HMS Mecklenburgh was a 6-gun single-masted cutter of the Royal Navy, purchased in 1763 during the last days of the Seven Years' War with France and assigned to coastal patrol offshore from Sussex. After ten years' service she was partly dismantled and sunk to form part of a breakwater in the port of Sheerness.
Mecklenburgh was one of thirty cutters purchased by the Royal Navy in a three-month period from December 1762 to February 1763, for coastal duties off English ports.[1] The function of these purchased cutters included convoy and patrol, the carrying of messages between Naval vessels in port and assisting the press gang in the interception of merchant craft.[2][a]
Admiralty Orders for her purchase were issued on 29 December 1762, and the transaction was completed on 4 February 1763 at a cost of £400.[1][b] She was a small craft, single-masted and with an overall length of 54 ft 0 in (16.5 m) including bowsprit, a 48 ft 8 in (14.8 m) keel, and measuring 82 89⁄94 tons burthen. Her beam was 19 ft 7 in (6.0 m). Admiralty records indicate she was French-built and had been at sea as a merchant vessel since 1758.[1]
On 12 February 1763 the newly purchased cutter was sailed to Sheerness Dockyard for fitting out as a Navy craft. Works ran for four months until 26 June, at a total cost of £994.[1][c] Her merchant armament of eight three-pounder cannons was reduced to six, supported by ten 1⁄2-pounder swivel guns for anti-personnel use.[1]
As rebuilt for Navy service, Mecklenburgh had a complement of 30 crew.[1]
Naval serviceedit
War with France ended on 10 February 1763, after Mecklenburgh's purchase but before completion of her fitout or assembling of her crew. Despite this, commissioning went ahead in April 1763 and the vessel entered the Navy as a patrol cutter off the Sussex coast. Her first commander was Lieutenant Henry I'Anson, formerly 1st lieutenant of Achilles, subsequently commander of the first Tamar,[6][7] who served aboard Mecklenburgh until 1765. In 1766 command passed to Lieutenant Thomas Parke, and in 1769 to Lieutenant William Hills.[1]
Mecklenburgh was declared surplus to navy requirements in 1773 and was sailed to Sheerness Dockyard for partial dismantling. The stripped-down hull of the vessel was then towed into the harbour and sunk as part of a breakwater.[1]
Notesedit
^Merchant seamen were eligible for Navy impressment if they were aboard merchant vessels returning to English ports after trading overseas. To avoid being pressed, seamen would routinely board small coastal craft sent out to their ships before they made port. These small vessels would then land the seamen on beaches outside the port proper. During the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, Navy cutters like Mecklenburgh were stationed in major seaports in order to intercept these craft and deliver those on board to the press gang in the port.[3]
^This equates to a relative value of £52,300 in 2014 terms.[4]
^This equates to a relative value of £130,000 in 2014 terms.[5]
^Greene, Carol D. (November 1996). "The Lurcher Cutter in the Seven Years' War 1761–1763". The Mariner's Mirror. 87 (4): 417. doi:10.1080/00253359.1996.10656615.
^"Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present". MeasuringWorth. 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
^"Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present". MeasuringWorth. 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
^"Mr. Benjamin, Naval Officer at Deal. Lieutenant I'Anson, late Commander of the..." 8 May 1769. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
^"The Achilles: Letters – 1757". Harwich, Essex. 25 April 1757. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
Bibliographyedit
Baugh, Daniel A. (1965). British Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole. Princeton University Press. OCLC 729683642.
Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN9781844157006.
