Cruiser / Cruizer, 1781
Type: Sloop ; Armament 18
Launched : Purchased 1781 ; Disposal date or year : 1819
Notes:

27 Apr 1798 captured the French privateer Jupiter in the North Sea.

19 May 1798 captured the French privateer Chasseur in the North Sea.

25 May 1799 HM sloop Cruizer, at Yarmouth. I beg leave to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that St. Abb's Head bearing north, on the 21st inst. at 11 A.M. I discovered two luggers to the southward, to which I gave chace, but the weather being very unsettled and hasy, I could only discern then at times, they being well to windward ; and finding in the intervals of clear that we headed them fast, I took the advantage of tacking, and had the satisfaction of seeing them nearly a-head when the weather cleared up ; and about half past four P.M. were nearly within gun-shot of them, when a sudden gust of wind from off the shore carried away our fore-top-mast, and with it the main-top-gallant-mast ; this obliged me to bring-to for some time to clear the wreck, which being accomplished I made what sail I could, and was thereby enabled to keep sight of them until nine P.M. when finding they steered a course directly along the shore, I continued standing to the southward all night having during the night got up another top-mast, and refitted the ship. At day-light in the morning, Scarborough Castle bearing W. half N. three leagues I discovered one of them about eight miles to leeward, to which I gave chace, and, after a chace of six hours captured her. She proved to be the Deux Freres, Captain Jacques Bellet, 14 guns (12 of which she threw overboard during the chace, and 50 men, belonging to Calais, departed from thence on the 16th of April last, and has been cruising ever since. The lugger (the captain informs me) in company with him the day before, was the Tippoo Sahib, of 12 guns, and having thrown all her guns, boat, &c. overboard during the chace, had gone either to France or Norway. Having twenty-six men away in prizes, and 50 prisoners on board, I judged proper to come into this port, the wind being northerly, to land the prisoners and shall, as soon as possible repair to my station. Charles Wollaston.

15 Jul 1799 Cruizer, Leith Roads, Beg Leave to acquaint you, for the Information of their Lordships, that on the 13th Instant, in Latitude 56 Deg. North, I fell in with and captured, after a Chace of Three Hours, the French lugger privateer Le Courageux, of 14 Guns and 47 Men, belonging to Dunkirk ; out 6 weeks, and had taken 4 prizes, One of which I recaptured on the evening of the 12th. I have the Honor to be &c., C. Wollaston.

23 Mar 1800 captured the French privateer cutter Pers�v�rant, 14 guns, and 49 men, commanded by Captain Delatre, of Dunkirk.

26 Mar 1800 captured in the North Sea the French privateer brig Flibustier, 14 guns, and 54 men, Captain Cany, of Dunkirk, and arrived, later in the day, in Yarmouth Roads.

22 Jan 1801 remains in Harwich harbour.

25 Jan 1801 departed the Cruiser, Capt Brisbane from Harwich, for Yarmouth Roads.

Circa 12 Mar 1801 fleet under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker departed from Yarmouth roads for Copenhagen.

30 Mar 1801 Copenhagen : Cruiser's boat used to rebuoy the outer channel, a narrow passage lying between the island of Saltholm and the Middle Ground.

30 Mar the vessels initially detailed to take part in the forthcoming Battle of Copenhagen. 1 Apr the vessels detailed sail for Copenhagen ; the British ships held in reserve ; the Danish positions : 2 Apr the battle commences : the truce : the casualties : the wash-up :

12 Apr 1801 the fleet departed from Copenhagen into the Baltic.

9 Oct 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth from a cruise.

14 Oct 1801 departed N. Yarmouth on a cruise.

29 Oct 1801 arrived in N. Yarmouth Roads.

20 Dec 1801 departed N. Yarmouth the sloops Hound, Alonzo, Ranger, and brig Cruiser, destinations not stated.

3 Jan 1802 the Blenheim, flag ship of Admiral Dickson, remains in Yarmouth Roads with the Monarch, Adm. Graves, Agamemnon, Raisonable, Standard, St. Albans, Veteran, Ruby, Asia, Polyphemus, Princess of Orange, and Assistance ; Adder gun-vessel ; Inspector, and Pylades sloops ; and Jalouse, and Cruiser brig.

11 Feb 1802 remains with the Blenheim, and the squadron, in Yarmouth Roads.

11 Mar 1802 remains with the Blenheim, &c., in Yarmouth Roads.

9 Apr 1802 departed N. Yarmouth on a cruise.

20 Apr 1802 passed by N. Yarmouth yesterday, the Cruiser, from a cruise, bound for the Nore.

22 Apr 1802 arrived Sheerness from the Downs.

6 June 1802 in the Roads at N. Yarmouth.

20 Jun 1802 departed N. Yarmouth for Sheerness to be paid 18 months wages.

22 Jun 1802 arrived Sheerness from Yarmouth.

20 Jul 1802 head money for those present at the Engagement at Copenhagen, on the 2d April 1801, due for payment.

2 Jul 1802 departed Sheerness the Cruiser, brig, for Yarmouth.

9 Oct 1802 departed the N. Yarmouth Roads with the gun brig Cruiser, and gun vessel Adder.

16 Oct 1802 arrived N. Yarmouth Roads from a cruise.

6 Nov 1802 arrived N. Yarmouth and remains in the Roads with the Mallard.

11 Nov 1802 departed the Unicorn frigate from Yarmouth on a cruise with the brigs Mallard and Cruiser, leaving the sloop Lynx in the Roads.

6 Dec 1802 departed N. Yarmouth for Sheerness.

6 Jan 1803 the Cruiser, Capt J. Hancock, lying at Sheerness.

23 Mar 1803 arrived Sheerness from the River.

27 Apr 1803 arrived Sheerness from Leith.

20 May 1803 came down through to the Downs from Sheerness, the Cruiser.

5 Jun 1803 remain in the Downs, the frigates Leda and Hydra ; the sloops Ranger and Cruiser ; and the bomb Sulphur.

7 Jun 1803 departed the Downs the Cruiser, Capt Hancock.

14 Jun 1803 ship's boats capture a French brig and schooner from off the French coast.

16 Jun 1803 last night at 7 p.m. arrived Dover the French vessel Inabordable, one of several vessels captured by the Jalouse and Cruiser &c., on the 14th.

16 Jun 1803 arrived Deal last night, the frigate Immortalite, the sloops Jalouse, and Cruiser, and the gun brig Vixen, from the French coast, from a cruise, per the last 2 items.

17 Jun 1803 departed the Downs to join Commodore Sir S. Smith's squadron, off Dunkirk.

29 Jun 1803 arrived N Yarmouth Roads from a cruise.

5 Aug 1803 the frigate Ethalion, and the brigs Chiffone and Cruiser recaptured a French East Indiaman, name unknown, and the Margaret, Lace, of Liverpool, and who originally captured the French East Indiaman, but was herself subsequently captured by the crew of the French ship, being greatly superior in number.

8 Aug 1803 the frigate Ethalion, and the brigs Chiffone and Cruiser arrived Lerwick, in the Shetland Isles with their prizes.

3 Oct 1803 arrived N Yarmouth with a French West Indiaman prize.

6 Oct 1803 departed N Yarmouth with her French West Indiaman prize for the River.

10 Oct 1803 arrived Sheerness with 2 prizes from Yarmouth Roads.

17 Oct 1803 arrived in the Downs, for N Yarmouth, the Cruiser, Capt Hancock.

18 Oct 1803 departed the Downs for the Northward.

15-16 May 1804 action with a division of the Flushing flotilla.

Circa 28 Jul 1804 Lieut H Fraser of the Cruiser was recently tried by Court Martial at Sheerness for being drunk and suggesting he wanted to shoot Lord W Stuart of the Crescent. He was sentenced to be dismissed the Cruiser for the first charge, but was acquitted on the second charge.

18 Oct 1804 Cruizer, Florence, Bold and Ann captured the French privateer Contre Admiral Magon in the North Sea.

23 Oct 1804 the loss of gun-brig Conflict in a coastal action near Ostende.

May 1805 Sheerness

13 Nov 1805 captured the French privateer Vengeur in the Channel.

6 Jan 1807 captured the French privateer Jena in the North Sea.

26 Jan 1807 captured the French privateer Brave on the Home station.

22 Aug 1807 present at the siege and bombardment of Copenhagen 15 Aug - 20 Oct 1807 and capture of Danish Fleet by Adm. Gambier.

11 Sep 1807 arrived Tarmouth from Copenhagen, with despatches, having had several men and an officer killed, and then departed for the Humber.

May - Oct 1808 in the light of the next entry it is surmised that she may well have been in the Baltic with a fleet under V.-adm Sir J Saumarez - but don't quote me - see why Euryalus was in the area!

1 Oct 1808 when attacked by flotilla of small Danish gun-vessels etc. captured a schuyt-rigged vessel.

8 Oct 1808 Euryalus and Cruiser, whilst cruising in the Great Belt, the ships' boats boarded and carried a large Danish gun-vessel and destroyed two large vessels fitted for the reception of troops.

23 Nov 1809, Yarmouth, departed with the Zealand, sloop, on a cruise.

Hull, 2 Oct 1810 in the last week has detained the Schwan, Blanch, and Albertina, Byie.

Yarmouth 20 Jan 1811 departed for the Nore.

Yarmouth, 7 Nov 1811 notice is given to the Cruizer, and other vessels that Accounts of sales of 6 prizes, with the Accounts of expences incurred by the capture of 6 vessels have been deposited in the Registry of the Court of Admiralty.

Chatham 23 Nov 1811 Came up to refit.

Portsmouth 13 Feb 1812 arrived from the Nore.