Megaera / Męgera , 1783
Type: Sloop ; Fire Ship ; Armament 16
Launched : 1783 ; Disposal date or year : 1817
Notes:

12 Jun 1795 the Channel Fleet, under Lord Bridport, including the Męgera, departed from Spithead for Quiberon bay. 22 Jun sighted the French fleet to west of Belle-Isle, and finding the French admiral had no wish for a fight, ordered the Fleet in chase and to engage as ships came up. During the chase the former British 74, Alexander was retaken, along with the French 74s Tigre and Formidable (subsequently renamed Belleisle). And so ended the Battle of the Isle de Groix.

20 Sep 1795 Lord Bridport remained with his fleet off the coast protecting the ill-conceived Quiberon Bay expeditions until 20 Sep, when he returned with 2 or 3 ships to Spithead, leaving Rear-admiral Harvey in command.

16 Jan 1799 Plymouth, arrived with the Bellona, and Ramillies, from Torbay.

29 Apr 1799 Plymouth, departed on a cruise.

18 Feb 1800 Plymouth, passed by, to join the Channel fleet, the Agamemnon, 64, Repulse, 64, and Megaera fire ship. The latter, in turning out of Torbay, ran down a loaded sloop, but all hands were saved.

10 Jan 1800 Plymouth, went into the Sound the Megaera fire ship, Captain West.

22 Jan 1800 Plymouth, departed for Torbay, the Megaera fire ship, Capt. West, to join Admiral Gardner's fleet there, thirty one sail of the line, besides frigates.

Circa 24 Mar 1800 Mr. J. Richards, acting Purser in the Megaera, is confirmed in the Kangaroo sloop of war.

20 May 1800 Portsmouth, arrived with the Achilles, and Active, from Torbay,

25 May 1800 Plymouth, departed with the Nymphe, and Renard, on a cruise.

30 Jun 1800 Plymouth, arrived in four days, with dispatches from Earl St. Vincent, off Brest.

25 Jul 1800 Plymouth, arrived with the Excellent, and Triumph, from the Channel fleet.

Circa 1 Sep 1800 Captain Bover, of the Megaera, who was 1st Lt with Adm. Colpoys, is acting in the Windsor Castle.

Circa 1 Sep 1800 Capt H Hill, late of the Gorgon, is apptd to the Megaera fire ship.

30 Sep 1800 Plymouth, letters from the Caesar, 84, of 26th, state, that the Caesar, Pompee, Captain, Montague, Sirius, and Megaera, compose the in-shore flying squadron in Dauarnez Bay, near Brest, where, in the late heavy gales of wind at S. W. they lay as snug as in Torbay or Cawsand bay, without splitting a rope yarn. The Megaera in expected in soon to refit.

15 Oct 1800 Plymouth, arrived from the Channel Fleet, with orders for all the ships in the Sound and Cawsand Bay to sail directly, the Megaera fireship, Captain Hill. After delivering her orders she departed again directly.

11 Nov 1800 Plymouth, arrived from Torbay. She was blown on Sunday by the violence of the wind at N.W. off Portland, and with difficulty bore away for Plymouth Sound.

11 Jan 1801 arrived Torbay from the Channel Fleet.

13 Jan 1801 following the receipt of letters from the flying squadron off Brest, reporting that seven sail of French men of war, with several frigates full of troops were lying in the outer road, ready for a start the Megaera, of 18 guns, Captain Ricketts, was dispatched by Admiral Harvey, to Earl St Vincent, to apprize him of the intelligence.

19 Jan 1801 arrived with dispatches from the Channel Fleet, and departed for same with dispatches.

26 Jan 1801 the Megaera and the hired brig Telegraph detained the American ship General Wrangle, with tobacco for Gottenburgh.

28 Jan 1801 the Megaera sent into Plymouth the Swedish brig Aliancen, Kestner, Dublin to Brest, in ballast.

5 Feb 1801 arrived Torbay the Megaera and Beaver from a cruise.

21 Feb 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound a third French brig with salt, fish, and hides, prize to the Megaera. These were seven vessels, part of 160 sail of the same description which sailed from Bourdeaux after laying there three months, with provisions and stores for the French fleet at Brest, under convoy of two gun-brigs, and were dispersed in a violent gale of wind two days after they sailed.

