View source for HMS Alceste (1806)

{{short description|French Navy ship}}
{{other ships|HMS Alceste|French ship Minerve}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|image=Sir Samuel Hood’s engagement with the French Squadron off Rochefort, Septr. 25, 1806.jpg
|caption=The engagement with the French Squadron off Rochefort, HMS ''Monarch'' Capt. Richard Lee, engaging La ''Minerve'', L'''Armide'' & La ''Glore''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=France
|Ship flag= {{flagicon image|Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg|40px|border}}
|Ship name=''Minerve''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Rochefort, Charente-Maritime|Rochefort]]
|Ship laid down=May 1804
|Ship launched=9 September 1805
|Ship acquired=
|Ship completed=November 1805
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship captured=By the British on 25 September 1806
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Alceste''
|Ship acquired=Captured on 25 September 1806
|Ship commissioned=March 1807
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship reclassified=[[Troopship]] in 1814
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=*Wrecked on 18 February 1817,
* wreck then burned on 22 February
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=<ref name=Win/>
|Ship class=38-gun {{sclass|Armide|frigate}}; re-rated as 46 guns in 1817
|Ship tons burthen=1,097{{small|{{frac|71|94}}}} ([[Builder's Old Measurement|bm]])
|Ship length=*{{convert|152|ft|5|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (overall)
* {{convert|128|ft|8|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (keel)
|Ship beam={{convert|40|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|8|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship sail plan=[[Full-rigged ship]]
|Ship propulsion=Sails
|Ship complement=284 (later 315)
|Ship armament=
[[Deck (ship)#Upper deck|UD]]: 28 × 18-pounder guns
[[Quarter deck|QD]]: 14 × 32-pounder [[carronade]]s
[[Forecastle|Fc]]: 2 × 9-pounder guns and 2 × 32-pounder carronades
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Alceste''''' was built at [[Rochefort, Charente-Maritime|Rochefort]] in 1804 for the [[French Navy]] as '''''Minerve''''', an {{sclass|Armide|frigate}}. In the spring of 1806, prior to her capture, she engaged {{HMS|Pallas|1804|6}}, then under [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Lord Cochrane]]. During the duel she ran aground but Cochrane had to abort his attack when French reinforcements appeared.

The British captured her in an action on 25 September 1806, and the [[Royal Navy]] took ''Minerve'' into service as ''Alceste'' in March 1807; ''Alceste'' then continued to serve throughout the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. On [[Action of 29 November 1811|29 November 1811]], ''Alceste'' led a British squadron that captured a French military convoy carrying more than 200 cannon to [[Trieste]] in the Balkans. After this loss, [[Napoleon]] changed the direction of his planned eastward expansion in 1812 from the Balkans to Russia. The British historian James Henderson has suggested that the two events were linked, and may have changed the course of the war.

In 1814, ''Alceste'' was converted to a troopship and used to transport British soldiers to North America during the [[War of 1812]]. Following the [[Treaty of Paris (1815)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1815, ''Alceste'' carried [[William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst|Lord Amherst]] on his 1816 diplomatic mission to China. On the return journey, she struck a reef in the [[Java Sea]]; her wreck was subsequently [[Looting|plundered]] and burned by [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malayan]] pirates.

==Construction and armament==
''Alceste'' was built to a design by [[Pierre-Jacques-Nicolas Rolland|Pierre Rolland]] for the [[French Navy]] as ''Minerve'', an {{sclass|Armide|frigate}}. Her construction began at [[Rochefort, Charente-Maritime|Rochefort]] in May 1804, she was [[ceremonial ship launching|launched]] in September 1805 and finished that November.<ref name=Win>Winfield, p. 178</ref> Measuring {{convert|152|ft|5|in}} along her gundeck with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|40|ft|0|in}} and a depth in the [[Hold (ship)|hold]] of {{convert|12|ft|8|in}}; she had a capacity of 1,097 {{small|{{frac|71|94}}}} [[Builder's Old Measurement|tons burthen]]. When first fitted out, ''Minerve'' carried twenty-eight {{convert|18|pdr}} as her main battery and fourteen {{convert|32|pdr|adj=on}} [[carronade]]s on her quarter-deck; her forecastle had two {{convert|9|pdr|adj=on}} [[Naval long gun|long guns]] and two {{convert|32|pdr|adj=on}} carronades.<ref name=Win/>

==French service==
''Minerve'' was initially commanded by Capitaine Jaques Collet, entering service during the early days of the [[War of the Fourth Coalition]] between Britain and her allies, and Napoleonic France. In April 1806 she was part of a squadron—under [[Contre-amiral]] [[Zacharie Allemand]] and comprising five [[ships-of-the-line]], five frigates, and four smaller vessels—anchored under the shore batteries of the [[Île-d'Aix]] awaiting the opportunity to put to sea.<ref name=Hen101>Henderson, p. 101</ref><ref name=Wood224/> The British knew the location of Allemand's squadron; on 25 April Admiral [[Edward Thornbrough]], sent the British frigate {{HMS|Pallas|1804|2}} close to the Île-d'Aix to count the enemy vessels. Allemand ordered ''Minerve'' and three [[corvette]]s, {{ship|French corvette|Lynx|1804|2}}, {{ship|French corvette|Sylphe|1804|2}}, and {{ship|French corvette|Palinure|1804|2}}, to meet the British frigate,<ref name=Hen101/> leading to a skirmish in which no ship incurred much damage. Three other British vessels subsequently approached—the frigate {{HMS|Iris|1783|2}}, the 16-gun [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Hazard|1794|2}}, and a [[Cutter (boat)|cutter]]—and Capitaine Collet ended the engagement by sailing ''Minerve'' to a position under the shelter of the island's guns.<ref name=Hen102>Henderson, p. 102</ref>

''Pallas'' returned on 12 May with {{HMS|Indefatigable|1784|2}} and a 16-gun ship-sloop, {{HMS|Kingfisher|1804|2}}. Allemande despatched two large frigates and three corvettes; facing unfavourable winds, the British withdrew.<ref>Henderson, pp. 102–103</ref> Two days later, ''Pallas'' and ''Kingfisher'' came back and Allemande again ordered ''Minerve'', ''Lynx'', ''Sylphe'', and ''Palinure'' to chase Cochrane off.<ref name=Wood224>Woodman, p. 224</ref> As a precaution, he also had two other large frigates, {{ship|French frigate|Armide|1804|2}} and {{ship|French frigate|Infatigable|1799|2}}, cleared for action and ready to go.<ref name=JIV232>James (Vol. IV), p. 232</ref> Collett ordered his ships to set all sail in the hope of catching ''Pallas'' before she could escape, but Cochrane was in no hurry to leave and even attempted to draw the French on by backing his [[topsails]] and slowing down. Once in range, ''Pallas'' opened fire, bringing down the topsail [[Yard (sailing)|yard]] of one of the smaller vessels and then retreating into nearby [[shoals]] with ''Minerve'' in pursuit.<ref name=Wood224/> By 13:00 ''Minerve'' had come up on the leeward side of ''Pallas'', whereupon ''Pallas'' fired into her and closed with the intention of boarding. Just at that moment, ''Minerve'' hit a sandbank and ''Pallas'' crashed into her.{{refn|A single French account claims that ''Minerve'' did not run aground but that her anchor fell, causing her to stop abruptly. The British naval historian [[William James (naval historian)|William James]] considers this unlikely as she would not have needed re-floating but could simply have cut her cable.<ref name=JIV232/>|group=Note}} The force of the collision, great enough to jolt ''Pallas''{{'}}s guns from their positions, did not prevent her from unleashing a devastating broadside.<ref>Woodman, pp. 224–225</ref> Both ships were damaged but ''Pallas''{{'}}s shallower draught prevented her grounding. Her crew were able to disengage and get back under way, having seen the two 40-gun French frigates, ''Armide'' and ''Infatigable'', drawing near. The crew of ''Kingfisher'' sailed in to take ''Pallas'' in tow; the latter had lost her fore topmast, [[jib-boom]], [[spritsail]], [[stunsail]], and main topsail yards.<ref name=Wood225>Woodman, p. 225</ref> ''Minerve'' was only lightly damaged; she was re-floated and taken to Rochefort for repair. The engagement cost the lives of seven seamen aboard ''Minerve'', with a further fourteen injured. There were a further one dead and five wounded aboard ''Pallas''.<ref name=Hen104>Henderson, p. 104</ref>

===Capture===
{{main|Action of 25 September 1806}}
By September 1806 ''Minerve'' had joined a squadron—along with the large frigates ''Armide'', {{ship|French frigate|Gloire|1803|2}}, ''Infatigable'', and {{ship|French frigate|Thémis|1799|2}}, and the brig-corvettes ''Lynx'' and ''Sylphe''—under Eléon-Jean-Nicolas Soleil. The squadron left Rochefort on 24 September 1806, bound for the [[West Indies]]. At 01:00 on 25 September Soleil's squadron were spotted near the Chassiron lighthouse by a powerful British force under [[Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet|Samuel Hood]], comprising five 74-gun ships ({{HMS|Centaur|1797|2}}, {{HMS|Achille|1798|2}}, {{HMS|Monarch|1765|2}}, {{HMS|Revenge|1805|2}}, and {{HMS|Mars|1794|2}}), the 98-gun {{HMS|Windsor Castle|1790|2}}, and the 16-gun brig {{HMS|Atalante|1797|2}}. The French sought to avoid engagement, turning to the south-south-west with the British in [[general chase|general pursuit]].<ref name=JIV262>James (Vol. IV), p. 262</ref> After three hours the fastest British ship, ''Monarch'', was within range of ''Armide''. The next nearest British ship was ''Centaur'', over eight miles further back; seeing an opportunity, four of the French frigates fled. ''Infatigable'', set off north but was pursued and later caught by ''Mars''; ''Thémis'' and the two brigs headed south and eventually escaped.<ref name=JIV263>James (Vol. IV), p. 263</ref>

The remaining French frigates closed-up for mutual protection. At 10:00, ''Monarch'' engaged ''Minerve'' and ''Armide'', as the weather prevented ''Monarch'' from opening her lower gun ports, she was badly mauled. An hour later, ''Centaur'' caught up and began firing at ''Armide'' and ''Gloire'', leaving ''Monarch'' to continue her fight with ''Minerve''. ''Armide'' [[Striking the colours|struck]] to ''Centaur'' at 11:45 and ''Minerve'' surrendered to ''Monarch'' shortly after.<ref name=JIV263/><ref>Henderson, pp. 104–105</ref> ''Gloire'' veered west in an attempt to throw her pursuers but ''Centaur'' and ''Mars'' chased her down and forced her to strike at 15:00.<ref name=JIV263/>

==British service==
[[File:Sir Murray Maxwell.jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=Pencil portrait of Murry Maxwell in uniform|Captain Murray Maxwell sketched by [[Thomas Charles Wageman]] in 1817]]

The captured ''Minerve'' arrived at [[Plymouth]] on 26 October 1806, and after languishing there for some months, was taken into service as HMS ''Alceste''. Commissioned in March 1807 under Captain [[Murray Maxwell]] and refitted between April and August, she was sent to the Mediterranean in December.<ref name=Win/> Following the French invasion of Portugal in November 1807, a British expedition to capture the island of [[Madeira]] was proposed. Admiral Samuel Hood's squadron—comprising ships-of-the-line, ''Centaur'', {{HMS|York|1807|2}}, {{HMS|Captain|1787|2}} and {{HMS|Intrepid|1770|2}}, and the frigates ''Alceste'', [[French frigate Africaine (1798)|''Africaine'']], {{HMS|Shannon|1806|2}}, and {{HMS|Success|1781|2}}—escorted troopships into [[Funchal Bay]] on 24 December. The island was peacefully occupied two days later.<ref>James (Vol. IV), p. 350</ref>

In the [[action of 4 April 1808]], ''Alceste'', with {{HMS|Mercury|1779|2}} and {{HMS|Grasshopper|1806|2}}, attacked a Spanish convoy off [[Rota, Spain|Rota]]. While at anchor about three miles to the north-west of the [[San Sebastián]] lighthouse, the British ships noticed the large convoy, escorted by 20 gun-boats and sailing close to the land so as to also benefit from the protection of a mobile artillery following on the shore. Coming under heavy fire, the three ships closed with the convoy at around 16:00. ''Grasshopper'', requiring less water than the frigates, was able to stand in close to the town and bombard the batteries there, while ''Alceste'' and ''Mercury'' concentrated their fire on the gun-boats, destroying two of the escorts and driving many of the merchants ashore. Seven were subsequently captured and sailed back out to sea by marines and sailors of the British ships.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16139|page=570|date=23 April 1808}}</ref><ref name=JV38>James (Vol. V), p. 38</ref>

In 1808, with [[Napoleon]] controlling much of Europe, a plan was conceived by [[Robert Adair (politician)|Sir Robert Adair]], ambassador to Venice, to extract [[Pope]] [[Pope Pius VII|Pius VII]] from [[Rome]]. It was thought that the Pope in exile could encourage the Catholic countries of Spain and Italy to rise up against Napoleon. [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood|Admiral Collingwood]], Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, dispatched ''Alceste'' and an 18-gun sloop, {{HMS|Acorn|1807|2}}, to [[Palermo]] where they arrived on 12 August. The British diplomat there, [[William Drummond of Logiealmond|William Drummond]], selected four priests willing to undertake the mission. They boarded ''Alceste'' and set sail on 26 August.
On 31 August boats from ''Alceste'' put the party ashore at [[Ostia (Rome)|Ostia]], near Rome, where they made contact with a representative of the [[Holy See|Vatican]] who agreed to speak to the Pope but failed to return. When it was deemed necessary to travel to Rome to re-establish contact, the priests refused to go. Maxwell sent them back to Palermo in ''Acorn'', which returned a week later with another volunteer of Drummond's. Landed on the night of 19 September, the envoy was captured and shot as a spy the following day. Consequently, the entire plan was abandoned.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Mackesy|first=P. G. |date=1954 |title= To Rescue His Holiness – The Mission of Alceste in 1808|journal=The Mariner's Mirror |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=206–211 |doi=10.1080/00253359.1954.10658212}}</ref>

