HMSNiger(1759)
 HMSNigerhull plan
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | HMSNiger |
| Namesake | Niger River |
| Ordered | 19 September 1757 |
| Builder | Sheerness Dockyard |
| Laid down | 7 February 1758 |
| Launched | 25 September 1759 |
| Completed | By November 1759 |
| Renamed | HMSNegroin 1813 |
| Honours and awards | Naval General Service Medalwith clasp "Egypt"[1] |
| Fate | Sold for breaking up on 29 September 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Niger-classfifth ratefrigate |
| Tons burthen | 67967⁄94bm |
| Length | |
| Beam | 35 ft 2 in (10.72 m) |
| Depth of hold | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 220 |
| Armament |
|
HMSNigerwas a 32-gunNiger-classfifth ratefrigateof theRoyal Navy.
History
[edit]She was launched in 1759.[2]
In 1766, under the command ofSir Thomas Adams,Nigertravelled toNewfoundland and Labrador.[Note 1]Also on board wereConstantine Phipps,and the EnglishbotanistJoseph Banks.[4]The purpose of the journey was to transport a party of mariners toChateau Bay, Newfoundland and Labradorto build a fort, to continue strengthening relations withthe native population,and to survey some of the coast of Newfoundland.[2]
Banks collected many species of plants and animals during that journey, including many which were previously unknown or undescribed by Europeans.[5]In 1766 Banks metJames Cookbriefly inSt John's,through their mutual friend Thomas Adams. This meeting would lead to Banks joining Cook on hisfirst circumnavigationfrom 1769 to 1771.[6]
During theAmerican Revolutionary Warin 1776,Nigerbriefly engagedGurnet FortguardingPlymouth, Massachusetts,while searching forpatriotprivateers.Nigergrounded but was soon refloated.Plymouth Lightwas damaged, but there were no other casualties.[7][8]
On 14 March, 1778, under command of Captain Robert Lambert, she captured schooner Sukey off Monti Christi, Spanish Santo Domingo.[9]On 18 March She pursued and captured sloop Dove after she ran aground 2 or 3 miles off Monti Christi. Dove was refloated and sent to Jamaica. On 19 March she captured French brig St. Joseph 4 or 5 leagues off Monti Christi.[10]On 1 April, 1778 she captured schooners Angelina and Adventure.[11]
BecauseNigerserved in the navy's Egyptian campaign (8 March to 8 September 1801), her officers and crew qualified for the clasp "Egypt" to the Naval General Service Medal that theAdmiraltyissued in 1847 to all surviving claimants.[Note 2]
On 21 May 1806Nigerwas in company with thebomb vesselThunderand the brigDexterouswhen they detainedTrende Damen(Three Ladies).[13]
Fate
[edit]The Navy convertedNigerto aprison hospital shipin May 1809, and renamed herNegroin 1813. She was sold in 1814.
Notes
[edit]- ^Sir Thomas Adams wasNiger's captain from March 1763 until 1767. His father, Sir Robert Adams, was aLondonsolicitor, his mother's name was Diana. Sir Thomas was baptized inSt Pancras Church,London on 17 February 1738.[3]He inherited a baronetcy on the death of his father, but died without issue in April 1770.[citation needed]
- ^A first-class share of the prize money awarded in April 1823 was worth£34 2s4d;a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 3s 11½d. The amount was small as the total had to be shared between 79 vessels and the entire army contingent.[12]
Citations
[edit]- ^"No. 21077".The London Gazette.15 March 1850. pp. 791–792.
- ^abLysaght, p. 37
- ^Lysaght, p. 63
- ^Lysaght, pp. 37 & 41.
- ^Lysaght, p. 38
- ^Lysaght, p. 41
- ^"Massachusetts - Fort Andrew and Gurnet Fort".American Forts Network.Retrieved16 June2020.
- ^The Gurnetby Charles W.E. Morris at Pilgrimhall.org
- ^"Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 AMERICAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778"(PDF).U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio.Retrieved23 January2024.
- ^"Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 AMERICAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778"(PDF).U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio.Retrieved29 January2024.
- ^"Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 AMERICAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778"(PDF).U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio.Retrieved6 February2024.
- ^"No. 17915".The London Gazette.3 April 1823. p. 633.
- ^"No. 16390".The London Gazette.24 July 1810. p. 1104.
References
[edit]- Lysaght, A. M. (1971).Joseph Banks in Newfoundland and Labrador, 1766; his diary, manuscripts, and collections.Berkeley, University of California Press.
- Winfield, Rif (2007).British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.London: Seaforth.ISBN978-1-84415-700-6.