HMS Panther (1758)

The Seven Years War

1758 - July, commissioned, captain Moline Shuldham ( born Molineux Shuldham ); November 13 left for the Leeward Islands .

1759 - at the end of the year he returned to Portsmouth ; keel sheathed in copper .

1760 - Captain Philip Affleck ^[2] On January 6, he left Spithead with HMS Norfolk (74), went to the East Indies , where French Pondicherry besieged Lt. Col. Coote from land and blocked Rear Admiral Stevens from the sea. ^[3]

1761 - January 1 in Pondicherry lost all the masts during a hurricane; ^[2] HMS America , HMS Medusa and HMS Falmouth also suffered, others were ashore or sank. 6 ships were lost, about 1,100 people were killed. Three days later, the blockade resumed, reinforced by Rear Admiral Cornish, and on January 16 the French surrendered. ^[3] May, Commander William Newson. ^[2]

1762 - Newson was removed from command by a military court on August 24 ; temporarily appointed Commander George Urry; from August 1, participated in an expedition against Manila ; since October, temporarily lieutenant Hyde Parker ; ^[2] He was captain of Norfolk , but shortly after arriving in the East Indies, he was chosen by Admiral Cornish as the flagship. Parker switched first to HMS Grafton , and then to Panther . On October 4, Panther with frigate HMS Argo (Captain King) was separated by Rear Admiral Cornish to search for the Spanish galleon, which was expected to arrive in Manila. ^[3] On October 31, together with Argo, took the galleon from Acapulco Santisima Trinidad ; November, and. about. Captain Commander John Leary

Letter from Vice Admiral Cornish to Mr. Cleveland:

Manila Bay, November 10, 1762.

In a letter dated October 31, I informed you that I sent Captain Parker with Panther and Argo in search of St. Galleon . Philippina from Acapulco heading to Manila.

On the 7th of this month, Captain King returned to Argo with a letter from Captain Parker informing me that, according to my order, in pursuit of St. Philippina October 30, having reached the longitude of the island of Kapul, at the entrance to Embrocadero, where Argo anchored (which he intended to do that night), at the end of the day he found a sail and, going north, at eight in the evening he saw the chased, about two league from the leeward, but unfortunately, due to the speed of the opposite current, which entered the next one, he was among Narrago, under the threat of death, and was forced to anchor; the frigate, with danger for himself, continued the chase and entered the battle for about two hours, but was so beaten that Captain King was forced to lead to the wind to repair the damage. By this time, the current had weakened, which allowed Captain Parker to sail again, not losing sight of the pursued; around nine in the morning they caught up, and after a two-hour shelling from a distance of half a musket shot, he lowered the flag. The enemy showed little resistance, hoping for the thickness of the sides of his ship, which the Panther cores were not able to penetrate, except for superstructures. Captain Parker was no less disappointed than surprised to find out when the general arrived aboard that instead of St. He took the Philippina with the fight Santissima Trinidad , which left Manila to Acapulco on August 1, and moved 300 leagues east of Embrocadero but, having met a fierce storm, lost its masts and turned back for repairs; there were 800 people on board, ports were cut for 60 guns, but when Captain King started a battle with him, only 6 were installed, and at the time of capture only 13; its draft is 33 feet; it is much larger in size than Panther . I can’t say what the full cost of goods is, but they are registered in the amount of one and a half million dollars, and all of it, as they say, costs three million.

Captain King left Panther with a prize anchored about three leagues south of Corregidor, at the mouth of this bay, and I sent people with boats and movers to reinforce, and I hope to put him in a safe place very soon.

I stay, and so on. et al., S. Cornish

Original text

Bay of Manilla, November 10th. 1762.

In my letter of 31st. October, I introduced you of my having sent Captain Parker with the Panther and Argo in quest of the galleon, St. Philippina, from Acapulco, bound for Manilla.

On the 7th. inst. Capt. King in the Argo returned with a letter from Capt. Parker, acquainting me that in consequence of my orders, having the 30th. October got the length of the island of Capul, near the entrance into the Embocadero, in pursuit of the the St. Philippina, where the Argo had come to an anchor (and which he intended to do for that night) just as the day closed saw a sail, and standing to the northward, at eight in the evening he got a sight of the chace, about two leagues to leeward, but unluckily, by the rapidity of a counter current, to what the chase was in, drove among the Narrago's in the utmost danger of being lost, and obliged to anchor; the frigate having the danger, got up with the chace, and engaged her near two hours, but was so roughly handled that Capt. King was obliged to bring too to repair his damages. By this time the current slackened, which enabled Capt. Parker to get under sail with the chace in sight; about nine the next morning he came up with her, and after battering her two hours within half musket shot, she struck. The enemy made little resistance, trusting to the immense thickness of the side of their ship, which the Panther's shot was not able to penetrate, except her upper works. Capt. Parker was no less disappointed than surprised, when the General came on board, to find, that instead of the St. Philippina, he had engaged and taken the Santissima Trinidad, who departed from Manilla the 1st. August for Acapulco, and had got 300 leagues to the eastward of the Embocadero; but meeting with a hard gale of wind, was dismasted and and put back to refit; she had 800 men on board, and pierced for 60 guns, but when Capt. King engaged her, had only six mounted, and but 13 when taken; she draws 33 feet of water, and a much larger ship than the Panther. I cannot ascertain the value of the cargo, but there is to the amount of one million and a half of dollars registered, and she is reputed to be worth three million

Capt. King left the Panther with her prize at anchor about three leagues south of the Corrigedow, at the mouth of this bay; and I have sent a reinforcement of men with launches and warps, I hope very soon to have her in safety.

