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Lot Essay
The 16-gun sloop, H.M.S. Penguin was built in Amsterdam and launched in 1789 as the Dutch brig Komeet. Captured by H.M.S. Unicorn off the Irish coast on 28th August 1795, Komeet was renamed Penguin and saw active service in the British Navy for most of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars before being sold in July 1809.
On 21st August 1797, under the command of Captain John King Pulling, Penguin was sailing off the Irish coast when at 8.30am. Pulling sighted two vessels sailing towards him, looking initially like harmless cruisers. However, as the ships came nearer it became apparent that despite the foremost flying English colours they were both in fact enemy vessels. Penguin immediately opened fire, and after 15 minutes continuous fighting the stern vessel struck her colours and hove-to, but as the sea was running too high to take immediate possession of her Pulling decided to pursue the escaping privateer, the 18-gun French corvette Oiseau, which he had ascertained to be the bigger prize. She had, in fact, out sailed the Royal Navy on five previous occasions, and despite the French boat's superiority in canvas, Penguin managed to keep up the pursuit and, after an hour and forty minutes, Oiseau surrendered after having lost her main topmast. Pulling in a letter two days later to Vice-Admiral Kingsmill, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in Ireland, published in The London Gazette in September 1797, credited some of his success to the Oiseau's disorder and the rough seas. He also praised his men, especially his First Lieutenant, Mr. George Neat Tremlett, for 'their Zeal and steady Exertion during the Chace [sic] working the Guns Knee high in Water for upwards of an Hour and an Half, carrying a great Press of Sail, with a heavy Sea, making fair Breaches constantly over us'.
Having taken possession of Oiseau by 12.30pm., Pulling returned for the other ship, who by this time was trying to make her escape. He succeeded in catching her and when he came to take possession he discovered she was in fact the brig Express of Dartmouth, only recently herself the prize of Oiseau, and outbound for Newfoundland. Ironically, Express had only been captured by the Royal Navy a few months previously, prior to that she had been the 12-gun French privateer Appocrate. Although a minor incident in the overall catalogue of actions during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, it perfectly illustrates the day-to-day activities of the Navies of the warring nations during this period, which involved small skirmishes and the requisition of prizes into the service of the victorious side's Navy, rather than the large battles that are more commonly remembered by history.
On 21st August 1797, under the command of Captain John King Pulling, Penguin was sailing off the Irish coast when at 8.30am. Pulling sighted two vessels sailing towards him, looking initially like harmless cruisers. However, as the ships came nearer it became apparent that despite the foremost flying English colours they were both in fact enemy vessels. Penguin immediately opened fire, and after 15 minutes continuous fighting the stern vessel struck her colours and hove-to, but as the sea was running too high to take immediate possession of her Pulling decided to pursue the escaping privateer, the 18-gun French corvette Oiseau, which he had ascertained to be the bigger prize. She had, in fact, out sailed the Royal Navy on five previous occasions, and despite the French boat's superiority in canvas, Penguin managed to keep up the pursuit and, after an hour and forty minutes, Oiseau surrendered after having lost her main topmast. Pulling in a letter two days later to Vice-Admiral Kingsmill, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in Ireland, published in The London Gazette in September 1797, credited some of his success to the Oiseau's disorder and the rough seas. He also praised his men, especially his First Lieutenant, Mr. George Neat Tremlett, for 'their Zeal and steady Exertion during the Chace [sic] working the Guns Knee high in Water for upwards of an Hour and an Half, carrying a great Press of Sail, with a heavy Sea, making fair Breaches constantly over us'.
Having taken possession of Oiseau by 12.30pm., Pulling returned for the other ship, who by this time was trying to make her escape. He succeeded in catching her and when he came to take possession he discovered she was in fact the brig Express of Dartmouth, only recently herself the prize of Oiseau, and outbound for Newfoundland. Ironically, Express had only been captured by the Royal Navy a few months previously, prior to that she had been the 12-gun French privateer Appocrate. Although a minor incident in the overall catalogue of actions during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, it perfectly illustrates the day-to-day activities of the Navies of the warring nations during this period, which involved small skirmishes and the requisition of prizes into the service of the victorious side's Navy, rather than the large battles that are more commonly remembered by history.