Name Active Captured 21 May 1793 Acquired 21 May 1793 by capture | Launched c.1789 Name Actif Captured 16 March 1794 | |
HMS Actif was the British privateer Active that the French captured in 1793 and that became the French privateer Actif. Iphigenia recaptured Actif on 16 March 1794. The Royal Navy took her into service but she foundered on 26 November. Fortunately though, all her crew were saved.
Contents
British privateer
Active was a Liverpool privateer launched c. 1789. She was under the command of Captain Stephen Bower (or Bowers), and was sailing under a letter of marque dated 2 May 1793. The French frigate Sémillante captured her on 21 May 1793. At capture, Active was armed with eleven guns and three howitzers.
French service
On 16 March 1794 Iphigenia captured both Actif and Espiegle in the West Indies.
Royal Navy service and loss
The Royal Navy registered Actif as a sloop on 17 July. However, already by 4 June she was on active service with the Royal Navy, participating in the capture of Port-au-Prince. Commander John Harvey became her captain on 5 September.
Harvey was sailing Actif to England when by 24 November she developed leaks while off Bermuda. Even with the crew working the pumps continuously, she took on so much water as her structure weakened that on the 26th she had to make distress signals. HMS St Albans came up and rescued Harvey and his crew. The rescuers left her to founder at 30°9′N 76°58′W.