HMS York(1796)

HMS York was another bought in East Indiaman converted to a 64 gun, third rate ship of the line, built by William Barnard & Co. at Grove Street Yard, Deptford. Laid down in the March of 1795,she was launched on the 24th of March, 1796 and completed between the 9th of April and the June of 1796. Unlike many of the other Indiamen purchased straight off the stocks York been employed on eight voyages to the East Indies for Sir Richard Hotham before being bought into the Service by the Royal Navy.
Originally named Royal Admiral, as a 64 gun small third rate, this fact combined with her unusual build resulting from her conversion from a mercantile craft to a warship, made her a slightly ungainly and awkward ship.
History
GREAT BRITAIN
Name: Royal Admiral
Builder: Barnard, Deptford
Laid down: March 1795
Launched: 24 March 1796
Renamed: HMS York
Fate: Wrecked January 1804
General characteristics
Class and type: 64 gun third rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 1433​30⁄94 (bm)
Length:
  • 174 ft 3 in (53.1 m) (overall)
  • 144 ft 4 in (44.0 m) (keel)
Beam: 43 ft 2 1⁄2 in (13.2 m)
Depth of hold: 19 ft 7 1⁄2 in (6.0 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament:
  • Lower deck: 26 x 24-pounder guns
  • Upper deck: 26 x 18-pounder guns
  • QD: 10 x 9-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 x 9-pounder guns

Service.

HMS York was commissioned under Captain John Ferrier in the April of 1796, and sailed for the Leeward Islands on the 4th of January, 1797. She spent much of her early career in the Caribbean, where on the 8th of February, 1798, near to the Isle of St. Thomas she took the small American schooner Fancy, after firing 15 shots in order to make her heave to. When the boarding party from York took possession, they discovered 12 French passengers in the act of throwing five sacks of money overboard. York escorted Fancy into Mole-saint-Nicholas where she was condemned by the prize court. Apparently she had also been carrying 25,000 dollars in gold, hidden on board, but most of it had been successfully smuggled ashore.

In the June of 1799, York, in company with Alarm, Carnatic, Thunderer, and Volage, captured the Spanish 4 gun Packet Santa Dorval, which was sailing from Vera Cruz to Havanna, under the command of Lieutenant Don Joseph Bonefacio. Later in that month York also captured several merchant vessels:
Firstly the Spanish schooner Jesus Maria, sailing from Jamaica to Porto Rica bearing a false pass, and carrying provisions and sundries.
Next, came the Schooner Christopher, sailing under American colours, from Arrcoa to Baltimore with a cargo of coffee and tobacco which was discovered to be Dutch property.
Then the Brig James was taken, again under the American flag, sailing from Cape Francois to Philadelphia with a cargo of coffee and sugar which was this time property of the French.
The Brigs Harriot and Ann, flagged again as American were next these were on route from Cape Francois to Charleston with a cargo of French coffee and sugar.
The haul continued with the Schooner Eliza, also under American colours, sailing from Jeremie to Saint Augustine with a cargo of coffee and sugar.

In the following month, York accompanied by Maidstone captured or detained the following shipping.
The Brig Ariel, under American colours, sailing from Jeremie to Baltimore, with a cargo of 146,000 pounds of coffee.
The Schooner Lydia, under American colours, sailing from Tauxillo (probably Trujillo, Honduras), to Havana with a consignment of sugar and Indigo.
The Brig Romulus (detained), under American colours, sailing from Havanna to Charlestown, with 662 boxes of sugar.
The Ship Flora, with Spanish and American papers, from Cartagena on the Spanish Main, and bound first to New York and then onward Cadiz, with a cargo of cotton and fustic, and also a secreted $81,000 in gold.
Then they came across the American Schooner Fair American, voyaging from Barracoa to Baltimore, carrying 183,000 pounds of coffee and 10,000 pounds of sugar.
Not content with this haul, towards the end of that same year, York captured Cronberg, under her Master by the name of Molder. She had been sailing via St Croix and Havana to London. York brought Cronberg into Jamaica, before returning to England herself.

In 1801 York sailed back to Britain as escort to a convoy of 155 merchant vessels, all of which reached their destination safely. For his service, the West Indian merchants thanked Ferrier and presented him with a piece of Plate.

York next served under Admiral Nelson during his unsuccessful attacks on Boulogne.
On the night of the 15th of August, the Third Division, under Captain Isaac Cotgrave, were assembled on York's deck. Their boats attacked in the early hours of the morning of the 16th, but after suffering considerable losses, had to withdraw between 3 and 4am. During the attack, the British lost five officers and men killed, and 31 wounded. Three of the dead and 16 of the wounded were from York.

York was paid off and placed into Ordinary at Woolwich in the June of 1802, and between the October of that year and the August of 1803 she underwent repair and refitting at Deptford.
She was recommissioned under Captain Henry Mitford in the June of 1803.

Fate.

She departed from Woolwich on the 26th of December of that same year for a routine patrol in the North Sea. On the voyage she went missing and was presumed to have foundered with the loss of all hands. It appears that she had struck the Bell Rock off the port of Arbroath. This tragedy was believed to be the main impetus which brought about the construction of the Bell Rock lighthouse three years later. Wreckage was later found at Cruden Bay and St Coombs, both of which are situated in Buchan, Aberdeenshire.