HMS Sans Pareil (1794)

HMS "Sans Pareil" was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was formerly the French ship "Sans Pareil", but was captured in 1794 and spent the rest of her career in service with the British.

French service

"Sans Pareil" was built at Brest as a "Tonnant" class ship of the line, to a design by Groignard. She was launched on 8 June 1793, but spent less than a year in service with the French navy. She sailed into the Atlantic in May 1794, under the command of Captain Courand, as part of a squadron under Rear-Admiral Joseph-Marie Nielly.cite web |last=Phillips |url=http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=1964 |title= SANS PAREIL (80)] She was Nielly's flagship for the operation, which aimed to meet a corn convoy inbound from North America, under Pierre Jean Van Stabel. Neilly initially failed to make contact with the French convoy, but on 9 May 1794 the squadron came across a British one, escorted by HMS "Castor", under the command of Captain Thomas Troubridge.cite book |last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail |pages=p. 205] The squadron attacked and captured the "Castor", and a number of the convoy's ships. The "Castor" was only briefly in French hands, being retaken by HMS "Carysfort" on 29 May. Having made contact with the approaching convoy, the squadron began the return voyage. During this, a French fleet under Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse was intercepted by a British fleet under Lord Howe, and a series of sporadic actions were fought on 28 and 29 May. Neilly brought some of his larger ships, including the "Sans Pareil" to join Villaret, sending the convoy on ahead escorted by frigates. The fleets eventually clashed in force at the Glorious First of June, where "Sans Pareil" formed part of the French rear. During the battle HMS "Royal George", flagship of Vice-Admiral Alexander Hood, broke the French line ahead of "Sans Pareil", bringing down her fore and mizzen masts with a broadside. HMS "Glory" then passed across her stern, shooting away her main mast. Disabled and unmanageable, "Sans Pareil" drifted out of the line and was taken by HMS "Majestic". Aboard her were found Troubridge and 50 men and officers of the "Castor". They were released and helped to bring the damaged "Sans Pareil" into Spithead. "Sans Pareil" had possibly lost as many as 260 of her crew, with another 120 wounded.

British service

The "Sans Pareil" was commissioned into the Royal Navy, and was initially commanded from March 1795 by Captain Lord Hugh Seymour, who was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 1 June 1795, the first anniversary of the Glorious First. He was succeeded in the command by Captain W. Browell in August 1795, but she continued to serve as Seymour's flagship, with the Channel Fleet. She was then present as part of a fleet under Admiral Hood at another engagement with Villaret, the Battle of Groix on 22 June, where she engaged the French ships "Formidable" and "Peuple", losing ten killed, and having another two wounded. The "Formidable" was subsequently taken, joining the Royal Navy as HMS "Belleisle". Seymour left the ship after this, being appointed to the Board of Admiralty in autumn 1795.

"Sans Pareil" continued to sail off the French coast, using her French build to her advantage by flying the French ensign and luring privateers to come within range. Seymour returned on a number of occasions, retaining her as his flagship for several cruises. By January 1799 Captain Atkins had taken command of "Sans Pareil", but by August he had been replaced by Captain Penrose. She then sailed to the West Indies, again as Seymour's flagship, but Seymour contracted a fever and died on 11 September 1801. Penrose too became ill and had to return to Britain. "Sans Pareil" then came under the command of Captain Essington, and served as the flagship of Admiral Richard Montague. She returned to Plymouth on 4 September 1802, later undergoing a major refit that lasted for 18 months and cost £35,000. This turned her into a prison hulk, and by 1807 she was used to hold French prisoners-of-war. She was reduced to a sheer hulk at Plymouth in October 1810, and spent another 32 years in service, before finally being broken up in October 1842.cite book |last=Lyon & Winfield |title=The Sail and Steam Navy List |pages=p. 9–10]

Notes

References

*Colledge
* Winfield, Rif, "British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates", pub Seaforth, 2007, ISBN 1-86176-295-X
* Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif, The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889, pub Chatham, 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9
*Lavery, Brian (2003) "The Ship of the Line — Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850." Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
* [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=1964 Details of HMS Sans Pareil's career]