HMS ''Carmen'' (often ''El Carmen'', or sometimes ''Carmine''), was the Spanish frigate ''Nuestra Señora del Carmen'', built in 1770 at Ferrol. The British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

captured her on 6 April 1800 and took her into service as HMS ''Carmen''. She served in the Mediterranean until she returned to Britain in 1801. There the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

had her laid-up

in ordinary ''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household, it indicates that a position is a permanent one. In naval matters, vessels "in ordinary" (from the 17th century) are those out of service for repair o ...

. She was sold in December.

Capture

In April 1800, was on blockade duty at Cadiz as part of a squadron under Rear-Admiral

John Thomas Duckworth Sir John Thomas Duckworth, 1st Baronet, GCB (9 February 174831 August 1817) was an officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, as the Governor ...

and including the 74-gun ships and , and the

fireship A fire ship or fireship, used in the days of wooden rowed or sailing ships, was a ship filled with combustibles, or gunpowder deliberately set on fire and steered (or, when possible, allowed to drift) into an enemy fleet, in order to destroy sh ...

. On 5 April the squadron sighted a Spanish convoy comprising thirteen merchant vessels and three accompanying frigates, and at once gave chase. ''Leviathan'' and ''Emerald'' eventually opened fire on the rigging of two Spanish frigates in order to disable them; shortly afterward, both Spanish frigates surrendered. ''Nuestra Señora del Carmen'', Captain Don Fraquin Porcel, of 36 guns, 140 men, and 950 tons (bm), was sailing from Cadiz to

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

with a cargo of 1500

quintal The quintal or centner is a historical unit of mass in many countries which is usually defined as 100 base units, such as pounds or kilograms. It is a traditional unit of weight in France, Portugal, and Spain and their former colonies. It is com ...

s of mercury, sundries of "Cards", and four 24-pounder guns stored for foreign service. She was newly coppered and had provisions for a four month voyage. She carried as a passenger Don Pedro Ynsencio Bejarano, Archbishop of

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

. Before she surrendered, ''Carmen'' had 11 men killed and 16 wounded. '' Santa Florentina'', Captain Don Mamuel Norates, of 36 guns, 114 men, and 950 tons (bm), had been traveling from Cadiz to Lima with 1500 quintals of mercury and sundry "Cards", and five 24-pounder guns. Before she surrendered she suffered 12 killed and 10 wounded, including Norates and her second captains. On 7 April, the British sailed for

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

with their prizes. On arrival they encountered ''Incendiary'', which had made port the previous day with two captured vessels of its own. In all, the small British squadron managed to capture nine merchant vessels and two frigates. The Royal Navy took both frigates into service.

Royal Navy service

Captain William Selby commissioned ''Carmen'' in December 1800 for the Mediterranean station. She then proceeded to capture a number of merchant vessels. :3 April 1801 the French brig ''Gentil seconde'', from Bayonne bound to Senegal, laden with bale goods and wine.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 6, p.415. :6 April 1801 detained the Spanish schooner San Josef. :23 May 1801 the Spanish mistico ''Jean Baptiste'', from Cadiz bound to Vera Cruz, laden with bale goods, wine, and sundries, and since carried into Cadiz by the crew. :28 May 1801 the Spanish schooner Primivera y Concevida, from Magadore bound to Teneriffe, laden with wool and sundries.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 6, p.417. :21 June 1801 a Spanish

tartane A tartane (also tartan, tartana) was a small ship used both as a fishing ship and for coastal trading in the Mediterranean. They were in use for over 300 years until the late 19th century. A tartane had a single mast on which was rigged a large la ...

of unknown name, from Algeziras bound to Malaga, in ballast. :21 June 1801 the Spanish

polacre A polacca (or ''polacre'') is a type of seventeenth- to nineteenth-century sailing vessel, similar to the xebec. The name is the feminine of "Polish" in the Italian language. The polacca was frequently seen in the Mediterranean. It had two or th ...

''Nostra Senora de los Dolores'', from Algeziras bound to

Cartagena, Spain Cartagena () is a Spanish city and a major naval station on the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Iberia. As of January 2018, it has a population of 218,943 inhabitants, being the region's second-largest municipality and the country's sixth-lar ...

. :21 June 1801 the Spanish tartane ''Senora St. Anna'', from Algeziras bound to Malaga, with coals. On 22 July 1801 letters arrived at Plymouth from ''Carmen'', dated 4 June. The letters reported that she had captured four prizes, three of which arrived at Gibraltar Bay. Also ''Carmen'', ''Superbe'', ''Venerable'', and ''Cambrian had chased into Cadiz Bay, three French frigates. The frigates had had on board two French Centre Admirals and seamen for the Spanish squadron of 12 sail of the line fitting for sea there. The Spanish squadron had had to delay its sailing because one of the storehouses full of naval stores in the dock-yard had caught fire and been totally consumed. The four British vessels were waiting for Rear-Admiral Sir James Saumarez's squadron from Gibraltar to block the Spaniards up. Because ''Florentina'' served in the Navy's Egyptian campaign between 8 March 1801 and 2 September, her officers and crew qualified for the clasp "Egypt" to the Naval General Service Medal that the

authorised in 1850 for all surviving claimants. ''Carmen'' and arrived at Spithead on 9 November 1801, from Egypt.

Fate

''Carmen'' arrived at Portsmouth on 2 December 1801 where she was laid up. The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy offered "El Carmen, 971 Tons, Copper-bottomed, lying at Portsmouth", for sale on 24 February 1802. She sold there that month.

Notes

Citations

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Carmen (1800) 1770 ships Frigates of the Spanish Navy Captured ships Frigates of the Royal Navy Ships built in Ferrol, Spain