Africaine, 1801
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 38 (26 long 18-pounders on the main deck and 18 long 8-pounders on the quarterdeck and forecastle)
Taken : 19 Feb 1801 ; Disposal date or year : 1816
Complement: 295
B.M.: 1085 tons
Notes:

19 Feb 1801 Phoebe captured the French frigate Africaine, taken into the Service under her French name.

31 Jan 1802 arrived Spithead the Africaine, 44, Capt Stephenson, with troops from Egypt, last from Malta.

5 Feb 1802 departed Spithead the Africaine, for Sheerness, to be paid off.

7 Feb 1802 arrived in the Downs, for the River.

8 Feb 1802 departed the Downs for Sheerness.

9 Feb 1802 passed by Sheerness, for the River, to be paid off.

Circa 21 Nov 1802 commissioned at Deptford, and Captain T. Manby appointed in command.

25 Jan 1803 the Africaine and Minerve were supposed to depart Deptford for anchorages at Longreach / known as Long Reach these days, in the Medway River, but the Easterly wind and weather have ruled against it and it seems that they will have to wait until the Spring Tides on 6th Feb before trying again.

2 Feb 1803 attempted to depart Deptford for Long Reach, an anchorage in the Medway, but there was insufficient water and she'll have to wait for the Spring Tides.

17 Feb 1803 departed Deptford this morning for Long Reach to take in her guns. Her commanding officer, Capt Manby has been seriously ill for some days, it is said due to sleeping in his cabin too soon after painting. Seem to remember that Napoleon was understood to have died before his time due to the lead paint used in his accommodation whilst he was at St Helena.

15 Mar 1803 arrived in the Nore from the Thames and have been paid advances of two months pay.

7 Apr 1803 arrived in the Downs from the Northwards, and remains.

14 Apr 1803 arrived Sheerness.

28 Apr 1803 the Isis fell in with the Utrecht off Goree, and R.-Adm Thornborough transferred his flag from the Isis to the Utrecht, following which the Isis returned to Spithead, leaving R.-Adm Thornborough in command of a squadron made up as follows : Utrecht, 64, Capt Thomas Rogers ; Africaine, 44, Capt Manbey ; Leda, 38, Capt Honeyman ; Hydra, 38, Capt Mundy ; Ambuscade, 38, Capt Atkins ; Constance, 24, Capt Griffiths ; and 2 revenue cutters.

27 Jun 1803 the Africaine arrived Spithead with 22 sail of fishing-boats ; and the Topaze arrived with 12 sail, captured off Dieppe : it has been observed lately that many of these vessels have been manned by up to 100 men and were being used as privateers and taking British shipping back to the Continent.

2 Jul 1803 Adm Holloway attended the survey of the 34 fishing vessels brought in by the Topaze and Africaine and gave up 9 of the vessels as not being capable of carrying a carriage gun, and any men who were deemed to be not capable of bearing arms. This appears to be a reaction to the new French practice of taking all the British crew members out of any vessels they've captured to take them back to France to make it more difficult for the British to man the Royal Navy.

11 Jul 1803 departed Spithead, the Africaine, Capt Manly, with a convoy for the Downs.

13 Jul 1803 sailed through the Downs this morning to the Westward. Wind N.

11 Aug 1803 has arrived Sheerness and had her foremast taken out, to be replaced, the old one having been shivered by lightning when she was cruising off the French coast, and is now useless.

15 Aug 1803 has now got her new mast fitted and has departed for sea.

17 Aug 1803 arrived in the Downs, from Sheerness.

19 Aug 1803 departed the Downs with the gun brig Archer on a cruise to the Northwards.

11 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise.

17 Nov 1803 the surf at N Yarmouth, over the last few days has been dreadful : some bales of cloth have come ashore to the north of the town suggesting that a vessel may have been wrecked on that shore. It has also done some damage to the boats of the men of war, two having upset yesterday, and the day before Capt Manby, of the Africaine, had a narrow escape when his boat upset some distance from the shore.

12 Dec 1803 departed Sheerness for the Downs.

Circa 2 Jun 1804 captured and sent into N Yarmouth 11 Dutch schuyts.

Circa 19 Nov 1804 when the Africaine appears to have been anchored in the Texel and experienced 2 days of storms, during which she became leaky and had her rudder broken into 2 pieces, and had her anchor and cables given way they were apprehensive for their safety. They eventually arrived safely at N Yarmouth where a second and most tremendous gale obliged her to cut her masts away to prevent her going ashore.

May 1805 Irish Station

5 Jul 1807 departed from England with Lord Cathcart, C-in-C of the land-forces for the forthcoming siege and bombardment of Copenhagen. arrived from Put bay in the island of Rugen on 12 Aug, for an operation which was to last from 15 Aug - 20 Oct 1807.

24 Dec 1807 occupation of the island of Madeira.

23 Jan 1807 Preparing at Sheerness, to convoy Lord Cathcart to the Continent.

11 Jan 1808 captured the Spanish felucca Paloma.

May - Oct 1808 in the Baltic with a fleet under V.-adm Sir J Saumarez.

Spring 1810 Africaine had returned to Plymouth from Annapolis ; whither she had conveyed Mr. Jackson, the British ambassador to the United States.

Spring 1810 problems with the crew resolved, following a change of commanding officer.

9 Sep 1810 on her way from England to Madras, touched at the island of Rodriguez to replenish her water, but on hearing of the state of affairs in that quarter departed for the Isle of France.

11 Sep 1810 arrived off the Isle of France and sent the ship's boats in shore to find a passage through the reef with a view to capturing a French schooner, which turned into a bit of a disaster for the boat's crews. departed for the Isle of Bourbon, arriving the following day.

12-13 Sep 1810 Africaine sighted the French frigates Iphig�nie and Astr�e and departed in chase with the Boadicea, Otter, and Staunch some distance behind. Action between the Africaine and French ships commenced resulting in the Africaine hauling down her colours. 23 Apr 1811 surviving officers and crew of the Africaine tried by a court-martial for the loss of their ship, and most honourably acquitted.

13 Sep 1810 Africaine recaptured by the Boadicea, Otter, and Staunch.

28 Nov 1810 arrived off the Isle of France (Mauritius), in company with other vessels, including a fleet of transports, to take the island from the French Master of the Africaine, with others, surveys beach for landing.

3 Dec 1810 Isle of France surrendered British fleet. See "Illustrious" for detail

Portsmouth Mar 21 1811 arrived with Vice Admiral Bertie, from the Isle of France, last from the Cape of Good Hope in 8 weeks.

Portsmouth Oct 8 1811 Went out of the harbour.

Portsmouth Nov 26 1811 (Captain Rodney), having Gen. Brownrigg on board, departed for the East Indies.

9 Dec 1814 It is reported from the East Indies that the Africaine was to cruize off Dondra Head.

Portsmouth Dec 6 1815, arrived from the East Indies,

1 Feb 1816 Four seamen executed on board at Portsmouth, for a detestable crime.

28 Aug 1816 lying at Deptford ; offered for sale.