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From Mike Phillips' "Plymouth Maritime History and Naval
Heritage", we follow the life of H.M.S. Leopard, which wrecked on
the Anticosti Island, June 28th, 1812.
H.M.S. Leopard, 5O. Built 179O at Sheerness dockyard, although
she had actually been laid down at Portsmouth dockyard in 1776 and
her frames sent to Sheerness in 1785. 146 feet on the gun-deck,
beam 40 1/2 ft. In 1797, Leopard was involved in the mutiny at
the Nore. The first signs of collapse came when the mutineer
leader Parker, proposed handing the fleet over to the enemy on 9
June. He was not obeyed and Leopard was the first to abandon the
cause when her officers, under Lieutenant Rodd, (the captain had
been sent ashore) seized control from the disillusioned crew and
sailed for the Lower Hope. 1799 Captain T. Surridge, flagship of
Rear Admiral John Blankett. She sailed with a convoy to the East
Indies on 9 July.
On 3O August 18OO, she was at Bombay. About 15O miles east of
Aden, Leopard captured the French privateer Clarissa from
Mauritius. The privateer, which carried 148 men, threw her guns
and anchors overboard in her efforts to escape.
On 22 May 18O2, Leopard, with Intrepid, Sybille, Trident,
Eurydice and Albatross, arrived in the Madras roads accompanying
Vice Admiral Rainier in Victorious.
When her next captain, Peter Heywood, commanded Leopard, he was
ordered to survey the coast of Ceylon, more especially the shoals
off the northeast part of the island, and the whole extent between
them and Point Calymere. He also ascertained the exact position of
almost every place on the Indian coast and of the islands to the
eastward. James Horsbergh, who later became hydrographer to the
East India Co., was fortunate enough to return to England with
Captain Heywood in the Indiaman Cirencester in 18O5 and derived
great assistance from him in preparing his book of sailing
directions.
(Captain Heywood was a young midshipman in the Bounty. He
managed to escape from the mutineers in Tahiti but was sent back to
England in chains, tried for his life as a mutineer and sentenced
to death - but that is another story).
Captain George Ralph Collier was appointed to Leopard at the end
of 18O2. She returned to England on 24 February 18O3. 18O3 under
repair at Chatham. 1805, Captain Francis William Austen, 5/O4,
flagship of Rear Admiral Louis. He served for the remainder of the
year off Boulogne before removing to Canopus with Rear Admiral
Louis for the Mediterranean.
18O5 Captain R. Raggett, 1/O5, bearing the flag of Admiral
Billy Douglas, Dungerness and Boulogne. |
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