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Built in 1813, Ipswich.
Broken up in 1829. |
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- 1820 Edward LLOYD, 08/1820, Portsmouth.
- 1822-23 Arthur WARNER, 11/1821, West Indies.
- 1824 Chatham.
- 1825-27 William PURCHAS, 09/1824, Coast of Africa.
Between 17 July 1825 and 8 February 1827 PURCHAS captured nine Brazilian, Dutch and Spanish vessels with 2249 slaves. - One of these slavers, the NETUNO, taken on 6 March 1826 at the Formosa River was sent to Sierra Leone for adjudication with a prize crew consisting of Mr R. R. CRAWFORD, master's mate; a 16 year old master's assistant, Mr FINCH; five seamen and a boy of 17 named OLIVINE.
Ninety-two slaves and four of the Portuguese crew were also on board.
On 20 March they found that they were being chased by a large square-rigged vessel which, although she was about 4 miles off, was firing chase guns at them.
MR CRAWFORD assumed that she was the REDWING so he hoisted his colours and shortened sail.
However the stranger was soon seen to be a 10-gun pirate brig so Mr CRAWFORD ordered the NETUNO's two 6-pounders to be loaded.
A boat from the brig came alongside and two Spaniards attempted to come on board but Mr CRAWFORD shot them both with his pistols and ordered the rest of the boat's crew into the sea.
The pirate ship then opened fire which was returned by Mr CRAWFORD, assisted only by the boy OLIVINE.
A seaman named FROST took the wheel and the Brazilian captain volunteered to bring up powder and shot but all the rest of the prize crew fled below as soon as the first shots were fired.
The action continued for two hours during which time the canister shot from NETUNO killed more than 20 of the pirates and wounded many more.
When they had only a few cartridges left Mr CRAWFORD was wounded in the temple by a splinter from a shot which killed a woman on the slave deck and wounded another.
FROST took over the gun and fired at a group of pirates on the forecastle of their vessel.
This was the last shot to be fired, the pirates could take no more losses and hauled off, and NETUNO continued her voyage to Sierra Leone. - Capt. PURCHAS conveyed stock from St Helena to Ascension then brought home a quantity of gold dust and ivory arriving at Spithead on 1 May 1828.
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