Discovery, 1790
Type: Bomb ; late Sloop ; Armament 12
Purchased : 1790 ; Disposal date or year : 1834
Disposal Details : BU
BM: 330 tons
Notes:

13 Aug-Oct 1799 employed on expedition to Holland.

19 Dec 1799 Portsmouth, departed with a convoy for Jerseys.

24 May 1800 a court martial was held on board the Gladiator, on Mr. P. Stone, Boatswain of the Discovery, for drunkenness and behaving in a contemptuous manner to his superiors. Mr. Stone was found guilty and sentenced to be dismissed the service and rendered incapable of serving again.

16 Jul 1800 Portsmouth, departed for the Needles, where she is to lie as a guardship.

Circa 1 Aug 1800 Captain Dick, of the Discovery, is appointed to the Cynthia.

1 Aug 1800 Lieutenant Conn, of the Formidable, is promoted to the rank of Master and Commander, and appointed to the Discovery bomb.

24 Sep 1800 Portsmouth, departed the Discovery, Captain O'Bryen, to lie as guard-ship at the Needles.

20 Oct 1800 re-captured the Brig Padstow, of Padstow.

1 Feb 1801 arrived Spithead from the Needles, where she has been lying with the Otter and Alecto as guard ships.

1 Mar 1801 appointed at Portsmouth, to form a part of the North Sea Fleet, St George, London, 98 ; Bellona, Ganges, Warrior, Ramilies, Russell, Saturn, and Defence, 74 ; Agincourt, 64, Harpy, 18, Alecto, Otter, fire ships ; Discovery, bomb.

2 Mar 1801 departed Spithead with a squadron bound for the Downs, Yarmouth Roads and Copenhagen.

5 Mar 1801 departed the Downs for N. Yarmouth the Ramillies, Saturn, Bellona, Ganges, Alecto, and Discovery.

11 Mar 1801 salvage money resulting from the re-capture of the Brig Padstow now due for payment.

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

18 Jun 1801 a letter of this date, received from Kioge Bay, in the Baltic, reports the presence of the following fleet, this at about the same time as Lord Nelson departed in the Kite for N. Yarmouth, V.-Adm Pole having arrived here in the Aeolus to relieve Nelson : the St George, Elephant, Defiance, Polyphemus, Edgar, Agamemnon, Defence, Adder, Aeolus, Kite, Dart, Zebra, Terror, Explosion, Sulphur, Discovery, Volcano, Hecla, Wrangler, Cracker, Safeguard, Sparkler, Attack, Tigress, Bruiser, Hasty, Biter, Otter, Force, Pleaser, Teazer.

19 Jul 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth with the Baltic fleet under the command of Adm Graves.

20 Jul 1801 departed N. Yarmouth.

23 Jul 1801 arrived in the Downs.

3 Aug 1801 wind NE, departed the Downs last night the Zebra, Volcano, Discovery, Sulpher and Hecla bombs and tenders to the coast of France.

6 Aug 1801 arrived in the Downs the Sulphur, Volcano, Zebra, Discovery and Hecla, bombs and tenders, from off Boulogne, having destroyed 10 sail of French gun vessels.

15-16 Aug 1801 with four howitzer boats supported an unsuccessful operation in the Bay of Boulogne to cut out enemy vessels, 1 seaman on board the Discovery being wounded.

2 Sep 1801 sailed past Dover for the Downs a squadron containing the York, Isis ; Discovery, Bomb ; Gannet, sloop ; Plumper and Snipe, gun vessels, along with a number of other cruisers, blown off the Coast of France by strong winds.

9 Sep 1801 the Overyssel, Magicienne, Amazon, Leyden, Alkmaar, York, Isis, Shannon, Gannet, Hound, Gier, and Autumn sloops ; Volcano, Vesuvius, Terror, Discovery, Zebra bombs ; Victoire, Nancy & Akers, fire ships ; the Locust, Plumper, Bold, Eclipse, Ferriter, Snipe, Minx, Jackall, and Mallard, gun vessels, apart from seven gun brigs who were about to depart that evening with the Eugenie and Diligence for the Coast of France ; remained in the Downs overnight.

18 Oct 1801 arrived in the Downs from Dungeness, a strong westerly gale blowing at the present time.

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

17 Nov-30 Dec 1802 prize money resulting from the expedition to Holland due for payment.

Circa 28 May 1803 Capt Joyce apptd in command of the Discovery.

29 Aug 1803 at 11 a.m. the Discovery, Archer and Bloodhound began a continual fire on the town from off Boulogne until 4 p.m. Fortunately the heavy shot coming out of the town did no damage, but a brig at the end of the pier was set on fire and it was estimated that a good deal of damage was probably done by the vessels firing on the harbour and town.

8 Sep 1803 every now and then the Discovery, Archer and Bloodhound have been firing on Boulogne, annoying the enemy and interrupting their labours. The squadron, now joined by the Autumn, with a Commodore, remains on the Boulogne station, and has begun another heavy cannonade, which was returned by the forts and batteries and maintained for half an hour. The firing appears to have continued intermittently until nightfall when the firing ceased. No damage received from enemy fire and damage caused ashore unknown, but was thought to have been considerable. The Bloodhound departed for the Downs.

9 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs.

14 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs.

15 Sep 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise.

23 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs this morning from Sheerness.

25 Sep 1803 the Discovery and Conflict departed the Downs on a cruise.

27 Sep 1803 further to the next item the Hampshire Telegraph lists the following vessels as being involved: the Leda, Capt Honeyman, commodore of the squadron made up from the frigate Diana, Capt Maling ; sloop Autumn, Capt Jackson ; gun brigs Conflict, Archer and Bloodhound ; and the bombs Tartarus, and Discovery ; along with a number of unnamed cutters attacked Calais :

27-29 Sep 1803 attacks on gun-boats along the French coast.

2 Oct 1803 arrived in the Downs from the French coast.

3 Oct 1803 departed the Downs for Sheerness.

10 Oct 1803 arrived N Yarmouth Roads the frigate Penelope, and bomb Discovery, and remain with the Gelykheid, Roebuck, and Constant.

28 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs from Margate Roads.

Circa 19 May 1804 Capt Pickford, apptd to the Discovery.

May 1805 Downs Station

For Convict inmates for Captivity, Ganymede, and Discovery, from 1821-1833 see National Archives volume references HO 9/1 and HO 9/3, available for free download.

1830 Convict Ship, Deptford