The Seychelles stamp shows her in battle with the French frigate La Chiffone on 19 August 1801 off Seychelles.
Built as a frigate at Toulon between April 1790 and May 1792 for the French Navy. 30 July 1791 launched as La SYBYLLE. One of the Hebe class. The class was designed by Jacques-Noël Sané.
Armament under French flag 26 – 18pdr.
Under British flag is her tonnage 1.090 tons, dim. 154.3 x 40.1 x 12.4ft., length on deck 127.5ft.
Armament 28 – 18pdr. upper deck, 12 – 9pdr quarter deck, forecastle 4 – 9pdr.
1799 Is given she carried 4 – 9pdrs + 12 -32 pdr. carronades on quarter deck, forecastle 2 – 9pdrs + 2 – 32pdr carronades; later on quarter deck 8 – 9 pdrs + 6 – 32pdr carronades.
Crew 300, later increased to 315.
17 June 1794 taken by HMS ROMNEY in Mykonos Harbour, Mediterranean. After arrival taken up by the Royal Navy and refitted at Portsmouth between 30 November 1794 and 17 April 1795.
April 1795 commissioned under command of Capt. Edward Cooke and renamed HMS SYBILLE.
1796 As a unit of Sidney Smith’s squadron in the Mediterranean. From 1797 till 1799 stationed at the Cape of Good Hope and East Indies Station.
01 January 1798 together with HMS Fox at Manila. 01 March 1799 took 50-gun La FORTE of Sands Head, Bay of Bengal 5 crew killed , Capt. Cooke mortally wounded, (he died at Calcutta on 23 May 1799, aged 27) and 17 wounded.
March 1799 under command of acting Cmdr. Joseph Turner, then acting Capt. William Waller. June 1799 under command of Capt. Charles Adam.
23 August 1800 together with HMS DAEDALUS, CENTURION and BRAAVE captured a Dutch brig (16-guns) off Kuyper’s Island, Batavia.
19 August 1801 captured the French 36-gun La CHIFFONE off the Seychelles, Indian Ocean.
April 1803 paid off, underwent major repair by Dudman at Deptford from September 1904 till July 1805, and thereafter fitted out at the Deptford Drydock in August 1805. July 1805 re-commissioned under command of Capt. Robert Winthorp, and after her fitting out a unit of the Channel Fleet.
03 May 1807 took the French privateer L’OISEAU.
August 1807 under command of Capt. Clotworthy Upton. Took the same year part in the Copenhagen expedition.
25 January 1808 captured French privateer Le GRAND ARGUS (4-guns), and on 16 August 1808 the French privateer L’ESPIÉGLE (16-gun). From December 1808 till February 1809 under repair at Plymouth.
Summer 1809 sailed to Newfoundland. Took more French privateers, October 1809 off Ireland the L’EDOUARD (14-gun).
November 1812 sailed for North America, took 05 February 1813 Le BRESTOIS (14-gun). 25 March 1813 sailed again for Newfoundland.
September 1813 under command of Capt. James Sanders. 1814 Under command Thomas Forrest sailed to Greenland.
April 1815 till October 1816 under repair at Woolwich. November 1817 fitted out at Chatham for Foreign Service.
September 1817 recommissioned under command of Capt. Charles Malcolm as flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Home Popham at Jamaica. May 1819 under command of Capt. William Popham.
August 1820 under command of Capt. Joshua Rowley as flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Rowley at Jamaica.
Between July and October 1823 under repair at Deptford. July 1823 recommissioned under command of Capt. Samuel Pechel, for the Mediterranean.
November 1826 paid off.
Under repair at Portsmouth from November 1826 till April 1827.
December 1826 recommissioned under command of Capt. Francis Collier. After repair sailed for West Africa station.
January 1830 till July 1831 fitted out as a lazaretto for Dundee.
07 August 1833 sold to Mr. Henry for £2.460. SG275
Auke Palmhof
Source: British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield.