''Diadem'' was a barque launched in 1800 at Whitby. She served as an armed defence ship between 1803 and 1805. Her owners sold her to the British government in 1818. The year 1818 may be a transcription error for 1808 as that is the last year for which ''Diadem'' is listed in either ''Lloyd's Register'' or the ''Register of Shipping''.
''Diadem'' enters the ''Register of Shipping'' in 1801 with J. Noddings, master, and trade Weymouth—Baltic. Although there was another
''Diadem'' at roughly the same time, she is the only one listed.
[''Register of Shipping'' (1801), Seq.№D84.]
/ref> ''Diadem'' appears in the Supplemental pages in ''Lloyd's Register'' with slightly different information: her master is J. Noddens, and her trade is that of a London-based transport.[''Lloyd's Register'' (1801), Supplemental Seq.№D9.]
/ref>
Following the resumption of war with France in early 1803, concern developed in Britain about Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom
Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom at the start of the War of the Third Coalition, although never carried out, was a major influence on British naval strategy and the fortification of the coast of southeast England. French attempt ...
. The British government's response took many forms including the reactivation of Fencible
The Fencibles (from the word ''defencible'') were British regiments raised in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and in the colonies for defence against the threat of invasion during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the Frenc ...
regiments and the Sea Fencibles
The Sea Fencibles were naval fencible (a shortening of ''defencible'') units established to provide a close-in line of defence and obstruct the operation of enemy shipping, principally during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
The ea ...
, a program of the construction of Martello Towers
Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts.
They stand up ...
along the coasts of Britain and Ireland, and the commissioning of a number of armed defense ships.
The British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
in November voted to underwrite 10,000 tons (bm) of armed transports to protect Great Britain's coasts. The vessels were existing, but not EIC, merchantmen that would receive an upgrade in armament and in some cases a naval officer as captain. The vessels were: ''Albion'', , , ''Aurora'', , ''Diadem'', , ''Helder'', , , ''Lord Nelson'', , , , , ''Sir Alexander Mitchell'', , and ''Triton''.[
On 21 November 1803 ''Diadem'', of 500 tons (bm) and 16 guns, was ready but yet to be allocated to her station. She was probably stationed in the Downs because she served in the Channel, cruising and escorting convoys.][''Naval Database''.]
/ref> The Royal Navy returned the armed defense ships to their owners in the second half of 1805.
''Diadem'' is last listed in 1808. The information on burthen, master, and owner is unchanged from the 1801 entries. The ''Register of Shipping'' too now showed her as a London-based transport.''Lloyd's Register'' (1808), Seq. №103.
/ref>
Citations
References
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{{italic title
1800 ships
Ships built in Whitby
Age of Sail merchant ships
Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Hired armed vessels of the Royal Navy