Built as a bomb vessel by Santon at Rotherhite for the British Navy.
27 Jan. 1759 launched under the name HMS CARCASS.
309 ton (bm), dim. 92 feet length of gundeck, beam 28 feet. Armament 8 guns.
She was rigged as a sloop of war.
Her first commander was Charles Inglis, and together with Rear Admiral Rodney’s squadron which sailed from St Helena’s on 2 July to attack invasion preparations at L’Havre.
1773 She sailed together with the HMS RACEHORSE for a discovery voyage to the Arctic.
It was decided by the British Admiralty to send two strong vessels to the Arctic waters, two bomb-ketch vessels were chosen, the RACEHORSE under command Constantine Phillips and the CARCASS under command of Capt. Skeffington Lutwidge.
The already strong built vessels were strengthened by reinforcing timbers especially in the bow section at Deptford. As a precaution against the dangers in the north, boats that could carry all the crew were placed on board, together with building materials for emergency shelters in case the ships had to be abandoned.
04 June 1773 the two vessels sailed from Deptford for their exploration voyage to the far north. The RACEHORSE had a crew of 90, and the CARCASS 80 men. On board the CARCASS was the then 14-year-old Horatio Nelson, the later famous Admiral.
The voyage started under nice summer weather, but by passing the Shetland Islands the two vessels ran in heavy fog, and there was a big chance both vessels would lose contact. But she headed north trough the tick fog and they began encountering icebergs, on the end of June she had passed Norway and headed for Spitzbergen, when she neared the North Pole within 10 degrees, she sailed through pack-ice, but got imprisoned in the ice.
30 July they were becalmed in a bay with three islands around it, the next morning they were encased in ice. Capt. Lutwidge led a party over the ice to a nearest island and on climbing a hill found they were indeed ice-bound to the horizon.
The next day the hard work began to get the two vessels free of the ice, ice anchors were put out and also the boats lowered on the ice as seen on the stamp. Slowly the two vessels were hauled through the ice to a part were the ice did look of there was a slight break in the ice.
A few days later some wind was coming up which caused the ice to break up. The two vessels set sails and with the aid of the shipsboats the RACEHORSE and CARCASS were towed in clear water.
After a stay at Smeerenburg Harbour, New Friesland for repair, both vessels sailed south and arrived on 25 September at Orfordness.
1778 She was under command of Lieut. Edward Edwards with Vice Admiral Lord Howe in North America, took part in the Battle of Long Island.
04 November 1778 she sailed with Commodore Hotham’s small squadron from New York, passing a violent gale in the latitude of Bermuda and joining Rear Admiral Barrington at Barbados on 10 December.
The combined force sailed two days later to attack St Lucia.
1784 was she sold. Fate unknown.
Jersey 1987 11p sg417, scott?. )the other vessel is the HMS RACEHORSE.)
Source: Watercraft Philately. http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/C1.HTM