gun frigate royal_navy built french_navy class frigate french squadron anchored roads spring engaged hms lord duel ships ran aground having spotted french reinforcements arriving managed free ship september captured british march brought royal_navy service continued serve napoleonic wars november led british squadron captured french military convoy bound possibly changed course war converted transport british soldiers north_america war following treaty vienna chosen carry lord diplomatic mission china return journey reef evacuation passengers crew plundered burned pirates construction armament built french_navy class pounder gun frigate design built construction starting launched september finished november feet inches feet beam depth hold feet inches capacity tons fitted carried pounders main battery fourteen pounders quarter deck forecastle pounders long guns pounders french service april commanded formed squadron french squadron comprised ship line frigates smaller vessels anchored shore batteries april hms arrived command sent sir count enemy ships island ordered weigh anchor meet british frigate french approached discharged guns small engagement followed ships incurred damage spotted frigate hms isis gun hazard cutter decided seek shelter beneath island guns british left returned gun ship sloop unfavourable winds large frigates caused british withdraw sighted ordered chase ordered sail hope catching escape hurry leave attempted draw backing range fired enemy bringing main yard smaller vessels making pursuit come fired closed intention boarding moment hit crashed force guns positions devastating broadside ships badly damaged collision drawing water able free having spotted gun french frigates approaching orders offshore sailed tow lost boom yards main yard fore damage relatively minor later floated taken repair engagement cost lives seven seamen aboard fourteen injured casualties aboard light dead wounded september captured heavily armed ship squadron surrendered gun hms monarch french frigate french managed escape british service captured arrived plymouth october months taken service commissioned march captain refitted plymouth british naval service april august december year sent mediterranean april company attacked spanish convoy destroying escorts driving merchants ashore seven subsequently captured sailed sea marines sailors british ships encountered french forced seek refuge guns bay cover darkness boats lieutenant led ship master sent attack shore batteries partially successful wilson unable achieve objective bell section managed spike guns second battery taking heavy fire stood sea days night sent armed boats lay wait rocky cove following morning set sail french assuming gone attend business attempted leave british boats lying ambush attacked despite fierce resistance fire guns shore ships french convoy captured june boats captured vessels bay landing party captured battery guns protected entrance bay able capture render guns kill wound number garrison british lost man killed wounded action entered adriatic participated raid destroyed french gun brig chased brig harbour ships close bombard instead vessels landed seamen marines island nearby brought pounders placed battery field piece placed away eventually french engaged hours mutual bombardment british able sink brig returned men cannons ships action man killed wounded men killed casualties occurred onshore raided action november led british frigate squadron defeated french military convoy carrying cannon stationed island frigates active word received similar size french squadron heading north british frigates immediately set sail caught engaged french capturing frigates frigates contained cannon transported city italy border suggested british historian action factor napoleon decision change direction planned eastward expansion balkans russia late decommissioned placed ordinary february july converted role recommissioned commander sailed troops north_america left pensacola december tandem vessels admiral convoy diplomatic mission china end war came peace settlement europe british government desire strengthen ties china end planned send envoy inform emperor settlement britain friendship able diplomat chosen job turn specifically requested frigate recommissioned captain previous ship wrecked journey uneventful left china february aboard stopping cape good hope sailed short stop pay respects passed july met gun brig sloop earlier herald arrival britain ambassador exploration korea having previously arranged travel overland rendezvous ferried mouth august mission return journey weeks providing opportunity explore area headed north command lieutenant ordered explore south chartered carry gifts centre channel undertook survey time virtually unknown europeans spending time exploring proceeded southward bay coast encountered general later joined hall left bay august proceeded eastward west coast korea area surveyed jesuit missionaries visited 16th 17th centuries found coast miles east expected discovered archipelago forms south western tip korean peninsula turned attention known dropping anchor roads south west okinawa september week stay returned china southern end island taiwan arriving mouth november return required repairs journey weather wasted time permission travel secure anchorage unaware mission successful emperor reception british best having showed little interest affairs europe far away refusing accept gift king george thought sufficient having received insulting message response request decided enter river gone far hailed local threatened batteries guarding entrance sink went need repairs requiring navigation river pick told proceed event short work shore defences war sent stop continued river anchored awaited arrival lord suite having completed mission possible repaired board left january fate little carrying complement including lord entourage usual practice remove guns order create space distinguished guests likely fewer guns allowed smaller crew contributing factor waters remain today reefs rise modern equipment fail spot south china seas frequent storms remain dangerous waters world despite continual use sounding lead february grounded hidden reefs ordered anchor dropped prevent ship slipping deeper water undesirable situation hull breached turned case pumps unable cope influx water ship carpenter reported repair miles away island known today ordered lieutenant lord party boats island thick vegetation prevented accurate assessment inhabited forced crews row miles finding suitable landing spot rest ships company evacuated remaining boats large lack provisions particular drinking water decided embassy boats java miles south rescue initiated return journey java accomplished days supplies required remaining expedition salvaged interrupted arrival pirates form unarmed expedition obliged return shore leave pirates wreck ordered construction improvisation additional weapons counter threat attack february armed party sent reclaim ship pirates set light wreck completely destroyed fire lasted night managed construct island impact minimal following morning sent boat managed retrieve barrels flour cases wine dawn february entered cove second lieutenant hay led sortie boarded pirates killed jumped sea captured boat brought scuttled sank quickly later day pirates returned force following day reinforcements arrived pirates attempt land behaved aggressively firing swivel guns shore fourteen arrived day march night provisions running low build pirates rescue formulated plan capture sufficient escape island plan proposed sail spotted horizon heading island appearance vessel coupled sudden attack spearheaded marines caused pirates flee rescue ship turned lord day arrival returned chartered ship journey england stop met napoleon remembered action november captured remarked government blame loss taken frigates later court martial blame loss received praise actions awarded
HMS Alceste (1806)