- HMS Phoenix (1783)
HMS "Phoenix" was a 36-gun
fifth rate frigate of theRoyal Navy .She was built by the shipbuilder
George Parsons atBursledon and launched on15 July , 1783.One of her earlier commanders was Richard Strachan. She was captained by
Zachary Mudge from18 November ,1803 . On10 August 1805 she attacked and captured a French ship, that was later commissioned into the Navy as the frigate HMS "Didon". "Phoenix" missed out seeing action at theBattle of Trafalgar later that year, but several days later on4 November , "Phoenix" was part of a squadron which engaged and defeated several French ships that had escaped the battle. She helped to capture the French ship "Scipion" and the French ship "Brave", both of which were then commissioned into the Royal Navy. Serving aboard "Phoenix" at this time at the rank of first lieutenant was Samuel Brown, later to become a distinguished engineer and reach the rank of captain.Her final captain was Charles John Austen, brother of the novelist
Jane Austen , from14 September ,1814 . "Phoenix" was lost in a storm offSmyrna (Izmir ) on20 February ,1816 , due to the ignorance of her pilots.References
*Colledge
* [http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowShip.php?id=2442 Overview of HMS Phoenix]
* [http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/P/03503.html Naval Database]
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