HMS Malta was the Spanish 10-gun schooner Malta, built and launched in the United States of America in 1797. The British captured her in 1800. After the Royal Navy captured the French ship-of-the-line Guillaume Tell and renamed her HMS Malta, the Admiralty renamed the schooner Gozo in December 1800 after the Maltese island of Gozo.[a]
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} Spain | |
| Name | Malta |
| Launched | 1797 in the United States of America |
| Acquired | Unknown |
| Captured | by the Royal Navy in 1800 |
 Great Britain | |
| Name | HMS Malta |
| Acquired | By capture 1800 |
| Renamed | HMS Gozo in December 1800 |
| Honours and awards | Naval General Service Medal (NGSM) with clasp "Egypt"[1] |
| Fate | Sold 1804 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Type | 10-gun schooner |
| Tons burthen | 162 9⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 21 ft 8 in (6.6 m) |
| Depth of hold | 12 ft 0 in (3.7 m) |
| Complement | 50 in British service |
| Armament | 10 × 4-pounder guns |
Malta was one of six British warships in sight on 8 January 1801 when HMS Penelope captured the French bombard St. Roche. She was carrying wine, liqueurs, ironware, Delfth (sic) cloth, and various other merchandise from Marseilles to Alexandria.[3]
Then on 8 March the "Malta schooner", Entreprenante, and the gun-vessel Negresse protected the right flank during the landing of troops in Aboukir Bay.[4] Cruelle protected the left flank, together with the cutter Janissary and the gun-vessel Dangereuse.[4]
Because Gozo served in the fleet under Admiral Lord Keith in the Egyptian campaign between 8 March and 2 September, she is listed amongst the vessels whose crews qualified for the NGSM with clasp "Egypt".[b]
On 9 June Gozo (misspelled as Gogo) captured the chasse maree Trompeuse, which was sailing to Ancona.[6]
Gozo was sold in 1804.[2]
Notes edit
- ^ Winfield awards the capture to HMS Thames.[2] Unfortunately, there is no mention in the London Gazette of the capture, or for that matter of the capture of any Spanish schooner with the name Malta.
- ^ A first-class share of the prize money awarded in April 1823 was worth £34 2s 4d; a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 3s 11½d. The amount was small as the total had to be shared between 79 vessels and the entire army contingent.[5]
Citations edit
- ^ "No. 21077". The London Gazette. 15 March 1850. pp. 791–792.
- ^ a b c Winfield (2008), p. 356.
- ^ "No. 15358". The London Gazette. 25 April 1801. p. 447.
- ^ a b "No. 15362". The London Gazette. 5 May 1801. pp. 496–498.
- ^ "No. 17915". The London Gazette. 3 April 1823. p. 633.
- ^ "No. 15428". The London Gazette. 17 November 1801. p. 1386.
References edit
- Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1861762467.