported having done poorly. After 36 months out she was at New Zealand, with 1300 barrels.[4]

Fate

[edit]

On 29 February 1840 there was a violent gale in theBay of Islands.[21]Tuscanarrived there on 8 March, much battered by heavy gales.[22]One report gave the name of her master as "White".[23]On 24 March she was still there, with 1,300 barrels of sperm oil.[24]

Tuscanwas condemned at theBay of Islandsin late March or early April 1840 as no longer seaworthy. She was sold at public auction on 6 April.[25]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^In May 1816 there was distribution to the sharing vessels of their portions of two-thirds of the first three American vessels and nine-tenths ofTyger.A first-class share was worth£120 16s0+1⁄2d;a sixth-class share was worth £1 19s9+1⁄4d.[12]
  2. ^A first-class share of the prize money was worth£4 0s8+3⁄4d;a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 7d.[15]
  3. ^The proceeds for the vessel itself were paid in October 1832. A first-class share was worth £31 6s10+1⁄2d; a sixth-class share was worth 10s2+1⁄4d.[17]Head money was paid in February 1833. A first-class share was worth £43 6s 3d; a sixth-class share was worth 14s 1d. Unusually, the notice has the number of each class of shares issued, providing a breakdown of the structure of the crew.[18]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^Winfield & Roberts (2015),p. 219.
  2. ^abcdWinfield (2008),p. 319.
  3. ^abRegister of Shipping(1819), Seq. No. T477.
  4. ^abcdefghijk— British Southern Whale Fishery Voyages:Tuscan.
  5. ^ab"No. 16163".The London Gazette.16 July 1808. p. 995.
  6. ^Troude, Onésime-Joachim(1867).Batailles navales de la France(in French). Vol. 4. Challamel ainé. pp. 56–58.
  7. ^"No. 16319".The London Gazette.29 November 1809. pp. 1602–1604.
  8. ^"No. 16698".The London Gazette.26 January 1813. p. 208.
  9. ^Naval Chronicle,Vol. 25, p.339.
  10. ^"No. 16527".The London Gazette.2 November 1811. p. 2117.
  11. ^"No. 17133".The London Gazette.4 May 1816. p. 829.
  12. ^"No. 17136".The London Gazette.14 May 1816. p. 911.
  13. ^abcPaul Benyon,The Naval Database: HMS Tuscan,[1]Archived24 September 2015 at theWayback Machine- accessed 22 February 2015.
  14. ^"No. 17687".The London Gazette.10 March 1821. p. 587.
  15. ^"No. 17718".The London Gazette.23 June 1821. p. 1332.
  16. ^Lloyd's List,no.4992,[2]-accessed 21 February 2015.
  17. ^"No. 18981".The London Gazette.2 October 1832. p. 2192.
  18. ^"No. 19023".The London Gazette.19 February 1833. p. 351.
  19. ^"No. 17163".The London Gazette.13 August 1816. p. 1577.
  20. ^Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle,Vol. 30, July 1822, p.289.
  21. ^The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle for 1845,p.706.
  22. ^The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China, and Australia,(September 1840), p.83. (Parbury, Allen, and Company).
  23. ^White Wings Vol II. Founding Of The Provinces And Old-Time Shipping. Passenger Ships From 1840 To 1885.
  24. ^The New Zealand Journal,Saturday, 1 August (1840).
  25. ^The Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser(NSW: 1838 - 1841), Wed 6 May 1840, p.2, Shipping List, Bay of Islands, New Zealand, 6 April 1840.

References

[edit]
  • Winfield, Rif (2008).British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.Seaforth Publishing.ISBN978-1-86176-246-7.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015).French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates.Seaforth Publishing.ISBN978-1-84832-204-2.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_brig_Ronco_(1808)&oldid=1223436524"