Built as a frigate by Arsenal Saint Malo for the French Navy.
October 1778 laid down.
31 May 1779 launched as the La NÉRÉIDE one of the Sybille class.
Tonnage 892 ton (bm), dim 43.34 x 11.46 x 3.62m. (draught), length of keel 35.99m.
Armament: 26 – 12pdrs. and 6 – 6 pdrs. guns.
Crew260.
August 1779 commissioned.
06 June 1780 together with the ZODIAQUE she captured the British privateer PRINCE OF WALES (10 guns) off Madeira.
At that time she was a unit of the French squadron under command of Comte de La Motte-Picquet which had sailed from Brest for the West Indies.
02 May 1781 the squadron captured 18 ships loaded with the loot taken by the capture of Dutch island Sint Eustatius.
1782 A unit of Comte Vaudreuil fleet in the Caribbean.
From 1788 served off the African coast.
After a refit in Rochefort in October 1794 was she sailing off the Scillies under the command of Lieutenant de Vaisseau Chassériau, she sighted the HMS PHOEBE. After exchanging broadsides with the PHOEBE for about 1½ hour, she struck her flag and surrendered.
20 Men were killed and 55 wounded during the battle.
28 December 1797 she arrived at Plymouth as a prize.
28 December 1797 registered and renamed HMS NEREIDE.
From December 1798 till June 1799 fitted out at Plymouth.
Armament: Upper deck 26 – 12pdr., quarter deck 12 – 24 pdr. carronades, forecastle 4 – 24pdr. carronades.
Crew 254.
March 1799 commissioned under command of Captain Frederick Watkins.
Joined the Channel Fleet.
28 February 1800 she took the privateer La VENGEANCE (18 guns) from Bordeaux with a crew of 174.
03 March 1800 she recaptured the American ship PERSEVERANCE which had been taken by the French privateer MARS. She was loaded with tobacco, sugar and coffee and underway from Baltimore to London.
17 March 1800 she captured the LORD NELSON.
07 May 1800 she sailed from Cork as escort for a convoy to the Caribbean.
11 September 1800 the NEREIDE sailed to Curaçao to forestall the French from taking it. 13 September Captain Watkins took possession of the island and signed the terms of capitulation on behalf of the British.
From October 1805 till September 1806 repaired by the yard of Isaac Blackburn at Turnchapel.
August 1806 recommissioned under command of Captain Robert Corbett.
12 November 1806 sailed for the Cape of Good Hope.
20 November 1806 took the Spanish ship VELOX (10 guns) in the Atlantic.
25 November 1806 she captured the Spanish privateer BRILLIANTE (4 guns) with a crew of 50.
1808 Under command of Captain Josiah Rowley.
Took part in the occupation of St Paul, Reunion from 21/28 September 1809. She captured the frigate CAROLINE, and recovered the East Indiamen STREATHAM, EUROPA and the 14 gun Bombay Marine brig GRAPPLER.
March 1810 under command of Captain William Gordon, later Captain Nisbet Josiah Willoughby.
01 May 1810 took the L’ESSTAFETTE (14 gun) at Jacolet.
Took part in the Battle of Port Grand, Mauritius in which a British frigate squadron took action against the French frigate squadron under command of Duperre.
The NEREIDE was severely battered and captured by the French on 28 June 1810, during the battle 230 crew of the NEREIDE were killed.
06 December 1810 retaken after the French surrender of Mauritius.
She was not again commissioned but laid up, in damaged condition.
01 March 1816 sold at Port Louis, Mauritius, most probably broken up.
Mauritius 2010 14Rs sg?, scott? (she is the vessel behind the SIRIUS in the background of the stamp.)
Source: http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhill ... p?ref=1586 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fri ... ide_(1779) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield.