Sappho was launched in France circa 1803, probably under another name, and captured in 1804. She became a West Indiaman and then privateer that the French Navy recaptured and destroyed in March 1808.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Sappho |
| Namesake | Sappho |
| Builder | France |
| Launched | 1803 |
| Acquired | c.1805 by purchase of a prize |
| Fate | Captured, burnt and sunk March 1808 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 222,[1] or 223[2] (bm) |
| Complement | 80[1] |
| Armament | 2 × 12-pounder guns + 14 × 12-pounder carronades[1] |
Sappho first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in the supplementary pages to the 1805 issue.[2] She first appeared in the Register of Shipping (RS) in 1806.[3] (There is no 1805 volume available online.)
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1805 | E.Smith | Capt. & Co. | London | LR |
| 1806 | C.Bell | Capt. & Co. E.Smith |
London–Jamaica | RS; damages repaired 1804 |
| 1807 | C.Bell E.Smith |
Capt. Wright & Co. |
London–Jamaica London–Madeira |
LR |
Sappho, Bell, master, made several voyages to Jamaica and return between 1805 and 1807.
Captain Edmond Smith, of Sappo, acquired a letter of marque on 26 November 1807. The extent of her armament and the size of her crew suggest that she was a privateer.[1]
In February 1808 Lloyd's List reported that the privateer Sappho had detained and sent into Cowes Mary, Babbidge, master, which had been on a voyage from Virginia to Amsterdam.[4]
Capture: Prior to 10 March 1808 the French frigates Italienne and Sirène captured Sappho whilst she was sailing from London to Madeira, Portugal. They set fire to her and sank her. The frigates were returning to France from Martinique. They also captured and destroyed two other British merchant vessels, Sarah King and Windham. The French put the crews on Sofia, Delaney, master, of and for New York, which brought them into Plymouth on 26 March. Sofia had been coming from Belfast.[5][a]
Notes edit
- ^ Sarah King, of 253 ton (bm), and twelve 12-pounder carronades, had been built in Falmouth in 1805. Windham, of 112 tons (bm), had been built in Yarmouth in 1781.
Citations edit
- ^ a b c d "Letter of Marque, p.86 – Retrieved 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- ^ a b LR (18005), Supple.pages "S", Seq.No.S41.
- ^ RS (1806), Seq.No.S233.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4227. 9 February 1808. hdl:2027/mdp.39015005721488. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4241. 29 March 1808. hdl:2027/mdp.39015005721488. Retrieved 17 July 2021.