HMS Shark (1794) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Great Britain |
|
| Name | HMS Shark |
| Acquired | 1794 |
| Fate | Crew mutinied in 1795 and handed her over to the French |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Hoy |
| Tonnage | 63 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 14 ft 3+1⁄4 in (4.3 m) |
| Depth of hold | 6 ft 4 in (1.9 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Complement | 30 |
| Armament | 1 x 24-pounder gun + 3 x 32-pounder carronades |
HMS Shark was a small ship called a hoy that the British Navy bought in 1794. Sadly, in 1795, her own crew rebelled and gave the ship to the French.
Contents
Life of HMS Shark
The British Navy bought HMS Shark in 1794. She was then put into service in April of that year. Her first commander was Lieutenant Charles Burlton.
Joining the Squadron
In March 1795, Lieutenant Titus Allardyce took over as commander. Shark then joined a group of ships led by Admiral Sir Sidney Smith. Admiral Smith sent all his small gunboats, including Shark, to protect the Îles Saint-Marcouf. These are two small islands located off the French coast.
The British built forts and gun batteries on these islands. All the gunboats and island defenses were under the command of Lieutenant Henry Hicks. He was in charge of another hoy, Hawke.
Facing French Attacks
On September 7, 1795, the French launched a big attack. They used 17 large boats filled with soldiers. However, the British were ready. They fired from the forts on East Island and from their gunboats. Ships like Badger, Serpent, Hawk, and the floating battery Sandfly helped defend the islands. The French boats quickly retreated in confusion.
Trouble on Board
Life on the islands was very tough for the sailors. At that time, there was also a lot of unhappiness in the Navy. This led to some sailors leaving their ships without permission. On September 18, two sailors from Shark stole a small boat and escaped to the French side.
The Mutiny of HMS Shark
During the night of December 11, 1795, the crew of Shark rebelled. This is called a mutiny. They locked up their commander, Lieutenant John Watson. Then, they sailed the ship to St Vaast La Hougue and handed it over to the French.
