Ranger, <-1799-1817->
Type: Revenue cutter ; Armament 14
Disposal date or year : 1817
BM: 162 tons
Complement : 40 men Notes:

Excepting when war service demands this vessel seems to be based in the Plymouth / Falmouth area, whereas there is an Excise cutter which has just come to light working off N Yarmouth.

13 Aug-Oct 1799 employed on expedition to Holland.

28 Aug 1799 capture of the Dutch hulks Drotchterland and Brooderschap, and the ships Helder, Venus, Minerva, and Hector, in the New Diep, in Holland.

15 Sep 1799 Plymouth, came in the Ranger cutter from the Texel. By her is learnt that numbers of our brave men were drowned in the surf near Helder, from too great impatience to get on shore.

28 Dec 1799 Plymouth, arrived from Portsmouth, the Ranger cutter from a cruise.

5 Apr 1800 Plymouth, arrived from a cruise, the Plymouth lugger, Swan and Ranger cutters. The former has captured two smugglers with tobacco and spirits.

25 Jun 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Ranger cutter, M. A. Frazer, with a fine smuggling lugger, having on board 800 ankers of spirits, captured after a long chase within the limits of the Dodman.

11 Feb 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound the Providence lugger, of Palpero, from Guernsey, with 800 anchors of spirits, prize to the Ranger cutter, Captain Frazer, captured within the limits of the Rame Head.

31 May 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound the Ranger cutter, Captain Frazer, with a large seizure of spirits from a raft, and a smuggler with 200 ankers of spirits.

4 Aug 1801 departed Plymouth for the Downs, probably to join Lord Nelson, who had collected together a squadron of small vessels which were bombarding Boulogne. (Captain Fraser).

21 Dec 1801 the revenue cruisers Hind and Ranger, having sheltered at Falmouth due to contrary winds, departed on a cruise.

24 Feb 1802 prize money resulting from the capture of the Dutch hulks Drotchterland and Brooderschap, and the ships Helder, Venus, Minerva, and Hector due to be paid.

8 Jun 1802 departed Plymouth Sound for Deptford to be sheathed and coppered and to take in her new guns, the Ranger cutter, 14, Capt. Frazer (in the service of the Customs). As soon as she is fitted, she is to cruise on her lucky station, "from the Start to the Dodman and Lizard Point in search of smugglers."

28 Sep 1802 departed Plymouth Sound on a cruise against the smugglers, the Ranger cutter, Captain A. Frazer.

28 Oct 1802 departed Plymouth to the eastward, to cruise against the smugglers.

3 Nov 1802 the Ranger departed Plymouth with the Busy cutter, Captain Bowden, on a cruise against the smugglers.

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

2 Dec 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound, from a cruise, seeking protection from a tremendous S.S.E. gale that has been running with very high seas.

3 Jan 1803 departed Plymouth Sound on a cruise.

5 Jan 1803 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise.

17 Jan 1803 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise have experienced the late gales in the Channel last night off the Maystone, when the sea ran in large troughs, and it blew so hard that he was obliged to bear away for Hamoaze, which he reached last evening, with a Dutch dogger, that also put into port through stress of the weather.

22 Jan 1803 departed on a cruise against smugglers.

31 Jan 1803 the Ranger, 14, Capt Frazer, arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise against the smugglers.

3 Feb 1803 arrived Plymouth with the Patience lugger, of Polperro, smuggler, having on board 400 ankers of brandy and gin.

5 Feb 1803 departed Plymouth on a cruise against smugglers.

18 Feb 1803 arrived Plymouth, from a cruise against smugglers.

19 Feb 1803 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

10 Mar 1803 departed Plymouth for the Downs.

23 Mar 1803 arrived in the Downs and remains.

13 Apr 1803 arrived Plymouth the Ranger, Busy, Renown, Hinde, and Eagle, cutters, from a cruise, with impressed men ; the Eagle has gone into quarantine, having taken 2 men out of the Cultivator, recently arrived from Malaga.

18 Apr 1803 arrived Plymouth from sea with pressed men.

12 May 1803 departed Plymouth.

29 May 1803 departed Plymouth the Ranger, Capt Frazer, and the Eagle, Capt Adams, on a cruise, and to press seamen.

6 Jun 1803 departed Plymouth the Ranger and Hind on a cruise.

7 Jun 1803 arrived Plymouth from Falmouth, last from the fleet, with 60 prisoners.

30 Jul 1803 arrived in the Downs with a convoy from the Westwards.

17 Aug 1803 arrived Plymouth from the Downs, with a convoy.

27 Aug 1803 departed Plymouth with a convoy for Cork.

5 Sep 1803 arrived Plymouth from Cork, and brought in with her the smuggling lugger, Return, from Guernsey, laden with 130 casks of spirits, which she captured off the Lizard.

6 Sep 1803 a Court Martial was held on board the Raisonable, on Lieutenant John Luckcraft of the Ranger, for striking the Sergeant of Marines, and was sentenced to be dismissed his ship.

7 Sep 1803 departed Plymouth on a cruise to the Westwards.

10 Sep 1803 the Ranger, Capt Frazer, arrived Penzance for hands.

18 Sep 1803 the Ranger, Capt Fraser, departed Plymouth, for the Downs, with a convoy, including the Lord Nelson Indiaman, Capt Spottiswood, from Bengal, and the trade bound to the Eastward. It was observed that the average of one-sixth for the recapture of the Lord Nelson, by the Seagull, 18, Colossus, 74, and Tonant, 84, in sight, will, of course, be settled by the East India Company, in concurrence with the underwriters at Lloyds Coffee House. The Seagull is so much damaged in her masts and rigging as a result of her action with the Lord Nelson that she must be overhauled.

20 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs with the Lord Nelson Indiaman and remains.

26 Sep 1803 arrived Plymouth, from the Downs.

19 Nov 1803 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

5 Dec 1803 arrived Plymouth the Ranger cutter, Capt Fraser, with a convoy from the Downs.

May 1805 Vessel of Port of Plymouth - Cape Cornwall to Portland.

Per Navy List circa 31 Dec 1814 shown to be armed with 15 guns as an Revenue cruiser under the command of John Sayers, and responsible to the English Board.

19 Mar 1817 was in action for an hour and a half with a smuggling vessel armed with 12 9-pounders and suffered 3 killed and 7 wounded. The vessel was captured, with its cargo of contraband goods, and 2 men and a boy, but the rest of the crew escaped.