Most probably was she a British Merchantmen, Lloyds Register of 1810 gives four ships under the name ZEPHYR comparing the tonnage she could be built at Whitby in 1781, Chepstow in 1799 and two ZEPHYR’s were built in Sunderland in 1791 and 1781.
06 November 1813 she arrived in Buenos Aires under command of Captain J. Smith, with a cargo for Pedro Lezica one of the largest merchants in Buenos Aires.
After arrival bought by Juan Larrea and White.
She was the first ship under that name in the United Provinces of the River Plate.
She was refitted as a warship under the name CÉFIRO as a corvette.
Tonnage 220 tons, dim. 34 x 5 x 2m. (draught).
Armament: 16 caronades 9 pdrs. and 2 long guns of 9 pdrs., (but other sources have a different no of guns.)
When it took part in the Battle of Martin Garcia according to Admiral Brown she carried 14 carronades of 9 and 12 pdrs. and 2 long guns of 6 pdrs.
Crew from 75 – 110.
01 January 1814 commissioned. under command of Sergeant major Elias Smith for a short time.
Under sail she was not a fast vessel.
1814 She was a unit of the second squadron, Smith was transferred to the frigate HERCULES and he was replaced for a short time by sergeant major Oliver Russell.
22 February 1814 command was taken over by sergeant major Santiago King.
10 March 1814 she was a unit of Brown fleet which attacked the Spanish squadron under command of Jacinto de Romarate near the Island of Martin Garcia.
More on this battle is given on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ ... ADa_(1814)
Then she took part in the Battle of Buceo still under the command of King which started on 14 May 1814, but due to adverse weather condition the battle stopped till 17 May when off Montevideo, Admiral Brown with his fleet got the victory over the Spanish fleet, the Spanish corvette PALOMA was captured during this battle.
18 May command was taken over by Robert Jones and thereafter by Tomás Taylor; she took part in the blockading fleet off Montevideo until the city surrendered on 23 June 1814.
After this she was disarmed and for economical reasons the squadron the ZYPHYR did belong too, was decommissioned
20 October 1814 she was handed over to the Commissioner of the Navy who put her up for auction but there was no interest.
Then he was ordered to hand the ZYPHYR over to sergeant major Tomás Tayler in the state of it was. At that time the corvette was anchored at Balizas.
24 October the Commissioner of the Navy informed the warehouse of the Navy to supply Taylor with all the equipment he needed to refit the ZYPHYR.
Till 15 November the crew received their wages. In December she was under repair at Barrascas.
After repair she led a diplomatic mission to the Portuguese court in Rio de Janeiro, before she returned to Buenos Aires on 29 March 1815
13 May she got a letter of marquee from the Argentinean Government to use her as a privateer against Spanish shipping.
01 August 1815 she sailed out under command of Taylor from Buenos Aires, at that time she was armed with 16 guns, of 10 and 18 pdrs.
She headed north around Cape Frio, Brazil and captured the merchant NUESTRA SENORA DE MONSERRAT off Cabo Frio and the slave trading schooner DIVINA PASTORA.
07 October she grounded on the Banco de la Ciudad near the outskirts of Buenos Aires, where she broke in two parts and sank the 08 October without loss of the crew.
Her letter of marquee was handed back by Taylor and cancelled on the 16 October 1815.
Argentina 1957 60c sg902, scottC63 (the other ship on the stamp is the NANCY.)
Source: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbeta_C%c3%A9firo