HMS Delphinen (1807)

HMS Delphinen was launched in 1805 at Nyholm for the Dano-Norwegian Navy. The British Royal Navy captured her in 1807 at the Danish surrender after the Battle of Copenhagen. The Royal Navy commissioned her in 1808 but she was lost later that year.

History
Denmark-Norway
Name: HDMS Delphinen
Builder: Stibolt
Launched: 28 July 1805
Fate: Surrendered to the British 1807
United Kingdom
Name: Delphinen
Acquired: Captured from Denmark 7 September 1807
Commissioned: 1808
Fate: Wrecked 7 August 1808
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Lougen-class brig
Tons burthen: 306​8⁄94 (bm)
Length:
  • 96 ft + 7⁄8 in (29.3 m) (gundeck)
  • 76 ft 10 7⁄8 in (23.4 m)(keel)
Beam: 27 ft 4 1⁄4 in (8.3 m)
Depth of hold: 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Complement: 100 in British service
Armament:

Career

HDMS Delphinen was one of six Lougen-class brig brigs that the naval architect Ernst Stibolt designed and that the British captured in 1807.[1] She was constructed at Nyholm.[2]

After her capture, Delphinen arrived at Chatham on 8 December 1807. She underwent fitting between December 1807 and 11 May 1808. Commander Richard Harward commissioned her in April 1808 for the North Sea.[1]

Loss

On the evening 3 August Delphinen was cruising off the coast of Holland enforcing the British blockade. Commander Harward went below for the night, having left orders that be kept 12 miles offshore. The master took the middle watch, but then went to sleep. At about 3am on 4 August Delphinen struck ground. Water entered and soon overwhelmed the ability of the pumps to deal with it. As waves started to break over her and she started to settle, her crew took to her boats after first setting fire to her. The tides pushed the boats ashore where the crew were taken prisoner. The court martial of Commander Harward, his officers, and crew found that she had gone ashore at the island of Vlieland as a result of the master's gross negligence and inattention. The master, however, had died in captivity at Harlingen.[3]

Lloyd's List reported on 23 August that the sloop-of-war Dolphio had been lost on the coast of Holland on 7 August. It further reported that the crew had been saved but had been taken prisoner.[4]

Citations and references

Citations

  1. Winfield (2008), p. 321.
  2. Royal Danish Navy website - Delphinen click vis for ship plans.
  3. Hepper (1994), p. 125.
  4. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (4280). 23 August 1808.

References

  • Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.
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