Prince William, 1797
Type: Hired armed ship ; Armament 14 x 24 pdr carronades
Date Hired : 18 Apr 1797 ;
Hire Terminated : 26 Nov 1801 ;
BM : 306 ;
Notes:

1 Jan 1799 Lt T. W. Clayton ; Master W Nicholson ; stationed North Sea ; built 1797. (N.C.)

Circa Jul 1799 salvage money etc. resulting from the re-capture of the London Packet, of Aberdeen, due for payment. J. W. Clayton, Esq., Commanding Officer.

Circa Jan 1800 Lieutenant Rickhell, of the Centaur, is promoted to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the Prince William armed ship.

8 Feb 1801 departed Spithead with a convoy for the Downs.

21 Apr 1801 departed N. Yarmouth this morning a squadron for the Baltic under the command of Adm. Totty in the Zealous, with the Powerful, Vengeance, 74s ; Ruby, 64 ; Alkmaar, Hospital Ship ; Pomone, frigate ; Vesuve, Wrangler, Ready, Safeguard, Pincher, Eclipse, Boxer, Plumper, Griper, Adder and Cracker gun vessels ; Drake, cutter ; Prince William, hired armed ship.

19 Jun 1801 replaced the frigate Squirrel off Scarborough, protecting that part of the coast, it having experienced a number of attacks recently by French privateers, on the coal ships etc., heading south to London.

30 Jun 1801 arrived yesterday in the R. Humber and this morning and departed for the Baltic under convoy.

29 Jul 1801 last Friday arrived Hull with a convoy of British vessels recently detained at St Petersburgh in the late embargo. 80 vessels formed the convoy when it came together in the Sound, in the Baltic, under the command of the Armed Ships Prince William, Pomona and a gun brig.

14 Sep 1801 arrived in the Humber last Friday with a convoy from Hamburgh, and will depart with another convoy for the Baltic in about 14 days, wind permitting.

28 Sep 1801 it was reported at Hull that the sloop Ann was to take Hull's convoy for the Baltic, when she arrives, whilst the Prince William had been sent to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to pick-up the vessels from the north-east, for the Baltic. It is reported that the Jane departed Hull recently with a convoy for the Baltic, but had been driven back by unfavourable winds.

23 Oct 1801 arrived Hull with a convoy from the Baltic.

26 Oct 1801 it has been announced at Hull that the hired armed ships Prince William, Good Design and Pomona are to be paid off at Newcastle, following the signing of the Peace of Amiens, and hostilities having officially ceased, it is said, on 22 Oct 1801, no comments having been made regarding convoys, but since the Prince William, and Pomona vessels were an important part of the Baltic-North Sea convoy system, it would appear that they are being reviewed, but since the Good Design is in the Mediterranean, involved in the recently concluded war against France in Egypt, but presumably a vital part of the system for moving men and materials as required, and protecting transports and convoys etc. from all the piracy, and bandits etc., experienced in those days in the Mediterranean, particularly along much of the north coast of Africa, such as Algiers and Tunis, and in the waters off the many islands that were to form a part of Greece.

10 Nov 1801 departed N. Yarmouth, with the �olus, Surprise, and armed ship Pomona, and a gun-brig.

12 Nov 1801 arrived Sheerness, with the hired armed ship Pomona, from Yarmouth.

18 Nov 1801 remains in the harbour at Sheerness.