The hired armed ship Pretty Lass was a ship launched in 1803 that sailed under a letter of marque until the Royal Navy put her under contract from 9 June 1804 to 25 May 1805. She was of 259 tons burthen (bm). Her armament varied over time. She had a brief, unremarkable career while under contract to the Navy, and a vessel by the same name was sunk in 1807.
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Letter of marque
On 22 December M. Lockyer, the owner of Pretty Lass, stated that she was almost ready for sea and was one of the "most beautiful letters of marque that will be sent from any port in the United Imperial Kingdoms of England and Ireland". He described her as being of 270 tons (bm), armed with sixteen 6-pounder guns and four 42-pounder carronades, and under the command of Alexander Ferguson. She was fitting out at the same time as Lady Charlotte and Lockyer intended for the two vessels to sail in consort.
Ferguson received a letter of marque on 15 August 1803. The warrant described Pretty Lass as being of 263 tons (bm), armed with sixteen 6-pounder guns plus 42-pounder carronades, and having a crew of 80 men.
Hired armed ship
Pretty Lass was one of four vessels that Mr. T. Lockyer, of Plymouth, owned that the government hired at the same time. In reporting the transaction, the Naval Chronicle described Pretty Lass as a ship under the command of Captain Tippet, and armed with fourteen 18-pounder carronades and four 6-pounder guns. Tippet was Commander James Tippett. The Sporting Magazine reported on Tippett's appointment to command Pretty Lass, stating that "It is no wonder that a Pretty Lass should have a Tippet." Admiralty records report the fourteen 18-pounder carronades but do not list the 6-pounder guns.
Tippett was still in command on 6 August when Pretty Lass sailed from Plymouth with dispatches for the fleet at Brest. He left Pretty Lass to take command of Hawk, and was lost when she disappeared, presumed foundered, in December. Tippett's successor was Commander Thomas Smith (or Smyth). Under Smyth's command, Pretty Lass served on convoy duty in the Channel.
Fate
Readily available records do not reveal with certainty what happened to Pretty Lass after the Navy ended her contract. However, Pretty Lass is an uncommon name. The last mention in Lloyd's List of a Pretty Lass, armed ship, is that she returned to Plymouth from a cruise on 22 May. The next mention in Lloyd's List of a Pretty Lass is that Pretty Lass, Cumming, master, sailed from Portsmouth on 4 October 1805 as part of a convoy for Gibraltar. She returned from Gibraltar on 21 December.
The last mention is that Pretty Lass (transport), Cummings, master, was sunk in the River Plate on 17 July 1807. The timing suggest that this may have occurred during the unsuccessful second British invasion of the River Plate.