hms hms gun fourth rate royal_navy served american war independence napoleonic wars career spanned years launched spent early career north american waters serving newfoundland station flagship commander chief ship involved tensions leading american revolution sent support boston commissioners enforcing actions involved local sailors vessel belonging providing refuge unpopular commissioners rioting broke remained american waters ensuing war end operated european waters french entry conflict laid ordinary repair subsequent years peace returned active service outbreak war mediterranean supporting lord hood occupation toulon remained years time captured gun french briefly returned north_america served red_sea assigned blockade dutch coast ran aground november sailing join fleet broke attempts float failed design construction hms built unique design sir based plans altered ship shorter ordered july laid october built launched july completed september given november career north_america hms commissioned august commander captain paid february following year recommissioned june command captain flagship commander north american station rear admiral lord served capacity years brief refit recommissioned march captain squadron sent north_america serving north_america achieved degree notoriety sent support commissioners asked hood help enforcing acts arrived short men captain corner began impress seamen harbour unpopular locals took attacking press gangs events escalated commissioners town ordered seizure merchant vessel liberty belonged sailors marines attempted seize vessel attacked turned commissioners officials took refuge aboard transferring incidents heightened tensions eventually lead american war independence briefly captain followed captain october year paid march repaired refitted captain april flagship commander newfoundland station rear admiral succeeded vice admiral following year retained command captain flagship replaced captain son vice admiral february remained command ship years captain took early served english channel advancement commodore april year captain took commander remained squadron flew broad refit returned sea sir flagship captain involved operations channel attempted franco spanish invasion sailed lisbon november captured gun spanish frigate subsequently taken navy return post commodore december command passed captain remained aboard involved incident ship captured french ships july gun july gun days later july sailed convoy march saw action battle april battle inconclusive july ship squadron succeeded capturing dutch east hms returned britain november year point captain took command march sailing western approaches captain flying broad captain replaced captain july went capture gun october commander captain january april paid period spent ordinary underwent repair refit eventually march captain flagship rear admiral served mediterranean outbreak french revolutionary wars captain march returning mediterranean british occupation toulon french revolutionary wars sailing june spotted french frigate harbour approached demanded french surrender french captain refused approached exchanged hour minutes french ship discovered gun french frigate struck colours having suffered casualties dead wounded mortally suffered casualties dead thirty wounded mortally action earned survivors june command passed captain briefly command return britain march captain took june flagship vice admiral sir returned newfoundland vessel spent years sailing newfoundland command captain june captain july vice admiral took station final years captain took command march august following year assigned vice admiral squadron incident captain sir took august sailed red_sea support british forces working expel french egypt served navy egyptian campaign march september officers crew qualified egypt admiralty issued surviving refit chatham captain recommissioned operations african coast west_indies captain replaced brown october loss november sailed join force rear admiral russell blockading ran aground pilots lost way thick fog sailing bank following day attempts float failed realising ship doomed attempted save men sent boats seek help nearby merchant vessels boat overturned returning drowning boat crew shore hoping summon assistance dutch authorities following morning fast breaking supervised construction launching number final launched seven boats approached shore reaching dutch commander boats called surrender promising save british sailors agreed dutch rescued remaining members crew total loss life wreck men dutch conveyed british shore treated sent officers join russell standard practice subsequently tried court martial aboard december loss ship court acquitted officers men blame court found cause accident thick fog ignorance pilots court required pilots pay barred majesty ships imprisoned time
HMS Romney (1762)