I am & c. S. CORNISH ^[3]

1763 - February, and. about. Captain Lieutenant William Heron; May, Lieutenant John Mathison.

Interwar Service

1764 - January 4, Lieutenant John Mathison died; appointed Lieutenant Ansley Brown ( Eng. Annesley Brown ); April 3 was placed under arrest, and instead. about. John Leary again; returned to England; July, put in reserve and calculated.

1765 - Lieutenant Brown removed from command of the military field court on June 7 ; the ship arrived at Spithead on June 12 ; surveyed at the dock on September 2 ; from December overhaul in Chatham to June 1768; ^[2] Captain John Tinker ( born John Blaydon Tinker ); On July 1, Panther officers appeared before a military court on charges of captain. The guilt of the first and second lieutenants was fully proven, and they were dismissed from service. In the case of the third lieutenant, the guilt was partly proven and reprimanded. The master was acquitted.

1766 - On March 25, Captain Tinker appeared before a military court aboard the HMS Superb in Headhead on charges dating back to his command of the HMS Medway in the East Indies. He was honorably acquitted. ^[3]

1771 - January, commissioned, Captain George Gayton ( Eng. George Gayton ), under the Brad Pennant of Captain John Byron ; June 14 went to Newfoundland .

1772 - February, Captain Ommanni ( Eng. Cornthwaite Ommanney ), under the Brad Pennant of Captain Shuldam; May 27 went to Newfoundland.

1773 - May 29 again to Newfoundland. ^{[2] The} HMS Dispatch , sent to England with news of a hurricane that flew into the West Indies on August 31 , sank in the Atlantic Ocean. His team was saved by Panther who, fortunately, met him on the transition from Newfoundland. ^[3]

1774 - put into reserve in December. ^[2]

American Revolutionary War

Small repairs and equipping Portsmouth from June to December 1777 .

1777 - commissioned in September, Captain John Harvey ( born John Harvey , commanded until 1781); December 29, went to the Mediterranean Sea .

1779 - Flagship of Vice Admiral Robert Duff from the beginning of the siege of Gibraltar .

1780 - August-October, repair and plating with copper in Portsmouth; November 30 went to the Leeward Islands. ^[2] Left England with Rear Admiral Hood on November 29 . The squadron included seven ships, including HMS Gibraltar (80), HMS Invincible (74), HMS Princessa (70), HMS Panther (60), and the frigate HMS Sybil (28), and escorted a large convoy of more than 100 merchant ships and transports with 2,000 troops and supplies, designed to repair the fleet of Vice Admiral Rodney , who was badly damaged during a hurricane in October. Hood's ships also partially replaced 13 Rodney's ships lost in the hurricane.

1781 - January 7 arrived in Barbados ; ^[3] February 3 was at the island of St. Eustache ; February 4 intercepted a Dutch convoy , the next day, together with HMS Monarch took 60-gun Dutch Mars ; ^[2] On January 28, Rodney became aware that Great Britain was at war with the Dutch, and he was instructed to attack the islands of St. Eustache ( Sint Eustatius ) and St. Martin . On February 3, a fleet appeared near the islands and demanded immediate surrender from unsuspecting residents. More than 150 merchant ships were taken in the harbor, and Monarch (Captain Francis Reynolds), Panther and Sybil (Captain Lord Charles Fitzgerald) were sent in pursuit of the Dutch convoy that had left two days ago. The ship of the Dutch admiral Mars was discovered early on the morning of February 4, and after a short battle with Monarch and Panther , when Sybil entered his right nose, he surrendered, as did the "merchant" with him. The Dutch admiral, Willem Krull, was mortally wounded. The remaining ships of the convoy, not knowing about the war, went to a drift instead of scattering, and were also taken as prizes. ^[3]

1782 - Captain Thomas Piercy ( English Thomas Piercy ); since May, Captain Robert Simonton, the flagship of Vice Admiral Francis W. Drake in Downs ; July, with the squadron of Riva ( English Reeve ) Bay of Biscay ; July 23 beat off the French cutter Pigmy ; September 11, with the fleet of Admiral Howe went to the lifting of the siege from Gibraltar ; October 20 was at Cape Spartel .

1783 - flagship of Vice Admiral Mark Milbank in Plymouth , then withdrawn to the reserve.

1787 - by order of the Admiralty on December 13, he was appointed to be reworked as a hospital vessel "for service at an overseas squadron."

1788 - Instead, on August 29 it was turned into a blockchain in Portsmouth.

Napoleonic Wars

1807 - March, floating prison in Plymouth; April-August, Lieutenant Thomas Sherwin.

1809 - Lieutenant Richard Falkland.

1810 - Lieutenant Jill ( English Gill ), November, Lieutenant Joseph Harrison ( English Joseph Harrison ).

1813 - scrapped and dismantled.

• Ships of the old navy

• Lavery, B. The Ship of the Line. The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. - Conway Maritime Press, 2003. - Vol. I. - ISBN 0-85177-252-8 .
• Winfield, Rif. British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates . London-St.Paul: Seaforth, 2007. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6