On 22 May 1810, ''Alceste'' encountered some French [[felucca]]s—lightly armed merchant vessels with [[lateen rig]]s—that were forced to seek refuge under the guns of the bay of Agay. Under cover of darkness, two boats from ''Alceste'', one under Lieutenant Andrew Wilson, the other led by the ship's master, Henry Bell, attacked the shore batteries. This was only partially successful; Wilson was unable to achieve his objective, while Bell's section managed to spike the guns of the second battery but only after taking heavy fire.<ref name=Wood251>Woodman, p. 251</ref> ''Alceste'' stood out to sea for three days, and on the night of 25 May, Maxwell sent two armed boats to lay in wait in a rocky cove. The following morning ''Alceste'' set sail. The French, assuming ''Alceste'' had gone, attempted to leave, but the two British boats lying in ambush attacked. Despite fierce resistance and fire from the guns on shore, four ships of the French convoy were captured and two driven on to the rocks. The remainder made it safely back to their anchorage.<ref name=Wood251/><ref>James (Vol. V), p. 251</ref>

Boats of ''Alceste'' and {{HMS|Topaze|1793|2}} captured two vessels in the bay of Martino, [[Corsica]] on 21 June 1810.{{refn|This may be [[San-Martino-di-Lota]], near Bastia.|group=Note}} Protecting the entrance to the bay was a three-gun [[artillery battery|battery]], which a landing party captured and put out of action. Several of the garrison were wounded or killed during the attack. British casualties amounted to one killed and two wounded.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16395|date=11 August 1810|page=1205}}</ref>

In 1811, ''Alceste'' entered the [[Adriatic]] and on 4–5 May, she and [[HMS Belle Poule (1806)|''Belle Poule'']] participated in a raid at [[Poreč|Parenza]] ([[Istria]]). Having chased a brig into the harbour, but unable to follow due to the rocks and shallow water, the two frigates stood outside and opened fire on her and the battery protecting her. After an hour, the brig was forced to move nearer the shore, out of range.<ref name=JV364>James (Vol. V), p. 364</ref> At 23:00, the British landed 200 seamen and all their marines on an island nearby, and also landed two 9-pounders and two [[howitzer]]s that they placed in one battery, and a field piece that they placed further away. From there, they were able to engage the French in Parenza in a five-hour mutual bombardment. The brig was eventually destroyed and the men and cannons returned to their ships. ''Belle Poule'' had one man killed and three wounded, and ''Alceste'' had two men killed during the action. All casualties occurred ashore.<ref name=JV364/><ref name=LG16511-1547>{{London Gazette|issue=16511|page=1547|date=6 August 1811}}</ref>

[[File:La Pomone contre les fregates Alceste et Active.jpg|thumb|left|French frigate ''Pomone'' engaging with ''Alceste'' and ''Active'' on 29 November 1811. Painting by [[Pierre Julien Gilbert]]]]

At the [[action of 29 November 1811]], ''Alceste'' led the British frigate squadron that outran and defeated a French military convoy carrying a cargo of cannon. The day before, ''Alceste'' had been stationed at the island of [[Vis (island)|Lissa]] (now Vis), with the frigates [[HMS Imperieuse (1793)|''Unité'']] and {{HMS|Active|1799|2}}, when word was received of a similar sized French squadron heading north.<ref name=Hen168>Henderson, p. 168</ref> The British frigates could not immediately set sail because Maxwell feared an attack from a strong French force nearby. As a defence, he placed two batteries on an island in the harbour's entrance, manned by the ships' marines, and three previously captured gun-boats manned by around 30 seamen from ''Alceste'' and ''Active''. These precautions not only weakened but delayed Maxwell's squadron, which put to sea at 19:00, twelve hours later.<ref name=JV376>James (Vol. V), p. 376</ref>

