HMS Speedy (1782)

HMS "Speedy" was a 14-gun brig of the Royal Navy, launched in 1782.

Career

She was captured by the "Sérieuse" in 1794, retaken by HMS "Inconstant" in 1795, and from 1801 was commanded by the famous Thomas Cochrane.

Cochrane achieved his most famous exploit on "Speedy", the capture of the Spanish xebec "El Gamo" on 6 May 1801; "El Gamo" had 32 guns and 319 men as compared to "Speedy's" 14 guns and 54 men.

On 3 July 1801, while escorting a slow transport in the Mediterranean, "Speedy" was attacked by three French frigates commanded by Admiral Linois and after several hours of combat Cochrane was forced to surrender. As a French prize "Speedy" was renamed "Saint Pierre", and was given to the Papal Navy and subsequently named "San Pietro". She remained in the Papal Navy until being broken up in 1807.

Popular culture

The plot of the novel "Master and Commander" by Patrick O'Brian was in part modelled on the story of HMS "Speedy".

References

*cite book | last = Vale | first = Brian | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Audacious Admiral Cochrane: The True Life of a Naval Legend | publisher = Conways | date = 2004 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0851779867
*cite book | last = Lyon | first = David | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Sailing Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy Built, Purchased and Captured, 1688-1860 | publisher = Conway Maritime Press | date = 1997 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0851778976
*Colledge
*cite book | last = Cordingly | first = David | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Cochrane the Dauntless | publisher = Bloomsbury | date = 2007 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 9780747585459