HMS Furnace (1797)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Furnace.

HMS Furnace was a Courser-class gunvessel launched in 1797 and sold in 1802.

History
Great Britain
Name	GB No.25
Ordered	7 February 1797
Builder	Perry & Co., Blackwall
Laid down	February 1797
Launched	10 April 1797
Renamed	HMS Furnace
Fate	Sold 1802
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Courser-class gunbrig
Tons burthen	16852⁄94 (bm)
Length	Overall:76 ft 2 in (23.2 m) Keel:62 ft 6+3⁄8 in (19.1 m)
Beam	22 ft 6+1⁄2 in (6.9 m)
Depth of hold	8 ft 3 in (2.5 m)
Armament	2 × 24-pounder bow chase guns + 10 × 18-pounder carronades

Career

Lieutenant Maurice William Suckling commissioned Furnace in May 1797.

In May 1798 she participated in Sir Home Popham's failed attack on Ostend.^[2]

Furnace took part in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799. On 28 August 1799, the fleet captured several Dutch hulks and ships in the New Diep, in Holland. Furnace was listed among the vessels qualifying to share in the prize money.^[3] Furnace was also present at the subsequent Vlieter Incident on 30 August.^[4]

On 14 September 1801 Lieutenant Suckling faced a Court-martial on board Waaksaamheidt, at Sheerness. The Court found him guilty of part of the charges of neglect of duty and absenting himself without leave. It ordered that he be superseded from Furnace.^[5]

Following the signing of the Peace of Amiens, Furnace was paid off on 18 October 1801 at Sheerness.

Fate

The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy" offered "Furnace, 169 Tons, Copper-bottomed, lying at Sheerness", for sale on 7 October 1802.^[6] She sold there on that date.^[1]

Citations

1. Winfield (2008), p. 333.
2. "No. 15017". The London Gazette. 19 May 1798. pp. 421–423.
3. "No. 15453". The London Gazette. 13 February 1802. p. 158.
4. "No. 15533". The London Gazette. 16 November 1802. p. 1213.
5. Naval Chronicle (July–December 1801), Vol.6, p.247.
6. "No. 15518". The London Gazette. 25 September 1802. p. 1038.

References

• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.