23 Feb 1801 arrived Torbay from the Channel Fleet.

24 Feb 1801 remains in Torbay.

28 Feb 1801 departed Torbay, L'Immortalite, and Alcmene, frigates, Magaera, fire ship, and Dolly, cutter, to join the Channel Fleet.

28 Mar 1801 the ship's boats captured in a calm, close in with the land, to the northward of the entrance of Ferrol (to which place they were bound, having departed from Bilboa), detained a number of Spanish vessels: Eleaxmen, of 110 tons, laden with cedar ; Losdores. of 134 tons, laden with coals ; Jesus, of seventy tons, laden with lime and calavances ; chasse maree, laden with grain, armed with swivels and muskets, and their not being fit to keep the sea I judged it prudent to destroy them.

28 Apr 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound with the Valiant lugger.

29 Apr 1801 departed Plymouth Sound to join the Channel Fleet.

30 May 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from the fleet off Brest.

31 May 1801 departed Plymouth Sound with six victuallers full of vegetables and stores for the fleet.

10 Jun 1801 departed Plymouth Sound, the Megaera fire ship, Capt Newhouse, with victuallers for the Channel Fleet.

7-8 Sep 1801 arrived this morning Plymouth Sound, from the Channel Fleet.

19 Sep 1801 departed Plymouth Sound with victuallers for the Channel Fleet.

16 Nov 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from the Eastward.

27 Nov 1801 departed Plymouth Sound for Torbay.

15 Dec 1801 departed Torbay for Portsmouth.

28 Dec 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from Torbay.

28 Jan 1802 departed Plymouth Sound against the Smugglers, whose vessels are reported to be well armed and numerous i.e. the smugglers have taken to using larger vessels, lately used as privateers until the peace, which are larger and better armed than the revenue cruisers, a large lugger having recently fired into 2 revenue cruisers, and hence the use of frigates and sloops, waiting to be paid off, to deal with the problem that has now arisen.

31 Jan 1802 arrived Torbay from a cruise.

13 Mar 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound the Megaera fire-ship, which sailed again directly, with orders for Torbay.

3 May 1802 the Barfleur, London, Irresistible, Ramillies, Magicienne, and Sirius, departed Torbay yesterday evening with a light air, to be paid off at Plymouth and Portsmouth, leaving just the fire ship Magaera, and sloops Childers, Atalante, and Sylph off Brixham.

9 May 1802 departed Torbay for Spithead.

10 May 1802 arrived Spithead from Torbay.

13 Jun 1802 came up into Portsmouth Harbour to be paid off.

Circa 19 Nov 1803 Capt A Duff apptd to the Megaera, at Portsmouth.

Circa 19 Nov 1803 Mr Haggitty, clerk to the Earl of Northesk, Capt of the Britannia, apptd to be purser of the Megaera.

24 Dec 1803 went out of Portsmouth Harbour to Spithead.

21 Jan 1804 dropped down to St Helen's from Spithead.

29 Jan 1804 departed Spithead the Megaera, Capt Duff, on a cruise.

8 Feb 1804 arrived Spithead, from a cruise off Havre, the Merlin, Capt Brenton, and the Megaera, Capt Duff.

16 Feb 1804 departed Spithead on a cruise, the Megaera.

1 Mar 1804 arrived Spithead, from Yarmouth, the Megaera, Capt Duff.

3 Mar 1804 dropt down to St Helen's, the Megaera.

2 May 1804 departed St Helen's, on a cruise.

29 Jun 1804 Mr Watson, master of the Megaera, sentenced to be dismissed the Service and to serve in such other situation as the Commander in Chief at Portsmouth shall direct, for repeated drunkenness and neglect of duty.

2 Jul 1804 departed Spithead for the Downs, with a convoy.

7 Aug 1804 whilst laying in Pevensey Bay was alerted to the fact that a French lugger privateer was reported to be lurking off Beachy Head, and she immediately sailed in pursuit.

21 Sep 1804 whilst in company with the Folkestone Lugger and Harriet Hired Armed Cutter, captured the Nostra Senora del Carmen, J. A. Arriaga, Master.

26 Sep 1804 arrived Spithead, the Megaera, Capt Duff, from off Seaford.

19 Oct 1804 departed Spithead, on a cruise.

23 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead from off Seaford.

May 1805 cruising in the Channel

31 Dec 1806 prize money resulting from the capture of the N. S. del Carmen due for payment.