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DISCOVERY Bomb Built at Rotherhithe and purchased new in November 1789 as a sloop.
Bomb in 1799.
Broken up in 1834.

  • 1791 Commander George VANCOUVER.
    Threats of war by Britain had compelled Spain to hand back territory she had seized at Nootka Sound in 1789 and he was ordered there, with documents from the Spanish government, to receive it from Spanish officials, and survey that part of the north-west American coast.
    Accompanying him was the tender CHATHAM, Lieut. William BROUGHTON.
    They sailed on 1 April for the Cape of Good Hope and left there on 10 July for Australia where he discovered and surveyed King George Sound on the south-west coast in September.
    He continued on to New Zealand where he was the first to survey Dusky Bay.
    Tahiti was reached on 30 December.
    Here he was rejoined by CHATHAM, which had discovered Chatham Island in November while separated in stormy weather.
    After 3 weeks in Tahiti and a month in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) they reached the Californian coast on 18 April 1792.
    Sailing northward they passed through the Juan da Fuca Strait and surveyed the waters beyond, naming a deep inlet Puget Sound after a lieutenant in DISCOVERY.
    By discovering a narrow channel named Johnstone's Strait he determined the insularity of Vancouver's Island.
    DISCOVERY grounded in Queen Charlotte Sound to the north of the island but she was got off with the aid of CHATHAM and a rising tide.
    He reached Nootka Sound on 28 August to find the DAEDALUS storeship, Lieut. HANSON, had arrived from Oahu where her captain, Lieut. HERGEST and an astronomer, Mr Gooch, had been murdered.
    In October VANCOUVER surveyed the west coast of the island while CHATHAM explored the Columbia River.
    In November DISCOVERY sailed for San Francisco where the population consisted of 35 soldiers and some monks. She joined CHATHAM at Monterey and in January Lieut. BROUGHTON was sent home overland across Mexico with dispatches, being replaced by Lieut. PUGET.
    DAEDALUS sailed for Port Jackson and DISCOVERY returned to the Sandwich Is.
    on 22 February.
    The survey of the American coast was resumed between April and December 1793 and again March 1794 before sailing for home.
    Between 25 March and 7 May 1795 he was obliged to enter Valparaiso in Chile to repair the main-mast.
    Previous to this scurvy had broken out on board, although he had tried to follow the precepts of Capt. COOK.
    But he did not have the humanity of COOK and his harsh treatment of his crew (more floggings than on any other British ship in the Pacific in the previous 30 years) meant that he did not have their affectionate obedience.
    DISCOVERY returned to the Thames on 20 October 195, three days after CHATHAM.
  • 1797 Out of commission at Deptford.
    Converted to a bomb.
  • 1800 J. DICK, Portsmouth.
  • 1801 John CONN, Downs.
    When Lord NELSON saw that the enemy flotilla off Boulogne numbered 24 on 4 August 1801 he resolved to make an attack on them using bombs.
    This was followed on the night of the 15th./1816th. with an attack by four divisions of boats to try and bring them off.
    Capt. CONN commanded a division of four howitzer boats supporting Capt. PARKER's boats.
    He kept on towards the pier until the headmost boat was aground, then threw about 8 shells into it.
    The tide coming out of the harbour swept him away from the pier head but he continued firing on the enemy camp.
    One seaman from DISCOVERY was wounded.
    Because of the tide and the strength of the enemy the attack was not a success.
  • 1803 Woolwich.
  • 1805 Charles PICKFORD, Downs.
  • 1807 Sheerness as an army hospital ship.
  • 1818 Convict hulk at Woolwich, at Deptford from 1824.
    Broken up there in February 1834.


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