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Dutch corvette Waakzaamheid (1786)

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History
Dutch Navy EnsignDutch Republic
OperatorAdmiralty Noorderkwartier[1]
BuilderJ. Hand, Enkhuizen[1]
Launched1786
Captured23 May 1794
France
NameVigilance
Acquired23 May 1794 by capture
FateSold 1795
Batavian Republic
NameWaazaamheid
Acquired1795 by purchase
Captured24 October 1798
Great Britain
NameHMS Waaksaamheidt
Acquired24 October 1798 by capture
FateSold September 1802
General characteristics [2][3]
Class and type
Tons burthen5038494, or 504 (bm)
Length
  • Dutch: 124311 (Amsterdam foot & inches)[a]
  • English:
    • Overall: 114 ft 6 in (34.9 m)
    • Keel: 94 ft 8+58 in (28.9 m)
Beam
  • Dutch: 33 voet 311 duim
  • English: 31 ft 7+12 in (9.6 m)
Depth12+911 voet
Depth of hold10 ft 6 in (3.2 m)
Complement
  • French Navy: 168
  • At capture:100 Dutch seamen + 122 French troops
  • Royal Navy:188
Armament
  • Originally: 24 guns
  • French Navy
    • Upper deck (UD): 22 × 8-pounder guns
    • Spar deck: 2 × 6-pounder guns
  • At capture:
    • UD: 24 × 9-pounder guns
    • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns
  • Royal Navy:
    • UD: 20 × 9-pounder guns
    • QD: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 4 × 18-pounder carronades
    • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 2 × 18-pounder carronades

The Dutch corvette Waakzaamheid was launched at Enkhuizen in 1786. The French Navy captured her in 1794 and renamed her Vigilance. She was part of a squadron that in 1794 captured or destroyed a large number of British merchant vessels on the Guinea coast. The French returned her to the Dutch (the Batavian Republic), in 1795. The Dutch Navy returned her name to Waakzaamheid. The British Royal Navy captured her without a fight in 1798. She then served as HMS Waaksaamheid until she was sold in September 1802.

Career

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Waakzaamheid

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Waakzaamheid was launched in 1786.

Vigilance

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The French Navy captured Waaksamheid on 23 May 1794. They renamed her Vigilance. She then served in a squadron on the Guinea Coast.[2]

In September 1794 a French naval squadron comprising the razee Experiment, Vigilance, Félicité, Épervier, and Mutine was cruising the West African coast, destroying British factories and shipping.[4] Among many other vessels they captured two vessels belonging to the Sierra Leone Company, Harpy, and Thornton, and Molly.

In 1795 the French sold Vigilance to the Batavian Republic.[2]

Waakzamheid

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On 24 October 1798 HMS Sirius (1797) captured in the Texel Waakzaamheid and the frigate Furie.[5] Waakzaamheid was under the command of Senior Captain Neirrop. She was armed with twenty-four 9-pounder guns on her main deck and two 6-pounders on her forecastle. She had 100 Dutch seamen aboard her, as well as 122 French troops, and was carrying 2000 stands of arms as well as other ordnance stores.[5] Waakzaamheid put up no struggle. The sloop Kite shared in the capture.[6]

Capture of the Furie & Waakzamheid, 23 October 1798
Thomas Whitcombe, 1816.

HMS Waaksaamheid

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Waaksamheid arrived at Sheerness on 17 November 1798. She underwent fitting there between July 1799 and May 1800.

In August 1800 Waaksamheid= was part of fleet under the command of Vice-admiral Archibald Dickson that accompanied a diplomatic mission to Copenhagen under Lord Whitworth. The fleet does not appear to have gone beyond The Skaw.[7] The fleet returned to Yarmouth on 14 September.

Captain Robert Hall was promoted to post captain on 18 November 1799. After his return to England on 31 August 1800 as captain of HMS Assistance, he took command of Waaksamheid on the North Sea station.[8]

In 1800 Waaksaamheid participated in cruises off the Dutch coast in Dickson's squadron, and escorted convoys in the North Sea between the Baltic and Leith. On 11 October 1801 she was at Sheerness, waiting to be paid off following the signing of the Peace of Amiens.

Fate

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The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy" offered "Waaksamheidt, 504 Tons, Copper-bottomed, and Copper braces, and Pintles, lying at Deptford", for sale on 1 August 1802.[9] She was offered for sale again on 9 September. She sold then.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ All linear measurements are in Amsterdam feet (voet) of 11 Amsterdam inches (duim) (see Dutch units of measurement). The Amsterdam foot is about 8% shorter than an English foot. The basis of measurement is also different.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c van Maanen (2008), p. 42.
  2. ^ a b c Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 176.
  3. ^ a b Winfield (2008), p. 235.
  4. ^ Lloyd's List 10 February 1795, №2689.
  5. ^ a b "No. 15077". The London Gazette. 3 November 1798. pp. 1052–1053.
  6. ^ "No. 15533". The London Gazette. 16 November 1802. p. 1213.
  7. ^ Naval Chronicle, Vol. 4, p.240.
  8. ^ Marshall (1824), p. 240.
  9. ^ "No. 15501". The London Gazette. 27 July 1802. p. 795.

References

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