The British eventually caught up with the French ships at 10:00 the following morning, identifying them as the two large frigates {{ship|French frigate|Pomone|1805|2}} and {{ship|French frigate|Pauline|1807|2}}, and the smaller {{ship|French ship|Persanne|1809|2}}. ''Persanne'', fired the first shots at 12:30, off the coast of [[Palagruža|Pelagosa]] (Palagruža); an hour later ''Alceste'' and ''Pomone'' exchanged shots from their bow and stern guns respectively. ''Alceste'' began to overhaul ''Pomone'' at 13:40 and fired a broadside into her while simultaneously spreading more sail in the hope of catching ''Pauline'', a little further ahead. This plan was thwarted though when a shot from ''Pomone'' brought down ''Alceste''{{'}}s main topmast, slowing her suddenly.<ref name=JV377>James (Vol. V), p. 377</ref> When ''Active'' arrived at 14:00 and also started firing into ''Pomone'', ''Pauline'' was obliged to come about to protect her now out-gunned colleague. Just after 15:00 the British sloop, ''Kingfisher'' appeared on the horizon and ''Pauline'', now in danger of capture herself, disengaged and sailed off. ''Pomone'' struck shortly after.<ref name=JV377/> ''Unité'' which had set off in pursuit of ''Persanne'', forced ''Persanne'' to surrender at 16:00 after a single exchange of broadsides.<ref name=JV379>James (Vol. V), p. 379</ref>

The captured frigates contained more than 200 cannon, which were being transported to [[Trieste]], a city in north-east Italy on the border of the [[Balkans|Balkan States]].{{refn|''Persanne'', a 26-gun ship of 860 tons, carried a cargo of 130 × 24-pounder and 20 × 9-pounder cannons. ''Pomone''{{'}}s hold contained 51 cannons, the majority of which were 18-pounders, plus 220 gun-carriage wheels. It is not known for certain whether ''Pauline'' also bore a shipment of guns but sources agree that she probably carried a similar amount to ''Pomone''.<ref name=Hen168/><ref name=JV379/>|group=Note}}<ref name=Hen168/> It has been suggested by the British historian James Henderson that this action was a factor in Napoleon's decision to change the direction of his planned eastward expansion in 1812 from the Balkans to Russia.<ref name=Hen168/>

In late 1812, ''Alceste'' was decommissioned and placed [[reserve fleet|in ordinary]] at Deptford. Between February and July 1814 she was converted at Deptford into a [[troopship]]; in this role, she was recommissioned in May 1814 under Commander Faniel Lawrence.<ref name=Win/> On 18 September 1814 she departed Plymouth as part of a squadron, with {{HMS|Bedford|1775|2}} as flagship, that carried the advance guard of Major General Keane's army, which was moving to attack New Orleans.<ref>Burgoyne, pp.24-27</ref> Following the British decision to attack [[New Orleans]]; ''Alceste'' left [[Pensacola]] on 8{{nbsp}}December 1814, in tandem with the 50 other vessels under Vice-Admiral [[Alexander Cochrane]].<ref>Marley, p. 462</ref> The point chosen to land the troops was at the head of [[Lake Borgne]] which was subsequently discovered to be guarded by five American gunboats, a sloop and a schooner.{{refn|The gunboats were between 75 and 129 [[tons burthen]]; the largest carried a 24-pound long gun mounted on a pivot, four 12-pounder carronades and four swivels guns. The other four each carried a 32-pound long gun, six 6-pound long guns, two 5-inch howitzers, and four swivels. The other two smaller vessels bore only one gun each.<ref>Long, p. 265</ref>|group=Note}} On 14 December, Cochrane dispatched nearly 1,000 men in 42 barges from the various ships under his command, including ''Alceste''. After rowing for almost 36 hours, the British stopped just out of range to rest and eat breakfast before launching their attack.<ref>Clowes, pp. 148–149</ref><ref>Long, pp. 265–266</ref> The [[Battle of Lake Borgne]] resulted in the capture of all the American vessels, at a cost of 94 British and 41 American dead and wounded.<ref name=Clo150>Clowes, p. 150</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17730|page=1561|date=28 July 1821}}</ref> In 1847 the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] issued a clasp (or bar) marked "'''14 Dec. Boat Service 1814'''" to survivors of the boat service who claimed the clasp to the [[Naval General Service Medal (1847)|Naval General Service Medal]]. {{refn|The 'Names of Ships for which Claims have been proved' are as follows: warships Tonnant, Norge, Royal Oak, Ramillies, Bedford, Armide, Cydnus, Trave, Seahorse, Sophie, Meteor; troopships Gorgon, Diomede, Alceste, Belle Poule|group=Note}}<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20939|page=247|date=26 January 1849}}</ref>