January 01, 1970
mecklenburgh, single, masted, cutter, royal, navy, purchased, 1763, during, last, days, seven, years, with, france, assigned, coastal, patrol, offshore, from, sussex, after, years, service, partly, dismantled, sunk, form, part, breakwater, port, sheerness, his. HMS Mecklenburgh was a 6 gun single masted cutter of the Royal Navy purchased in 1763 during the last days of the Seven Years War with France and assigned to coastal patrol offshore from Sussex After ten years service she was partly dismantled and sunk to form part of a breakwater in the port of Sheerness History Great Britain NameHMS Mecklenburgh Launched1758 as merchant vessel CommissionedApril 1763 DecommissionedSeptember 1773 In service1763 1773 Out of serviceSeptember 1773 FateSunk as breakwater Sheerness General characteristics Class and type6 gun cutter Tons burthen82 89 94 bm Length54 ft 0 in 16 5 m overall 48 ft 8 in 14 8 m keel Beam19 ft 7 in 6 0 m Depth of hold8 ft 4 in 2 54 m Sail planfore and aft rig Complement30 Armament8 3 pounder guns prior to Navy purchase in 1763 6 3 pounder guns 10 x 1 2 pounder swivels 1763 73 Contents 1 Construction 2 Naval service 3 Notes 4 References 5 BibliographyConstruction editMecklenburgh was one of thirty cutters purchased by the Royal Navy in a three month period from December 1762 to February 1763 for coastal duties off English ports 1 The function of these purchased cutters included convoy and patrol the carrying of messages between Naval vessels in port and assisting the press gang in the interception of merchant craft 2 a Admiralty Orders for her purchase were issued on 29 December 1762 and the transaction was completed on 4 February 1763 at a cost of 400 1 b She was a small craft single masted and with an overall length of 54 ft 0 in 16 5 m including bowsprit a 48 ft 8 in 14 8 m keel and measuring 82 89 94 tons burthen Her beam was 19 ft 7 in 6 0 m Admiralty records indicate she was French built and had been at sea as a merchant vessel since 1758 1 On 12 February 1763 the newly purchased cutter was sailed to Sheerness Dockyard for fitting out as a Navy craft Works ran for four months until 26 June at a total cost of 994 1 c Her merchant armament of eight three pounder cannons was reduced to six supported by ten 1 2 pounder swivel guns for anti personnel use 1 As rebuilt for Navy service Mecklenburgh had a complement of 30 crew 1 Naval service editWar with France ended on 10 February 1763 after Mecklenburgh s purchase but before completion of her fitout or assembling of her crew Despite this commissioning went ahead in April 1763 and the vessel entered the Navy as a patrol cutter off the Sussex coast Her first commander was Lieutenant Henry I Anson formerly 1st lieutenant of Achilles subsequently commander of the first Tamar 6 7 who served aboard Mecklenburgh until 1765 In 1766 command passed to Lieutenant Thomas Parke and in 1769 to Lieutenant William Hills 1 Mecklenburgh was declared surplus to navy requirements in 1773 and was sailed to Sheerness Dockyard for partial dismantling The stripped down hull of the vessel was then towed into the harbour and sunk as part of a breakwater 1 Notes edit Merchant seamen were eligible for Navy impressment if they were aboard merchant vessels returning to English ports after trading overseas To avoid being pressed seamen would routinely board small coastal craft sent out to their ships before they made port These small vessels would then land the seamen on beaches outside the port proper During the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War Navy cutters like Mecklenburgh were stationed in major seaports in order to intercept these craft and deliver those on board to the press gang in the port 3 This equates to a relative value of 52 300 in 2014 terms 4 This equates to a relative value of 130 000 in 2014 terms 5 References edit a b c d e f g h Winfield 2007 pp 322 323 Greene Carol D November 1996 The Lurcher Cutter in the Seven Years War 1761 1763 The Mariner s Mirror 87 4 417 doi 10 1080 00253359 1996 10656615 Baugh 1965 pp 157 158 Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present MeasuringWorth 2015 Retrieved 28 November 2015 Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present MeasuringWorth 2015 Retrieved 28 November 2015 Mr Benjamin Naval Officer at Deal Lieutenant I Anson late Commander of the 8 May 1769 Retrieved 5 June 2016 The Achilles Letters 1757 Harwich Essex 25 April 1757 Retrieved 5 June 2016 Bibliography editBaugh Daniel A 1965 British Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole Princeton University Press OCLC 729683642 Winfield Rif 2007 British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714 1792 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth ISBN 9781844157006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Mecklenburgh amp oldid 1167046461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
