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HMS ''Avon'' was a Royal Navy ''Cruizer''-class brig-sloop built by Symons at Falmouth and launched on 31 January 1805.〔Colledge, p. 44〕〔Winfield (2008), p.294.〕 In the War of 1812 she fought a desperate action with the USS ''Wasp'' that resulted in ''Avon'' sinking on 27 August 1814. ==Service== ''Avon'' entered service at Spithead under the command of Commander Francis J. Snell and sailed for the Mediterranean on 18 April 1805.〔 On 7 May she captured the ''Frisken''. By 9 May ''Avon'' was off Lisbon, where the schooner ''Milbrook'' reported to Snell her capture of the Spanish privateer lugger ''Travella'', of three guns and 40 men, off the Bayona Islands (Baiona), and the recapture of the British brig ''Stork''. Then on 20 January 1806, ''Avon'' was present when ''Pomone'' recaptured the ''Maid of the Mill''. In March 1806 ''Avon'' came briefly under the command of Commander James Stewart and was employed in convoying and cruising. In May Commander Mauritius Adolphus Newton De Stark took command and sailed ''Avon'' in the Channel.〔 He was then given the task of escorting to the Baltic the Russian vessel ''Neva'', which was returning from a voyage of discovery.〔O'Byrne (1849), pp.281-2.〕 Hostilities had just begun between Napoleon and Russia and the British government deemed an escort a prudent precaution. For his services the Tsar presented de Stark with a breakfast service of plate and a purse of 100 guineas.〔 ''Avon'' sailed for North America on 28 August. She was carrying Mr Erskine, HM Minister to the United States.〔 On the way to the United States, ''Avon'' encountered the French 74-gun ''Regulus'', which gave chase for eight hours, firing constantly, before de Starck was able to lose her in a squall.〔Burke (1849), p.249.〕 ''Avon'' arrived at Annapolis Royal on 30 October. On his return voyage he met up with a Royal Navy 74-gun ship with orders to go to Bermuda and then to take to Britain despatches from French Admiral Willaumez that ''Avon'' had taken from an American vessel she had examined on her way out of the Chesapeake.〔 ''Avon'' arrived at Spithead on 7 January 1807.〔''The Gentleman's Magazine'' (1848), Vol. 30, p.361.〕 In January 1807 Commander Thomas Thrush took command and sailed ''Avon'' to Jamaica on 16 April.〔〔 〕 (He had been appointed to her in September 1806 but had had to await her return.) During her time on the Jamaica station lightning struck ''Avon'', damaging her badly, but fortunately causing no deaths.〔 Thrush also had the opportunity to take ''Avon'' to Cartagena to pick up a freight of dollars; his commission on the transport when he delivered it to Britain was £2,056.〔〔At the time, Royal Navy captains were authorized to carry specie for merchants. For this safe-keeping service the consignor paid them a commission of about half a percent, a commission the captain did not share with his officers or crew.〕 On 1 May 1809 he was promoted to post-captain and removed to ''Garland''.〔Wellbeloved (1845), pp.28-30.〕 In June 1809 Commander Henry Fraser took command. On 15 March 1810, the 28-gun ''Rainbow'', under James Woolbridge, and ''Avon'' encountered the French frigate ''Néréide'', under the command of Jean-François Lemaresquier. Lemaresquier fled to separate the two British ships, but stopped to engage ''Rainbow'' after ''Avon'' had fallen back. He soon had reduced ''Rainbow'' to a battered state, but ''Avon'' resolutely came in support and put a 30-minute fight against the much stronger ''Néréide'' before herself retreating. Damage on ''Néréide'' prevented her from giving chase. Lemaresquier therefore continued on his course, reaching Brest on 30 March.〔Troude (1867), vol. 4, pp.99-100.〕 By 1812 ''Avon'' was back at Portsmouth. Commander George Sartorious took command on 22 July 1813 and ''Avon'' served on the Cork Station.〔 She underwent repairs at Portsmouth in November. Sartorious left her in June 1814 on his promotion to post-captain, and Commander the Honourable James Arbuthnot recommissioned her in July.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「HMS Avon (1805)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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