===Diplomatic mission to China===
[[File:MACLEOD(1819) p045 CHART OF THE EASTERN AND YELLOW SEAS.jpg|thumb|1818 chart showing "The tracks and discoveries of His Majesty's ships ''Alceste'' and ''Lyra'' in the Southern and Yellow Seas", published in ''"Narrative of a Voyage, in His Majesty's late ship Alceste, to the Yellow Sea, along the coast of Corea"'']]
After the [[Treaty of Paris (1815)|Treaty of Paris]], the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] sought stronger ties with [[Qing dynasty|China]]. [[William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst|William Amherst]], the diplomat chosen to inform the [[Jiaqing Emperor|emperor]] of the peace in Europe and to offer Britain's friendship, specifically requested Maxwell and ''Alceste'' to accompany him.<ref name=Hen168>Henderson, p. 168</ref> Maxwell, without a ship since {{HMS|Daedalus|1811|6}} was wrecked three years before, commissioned ''Alceste'' at the beginning of 1816.<ref name=AB229>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 229</ref> The journey out was uneventful; ''Alceste'' left [[Spithead]] for China on 9{{nbsp}}February with Amherst aboard, and after stopping at Madeira, [[Rio de Janeiro]], the [[Cape of Good Hope]], [[Anyer]], and [[Jakarta|Batavia]], sailed through the [[Bangka Strait]] into the [[South China Sea]]. After calling to pay respects at [[Guangzhou|Canton]], ''Alceste'' transited the [[Taiwan Strait|Straits of Formosa]] and hove-to in the [[Bohai Sea]] on 28 July. There she met the 10-gun [[brig-sloop]], {{HMS|Lyra|1808|6}}, despatched earlier to herald the arrival of Britain's ambassador.<ref name=AB229/>

====Exploration of Korea and Ryukyu Islands====
Having arranged to travel back overland from [[Peking]] to rendezvous with ''Alceste'' at Canton, Amherst was ferried to the mouth of the [[Hai River]] on 9{{nbsp}}August. As the mission and return journey would take several weeks, Maxwell had an opportunity to explore the area. ''Alceste'' headed north, while ''Lyra'', under the command of Lieutenant [[Basil Hall]], was sent south. {{ship||General Hewett|1811 ship|2}}, an [[East Indiaman]] chartered to carry gifts for the Emperor of China, was to explore the centre channel.<ref>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, pp. 229–230</ref> ''Alceste'' first undertook a survey of the [[Liaodong Bay|Gulf of Liaodong]], then virtually unknown to Europeans, and after spending some time exploring the [[Liaodong Peninsula]], proceeded southward to [[Jiaozhou Bay]] on the coast of [[Shandong]], where she encountered ''General Hewitt'', and was later joined by Hall in ''Lyra''.<ref name=AB230>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 230</ref> ''Alceste'' and ''Lyra'' left the bay on 29 August for the west coast of [[Joseon|Korea]], an area that had not been surveyed since the [[Jesuit China missions|Jesuit missionaries]] visited in the 16th and 17th centuries. Maxwell found the Korean coast to be some 130 miles further east than expected, and in the process of exploration also discovered the [[Korean archipelago|archipelago]] that forms the south-western tip of the Korean peninsula.<ref name=AB231>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 231</ref> ''Alceste'' was then turned towards the Loo Choo Islands, now known as the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryukyu archipelago]], dropping anchor in the Napakiang roads on the south-west side of [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] on 16 September 1816. After a six-week stay, ''Alceste'' returned to China via the southern end of the island of [[Taiwan]], arriving at the mouth of the [[Pearl River (China)|Pearl River]] on 2{{nbsp}}November.<ref>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, pp. 231–232</ref>

====Return to Whampoa====
[[File:Alceste at Bogue.jpg|thumb|alt=Alceste sails up the [[Bocca Tigris]], engaging shore batteries on either side. In the foreground, Chinese war-junks wait|''Alceste'' attacking the Chinese defences in the [[Bocca Tigris]]. Engraved by Matthew Dubourg and painted by John McLeod in 1816]]
''Alceste'' required some repairs after a long journey in inclement weather so Maxwell petitioned the [[Viceroys in China|viceroy]] of Canton for permission to travel up the [[Bocca Tigris|Tigris]] to a secure anchorage, unaware that Amherst's mission had been unsuccessful.<ref name=AB232>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 232</ref> The emperor's attitude towards the British envoy had been off-hand; he showed little interest in Europe or its affairs, and refused a gift from [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George]] as he considered it insufficient.<ref name=Hen169>Henderson, p. 169</ref> Having received an insulting message in response to his request, Maxwell decided to enter the river regardless but was soon hailed by a local [[Mandarin (bureaucrat)|mandarin]] who threatened to have the batteries guarding the entrance sink ''Alceste'' if she went any further.<ref name=AB232/> Still in need of repairs and requiring navigation to [[Whampoa anchorage|Whampoa]] to collect Amherst, Maxwell told the mandarin that he would proceed in any event. ''Alceste'' quickly dealt with the shore defences and 17 war-junks sent to stop her, and continued up the river to Whampoa. There she anchored and received fresh supplies while awaiting the arrival of Amherst and his suite.<ref>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, pp. 232–233</ref><ref>Blackwood, p. 53</ref> The incident would later be publicly described as, "''A friendly interchange of salutes''".<ref>Blackwood, p. 54</ref> Having completed as much of his mission as possible, Amherst boarded ''Alceste'' which left Whampoa on 21 January 1817.<ref name=Hen169/>

