GUILLAUME TELL 1796

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aukepalmhof
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GUILLAUME TELL 1796

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun Feb 11, 2018 8:20 pm

Built as a 2eRate ship-of-the-line at Toulon for the French Navy. She was designed by Jacques-Noël Sané.
September 1794 keel laid down.
21 October 1795 launched under the name GUILLAUME TELL. (most probably named after the famous marksman from Switzerland William Tell.)
Tonnage ?, dim. 182.6 x 47 x 23.6ft.
Armament 30 – 36pdrs., 32 – 24pdrs., 28 – 12pdrs., 6 – 36 carronades.
Crew 800.
July 1796 completed.

She was one of the French ships under command of Capt. Saulnier and as flagship of Vice Admiral P.C. Villeneuve (1763 – 1806) was she present at the Battle of the Nile on 01 August 1798.
She was not engaged in this battle, and as one of the rear vessels in the French line of warships together with three other French warships escaped undamaged.

She escaped to Malta, which was at that time under French authority.
Malta Post gives: http://www.maltapost.com/page.asp?n=newsdetails&I=5520

The French 84-gun GUILLAUME TELL escaped from the Battle of the Nile to seek shelter in Valetta after the defeat by Admiral Horatio Nelson of the French fleet in Aboukir Bay.
The Maltese insurgents were besieging the French in Valletta and the ships of the British Navy were maintaining a blockade to ensure none of the French warships sailed to France.
GUILLAUME TELL was refitted and attempted to escape during the night of 29-30 March 1800 with some of the garrison’s sick and wounded.
She was engaged in daylight by the 44-gun frigate HMS PENELOPE that fought a delaying action until joined by the 64-gun HMS LION and the 80-gun HMS FOUDROYANT, which dismasted the French vessel, as depicted in this painting by Edwin Galea. She was towed to Syracuse for repairs, and joined the British Fleet as HMS MALTA. (on the stamp she is the vessel in the foreground of the painting seen starboard side).

When she escaped from Malta she was still under command of Capt. Saulnier and had on board Vice Admiral Decrés, she left Valletta during the pitch-black night of 29 March at 23.00, she was not seen by HMS ALEXANDER which was anchored three miles from Fort St. Elmo.
At midnight did HMS PENELOPE see her; which was under command of Capt. Henry Blackwood, who began a running attack on her. The GUILLAUME TELL who tried to escape could only use her stern chasers during this fight.
When daylight came she was attacked by the LION, PENELOPE and FOUDROYANT.
After a most gallant battle she struck her colours and was taken.
From the crew of 919 men, 207 were killed and many wounded under which Capt. Saulnier and Vice Admiral Decrés.

Taken in the Royal Navy as HMS MALTA.
23 November 1800 arrived at Portsmouth for a refit, which was completed on 10 July 1801.
Tonnage given as 2.265 ton (bm), dim. 194.4 x 51.7 x 23.4ft.
Armament: Lower deck 30 – 32pdrs. and 2 – 68pdrs carronades. Upper deck 30 - 24pdrs., quarter deck 18 – 24pdrs. and 8 – 24pdrs carronades, fore-castle 2 – 12pdrs., poop deck 2 – 68pdrs. carronades and 2 – 24pdrs. carronades.
Crew 780.

May 1801 commissioned under command of Capt. Albemarle Bertie.
She received orders to stationed at St. Hellen’s to examine all vessels coming into Portsmouth harbour.
Later was she used in the blockade of Brest, and for a while stationed at Bantry Bay.
After a seriously fire on board, paid off on 04 April 1802 at Plymouth.
March 1803 recommissioned, under command of Capt. Edward Buller.
10 April 1803 she joined the fleet at Cawsand Bay.
June 1803 she sent into Plymouth the American ship LOVINA from New York bound for Amsterdam, loaded with tobacco. She detained the LOVINA in the English Channel.
July 1803 send out together with other ships from the Royal Navy to patrol the waters off the Spanish coast.
Christmas Day 1803 she was running in a storm with hurricane strength, and her prize the LES DEUX AMIS was wrecked in the Catwater near Deadman’s Bay, the prize was loaded with sugar and coffee.

The MALTA returned to Plymouth for a refit after the winter gales.
16 July 1804 she was again moved to Cawsand Bay.
19 December still at Cawsand Bay a strong gale sprung up, and the MALTA had to veer more anchor cable to prevent her drifting, she touched some rocks but was not damaged.
The end of that year she sailed to Ferrol, Spain and returned on the 29th December at Plymouth with on board 60.000 dollars in silver belonging to Spanish merchants.

January 1805 under temporary command of Capt. William Granger off Cadiz, Spain.
She joined Sir Robert Calder squadron and took part in his action against the Spanish and French fleet on 22 July 1805. Two enemy ships were taken. MALTA lost during this action 5 men and had 40 wounded.
Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis.
August 1806 she captured the French Le PRÉSIDENT (44-guns).
05 January 1807 sailed for the Mediterranean.
1807 Used in the blockade off Cadiz. Command was taken over by Capt. William Shield.
1808 Used in the blockade off Toulon, Capt Shield was relieved by Capt. Robert Otway.
December 1808 decommissioned at Plymouth for repair and a refit.
September 1811 re-commissioned under command of Capt. Charles Paget as flagship for Rear Admiral Sir. Benjamin Hallowell.
08 January 1812 sailed for the Mediterranean.
January 1815 command taken over by Capt. William Fahie.
From November 1815 till January 1816 under repair and fitted out as guardship at Plymouth.
January 1816 command taken over by Capt. Thomas Caulfield.
July 1816 paid off at Plymouth, and put in reserve.
10 November 1831 fitted out as depot ship at Plymouth.
August 1840 broken up at Plymouth.

Source: many websites under which http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/M1.HTM British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield.
Malta 2006 29c sg?, scott?

The other ships depict on this stamp are the:
HMS FOUDROYANT http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... allery]/1/
HMS PENELOPE: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=16176
HMS LION: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=16178
Attachments
Image (34).jpg

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