Iris, 1783
Type: 5th rate ; Armament : 32
Launched on the River Thames in 1783 ;
Renamed : 1809
Tons (BM) : 688.
Notes:

6 Mar 1793 captured the French privateer Custine in the North Sea.

13 May 1793 Inconclusive action, most likely with the Citoyenne-Fran�aise, lasting some hour and a half, following which the French ship probably departed for Bordeaux, once the foremast, main topmast, and mizenmast, of the Iris has gone over the side. Out of 217 men and boys, the Iris lost four seamen killed, her first lieutenant, master (Mr. Magee, mortally), and 30 seamen and marines wounded. The weather being fine the Iris was able to continue her passage to Gibraltar.

26 Apr 1793 departed for the Mediterranean.

1794 Capt W Hargood apptd for cruising.

Jul 1796 Capt T Surridge back in the North Sea.

13 Jun 1797 escaped the mutiny at the Nore, being fired on by the Monmouth - see p. 74 www.naval-review.org/issues/1929-1.pdf.

Dec 1797 Capt G Brisac, apptd to the Iris.

1 Jun 1798 captured the French privateer Legere off the Scaw.

1 Jan 1799 Capt. G. Brisac. At the Nore.

Apr 1799 in company with the Hired Armed Lugger Jane, captured the Ungo Lockum.

15 Sep 1799 Iris and the lugger Jane captured the Dutch privateer Pegasus, North Sea.

20 Sep-7 Oct 1800 victualling the ship at Lerwick, in the Orkney. See below circa 1803, for note to a court case relevant to what happened on this day.

27 Mar 1801 during the day the North Sea Fleet departed N. Yarmouth, for a cruise off Holland, including the : Prince of Orange, 64, Adm. Dixon's flag ship, Agincourt, 64, Monmouth, 64, Leyden, 64 ; Assistance, 50, Madras, 50, ; 3 frigates, including the Iris ; a sloop ; and the Attack gun brig &c.

2 Apr 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth Adm. Dixon's North Sea Fleet from a cruise off the coast of Holland.

30 May 1801 arrived at N. Yarmouth.

19 Jun 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth from a cruise.

21 Jun 1801 departed N. Yarmouth for Sheerness, to make good damage suffered in the recent gales, arriving Sheerness later the same day.

5 Jul 1801 the Solebay and Iris will be paid tomorrow before sailing.

10 Jul 1801 the Iris, Capt Brisac, arrived Sheerness, and has come into harbour to be paid off.

23 Aug 1801 has been paid off.

Sep 1801 recommissioned by Capt P Wodehouse ; later commanded by Lt T Smith?

20 Oct 1801 is reported to have been commissioned at Sheerness.

18 Nov 1801 remains in the harbour at Sheerness.

Circa 26 Dec 1801 Mr. Collis, Purser of the Savage, is appointed to the Iris.

30 Dec 1801 remains at Sheerness.

4 Feb 1802 departed Sheerness, the Magicienne, Iris, Waaksamheid, frigates ; and sloop Sophie, for the Great Nore, to be paid, and then to proceed to the westward.

26 Feb 1802 arrived at Spithead, the Iris, Capt Hardy, from the Downs.

15 Apr 1802 remains at the Nore with the Amphion, &c.

Circa 24 Apr 1802 Captain Vincent apptd to the Arrow.

Circa 24 Apr 1802 Captain Atkins apptd to the Iris, 50, vice Woodhouse, who is appointed to the Resistance, vice Digby.

10 May 1802 the Iris and Favourite are ordered to convey the troops serving as marines on board the Guelderland, Ambuscade, Amphitrite, and Galathea, Dutch ships, to Lymngton, Hants, from which place they will embark for Holland. The sloops Ranger, Arrow, and Autumn are ordered to take the seamen belonging to the 4 Dutch ships above, to Embden.

18 May 1802 arrived in the Downs from Sheerness the Iris, Capt the Hon P. Wodehouse, and passed through for Spithead.

21 May 1802 arrived Spithead the Iris frigate, Captain Atkins, from Lymington, where she landed the Dutch seamen who were paid off at Chatham.

25 May 1802 departed Spithead the Iris frigate, Captain Atkins, to the eastward.

31 May 1802 arrived Sheerness from Lymington.

17 Jun 1802 departed Sheerness for N. Yarmouth.

20 Jun 1802 departed N. Yarmouth on a cruise against smugglers.

6 Oct 1802 arrived at Sheerness.

3 Dec 1802 has been taken into Dock at Sheerness.

20 May 1803 the Law Intelligence article for today in the Morning Post from the King's Bench at Westminster which deals with what appears to be a case a fraud involving the Commanding Officer, Capt Brisac, and, Mr Alexander Scott, the Purser, for conspiring to procure false vouchers with intent to defraud the Commissioners of the Victualling Board by charging them more for the stores than they actually paid, when the Iris was at Lerwick circa 7 Oct 1800, both parties being found guilty by the jury. 29 Jun 1803 in the case of King v Brisac, Captain Brisac was today sentenced to be find 300 pounds ; to be imprisoned for 18 months ; and once during that time stand in and upon the pillory opposite the Admiralty between the hours of 12 and 2.

Circa 24 Sep 1803 the Unite, 40 ; Modeste, 38 ; Heroine, 32 ; Solebay, 32 ; Daedalus, 32 ; Quebec, 32 ; Iris, 32 ; Retribution, 32 ; Vestal, 28 ; Resource, 28, are to be jury rigged and to depart shortly for Long Reach, to take in their guns and power ; after which they'll drop down to the Lower Hope, to be moored across the River for the protection of the Thames. The manning of these vessels will be the responsibility of the Trinity Board.

Oct 1803 lent Trinity House.

Jun-Sep 1804 appears to be back from Trinity House and undergoes major refit at Woolwich.

May 1805 Nore

Jun 1805 at Woolwich.

Circa Jun 1805 prize money resulting from the capture of the Ungo Lockum, due for payment.

13 Aug 1805 abreast of Cape Ortugal, sighted combined Franco-Spanish fleet and chased away.

13 Aug 1805 Iris fell in with the French fleet off Cape Ortugal, and on the 14th had escaped the chasing ship and joined the Naiad, in sight of which was the Dragon, accompanied by the Phoenix and prize, the late French frigate Didon.

21 Oct 1805 captured the Spanish privateer St. Pedro, corvette, 16 guns, 150 men.

25 Apr 1806 Pallas detached to reconnoitre the French squadron at anchor in the road of the Isle of Aix, during which there was a brief action with the French 40-gun frigate Minerve and three brig-corvettes, who retired when Iris, Hazard, and a cutter were seen cruising off Chasseron.

14-16 Jul 1806 the ships' boats from the Prince-of-Wales, Centaur, Conqueror, Monarch, Revenge, and Polyphemus, along with 3 boats each from the Indefatigable and Iris, capture the French 16-gun brig-corvette C�sar from the R. Gironde.

18 May 1807 destroyed the French privateer Jena.

24 Jan 1808 captured the French privateer Marsouin on the Home station.

18 Nov 1809 Renamed Solebay