===Fate===
[[File:View, Island of Pulo Leat, showing the Sinking of the Alceste in 1817 (cropped).jpg|thumb|''Alceste'' on the reef, from a drawing by one of her midshipmen, M. F. Brownrigg]]
With the many uncharted shoals and reefs, and frequent storms, the South China Seas remain some of the most dangerous waters in the world.<ref name=Hen170>Henderson, p. 170</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/worlds-most-dangerous-seas_n_3417498.html | title = World's Most Dangerous Seas| date=11 June 2013 | author=Domonique Mosbergen | work =HuffPost| access-date =29 August 2016 }}</ref> Despite the continual use of a sounding lead, on 18 February 1817, ''Alceste'' grounded on one of the many hidden reefs in the [[Java Sea]].{{refn|''Alceste'' was a little undermanned, carrying a complement of 257, including Lord Amherst and his entourage. It would have been usual practice to remove some guns to create more space for distinguished guests. Fewer guns allowed for a smaller crew and this may have been a contributing factor.<ref name=Hen170/>|group=Note}} Maxwell ordered the anchor dropped to prevent the ship from slipping into deeper water, an undesirable situation if the hull had been breached, which turned out to be the case. The pumps were unable to cope with the influx of water and the ship's carpenter, Cheffy, reported that ''Alceste'' was beyond repair.<ref name=Hen170/>

[[File:MACLEOD(1819) p292 FORT MAXWELL.jpg|thumbnail|left|alt=Painting of British sailors and Royal Marines behind the ramparts of Fort Maxwell|The encampment Fort Maxwell on Pulo Leat Island. from a sketch by the ship's surgeon [[John McLeod (surgeon)|John McLeod]] in 1819]]

Maxwell ordered his first lieutenant, [[Henry Parkyns Hoppner]], to take Lord Amherst and his party in two of the boats to an island, known today as [[Pongok Island|Pulo Leat]], three miles away. The island's thick vegetation prevented an assessment of whether it was inhabited, and forced the boat crews to row a further three miles along the shore before finding a suitable landing spot between the mangroves. The rest of the ship's company were evacuated in the remaining boats and a large raft.<ref name=Hen171>Henderson, p. 171</ref> Because of the lack of provisions, in particular drinking water, it was decided that Hoppner would continue with Amherst and his embassy to Java, roughly 200 miles to the south. Once there, a rescue could be initiated.<ref>Henderson, pp. 171–172</ref>
[[File:H.M.S. Alceste on fire. Pulo Leat RMG PW8549.jpg|thumb|''Alceste'' on fire, sketched by midshipman C.W. Browne]]
Hoppner's return journey to Java could not be accomplished in less than nine days, so further supplies would be required for the 200 remaining survivors. An unarmed expedition made its way back to ''Alceste'' to see what could be salvaged, but was forced back by the arrival of [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]] [[Dayak people|Dyak]] pirates who plundered the wreck.<ref name=Hen172>Henderson, p. 172</ref> Maxwell ordered the construction of a stockade and the improvisation of additional weapons to counter the threat of an attack.<ref name=Hen173>Henderson, p. 173</ref> The digging of a well solved the problem of water. On 22 February, an armed party set out to reclaim the ship but the pirates set fire to ''Alceste'' and made off. The fire lasted throughout the night and destroyed the wreck; the following morning Maxwell sent out a boat that managed to retrieve some barrels of flour, cases of wine, and a cask of ale.<ref name=Hen174>Henderson, p. 174</ref> The pirates returned at dawn on 26 February, entering the cove aboard two [[proa]]s and two [[canoe]]s. Second lieutenant Hay led a sortie that boarded one of the proas, killing four pirates and capturing two more. The proa could not be brought to shore and was scuttled.<ref name=Hen174/> More pirates arrived over the next two days. They made no attempt to land, but behaved aggressively by firing their [[swivel gun]]s towards the shore. By 1{{nbsp}}March there were fourteen pirate proas in the cove, with more arriving on the following night.<ref name=Hen175>Henderson, p. 175</ref>

