HMS Hazard's Prize (1756)

HMS Hazard's Prize (or Hazard Prize) was the French privateer Subtile, which HMS Hazard captured on 28 August 1756 and which the Royal Navy took into service. She was out of service a year later and the Navy sold her in 1759.

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

History
France
Name:	Subtile
Builder:	Dunkerque
Captured:	1756
Kingdom of Great Britain
Name:	Hazard's Prize
Acquired:	1756 by purchase of a prize
Fate:	Sold 1759
General characteristics [1]
Tons burthen:	100​^72⁄94, or (bm)
Length:	Overall:61 ft 9 in (18.8 m) Keel:48 ft 7 in (14.8 m)
Beam:	19 ft 9 in (6.0 m)
Depth of hold:	8 ft 11 ^2⁄3 in (2.7 m)
Sail plan:	Snow
Complement:	Privateer:86 Royal Navy:60
Armament:	8 × 4-pounder guns + 12 × ½-pounder swivel guns

Capture

On 1 September 1756 HMS Hazard captured the privateer snow Subtile off Lowestoff. Subtile was armed with 12 guns and had a crew of 86 men under the command of Jean Baptiste Tate. During the six-hour engagement Subtile's crew twice tried to board Hazard, but the British repulsed them. Subtile struck off Winterton. Her crew were taken ashore the next day and lodged in the local jail. Fourteen managed to tunnel out, but one man got stuck and his cries for help alerted the guards, who succeeded in recapturing four men.[2]

Royal Navy service

The Admiralty purchased her for £350, having named her Hazard's Prize. Commander James Smith commanded her from 10 November 1756 until 23 March 1757 when she had completed fitting. Lieutenant John Dalrymple then commissioned her cruising and convoy escort. Dalrymple received promotion to commander on 23 March 1757. The Admiralty surveyed Hazard's Prize twice, the first time on 20 August after she had been paid off on 10 August.[1] Dalrymple removed to the sloop HMS Albany.

Hazard's Prize remained listed but not in service until she was surveyed for the second time on 31 May 1759.[1]

Fate

The Navy sold her for £546 6s 11d at Woolwich on 21 June.[3][1]

Citations and references

Citations

1. Winfield (2007), p. 311.
2. Palmer & Manship (1856), pp. 259–260.
3. "No. 9905". The London Gazette. 16 June 1759. p. 3.

References

• Palmer, Charles John; Manship, Henry (1856). The history of Great Yarmouth, designed as a continuation of Manship's history of that town. Louis Alfred Meall.
• Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1844157006.