Ariadne HMS 1776

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Ariadne HMS 1776

Post by shipstamps » Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:30 pm

December 1778. First ship of the name in the Royal Navy. She was a 6th Rate of 20 guns, 429 tons b.m., launched at Chatham Dockyard in 1776. Her length beam and draft were 108ft, 30ft., and 10ft. She carried a crew of 160 men. On March 9, 1778, in company with HMS. Ceres. gave chase to two strange sail and speedily came up with the aftermost which proved to be the American 20-gun ship Alfred with a crew of 180 men. She struck after receiving a few broadsides, the other vessel managed to escape. In 1778, under the command of Capt. Thomas Pringle with a crew of 160 men, the Ariadne was in the West Indies under the orders of Admiral Samuel Barrington, who commanded the Leeward Islands station. On December 12 she sailed from Barbados for St. Lucia with 10 ships, convoying 60 transports and 5,000 troops. On the 13th the troops were landed and attacked St. Lucia from Grand Cul de Sac Bay. The Ariadne was then sent out to look for the French fleet which were known to be in the vicinity. By the evening of the 14th the English had captured St. Lucia.SG437
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