Provisions were now running low, and with the rescue mission overdue, Maxwell began formulating a plan to capture sufficient proas to escape from the island.<ref name=Hen177>Henderson, p. 177</ref> While the plan was being proposed a sail was spotted on the horizon, heading toward the island. The appearance of this vessel, coupled with a sudden attack spearheaded by ''Alceste''{{'}}s [[Royal Marines|marines]], caused the pirates to flee.<ref>Henderson, pp. 176–177</ref> The rescue ship was {{ship||Ternate|1801 ship|2}}, a 16-gun brig belonging to the British [[East India Company]]'s navy, the [[Bombay Marine]], despatched by Lord Amherst on the day of his arrival in Batavia.<ref>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 253</ref>

''Ternate'' returned to Batavia with the castaways, where Amherst chartered the ship {{ship||Caesar|1810 ship|2}} for the journey to England. During a stop at [[St Helena]], Maxwell met Napoleon, who remembered the action on 29 November 1811 when ''Alceste'' had captured ''La Pomone'', and remarked, "...{{nbsp}}your government must not blame you for the loss of ''Alceste'', for you have taken one of my frigates." The requisite court martial exonerated Maxwell, his officers, and his crew of the loss of ''Alceste''.<ref>Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, p. 254</ref> Maxwell received much praise for his actions, and £1500 from the East India Company. He was knighted in 1818.<ref>Hepper, p. 156</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book |title=The Annual Biography and Obituary for the Year 1832 (Volume XVI)|publisher=Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman |location=London }}
* {{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ilej/image1.pl?item=page&seq=3&size=1&id=bm.1861.1.x.89.543.x.53 |title=English Embassies to China |magazine=Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine |location=Edinburgh |publisher=William Blackwood|volume=89 |date=January 1861 |access-date=2 October 2016 }}
* {{cite book |last=Burgoyne |first=Roderick Hamilton |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecor00unkngoog |title=Historical Records of the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders |location=London |publisher=Richard Bentley & Sons |year= 1883 |oclc=866639082}}
* {{cite book|last = Clowes|first = William Laird|year = 1997|orig-year= 1900|title = The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume VI|publisher = Chatham Publishing|location = London|isbn = 1-86176-015-9}}
* {{cite book |first1=James |last1=Henderson |title=Frigates, Sloops and Brigs|publisher=Pen and Sword|location=Barnsley |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-84884-526-8 }}
* {{cite book|last=Hepper|first=David J.|year=1994|title=British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859|publisher=Jean Boudriot|location=Rotherfield|isbn=0-948864-30-3}}
* {{cite book| last = James| first = William| year = 2002| orig-year= 1827| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume IV, 1805–1807| publisher = Conway Maritime Press| location = London| isbn = 0-8117-0023-2}}
* {{cite book |last = James |first = William |year = 2002 |orig-year= 1827 |title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume V, 1808–1811 |publisher = Conway Maritime Press |location = London |isbn = 0-85177-909-3 }}
* {{cite book |first1=W. H. |last1=Long |title= Medals of the British Navy and how they were won |publisher= Lancer Publishers |location=United Kingdom |year= 2010|isbn= 978-1-935501-27-5}}
* {{cite book |first1=David |last1=Lyon |first2=Rif |last2=Winfield |title=The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |year=2004 |isbn=1-86176-032-9 }}
* {{cite book|last=Marley|first=David|year=1998|title=Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the New World, 1492 to the Present|publisher=ABC CLIO.|location=Santa Barbara, California|isbn=0-87436-837-5}}
* MacLeod, John (1818) ''[http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/lsidyv392c3449#ark:/81055/vdc_0000000361BB.0x00000B Voyage of His Majesty's ship Alceste, along the coast of Corea]''. London. John Murray (The British Library Viewer)
* {{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|location=Barnsley |publisher=Seaforth Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1-84415-717-4}}
* {{cite book |first1=Richard |last1=Woodman |title=The Sea Warriors – Fighting Captains and Frigate Warfare in the Age of Nelson |orig-year=2001 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-84832-202-8 }}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0097 Ships of the Old Navy]

{{1817 shipwrecks}}

{{coord missing|Indian Ocean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alceste}}
[[Category:Frigates of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1817]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Java Sea]]
[[Category:1805 ships]]
[[Category:Armide-class frigates]]
[[Category:Ships built in France]]
[[Category:Captured ships]]
[[Category:War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom]]