HMS Pylades ( 1781 ) HMS " Pylades was an 18 - gun Dutch - built brig - sloop of the Royal Navy . She was originally built as the privateer Hercules " , and was captured by the British in 1781 . She went on to serve during the Fourth Anglo - Dutch War and the subsequent years of peace . The privateer was one of two captured in the North Sea in November 1781 , both of which were taken into the Navy . " Pylades " went on to serve under several commanders , spending most of her career sailing in the English Channel . She did not survive to see service in the French Revolutionary Wars , having been sold for breaking up in March 1790 . Dutch service . " Hercules " was built at Amsterdam in 1781 , to prey on British shipping during the Fourth Anglo - Dutch War . On 30 November she sailed from the Texel with another large privateer , the " Mars " . The vessels were commanded by a father and son team , by the name of Hogenboome ; the father had been active as a privateer operating out of Flushing during the Seven Years ' War under the alias John Hardapple . The two vessels were estimated to have cost upwards of ₤20 , 000 . Their career as privateers was short - lived , and they managed to capture only a single British fishing smack before the 40 - gun frigate , under the command of Captain John MacBride , sighted them off Flamborough Head at 10 o ' clock in the morning on 3 December . Capture . The two Dutch vessels initially approached " Artois " , apparently appearing ' confident ' . The action began at 2pm , with one privateer standing off " Artois " s bow , while the other attacked her quarter . MacBride concentrated his fire on the ship on his quarter , forcing her to break away , while he turned his attention to the ship off his bow . After thirty minutes this ship surrendered , while the other attempted to escape . MacBride wore around and chased her down , at which she struck her colours . MacBride wrote in his report that the two ships mounted ' 24 nine - pounders and ten cohorn s each . ' He described them as ' perfectly new , and alike ; sail as fast as the Artois , and are the completest privateers I ever saw . ' " Hercules " was described as carrying 164 men , of whom thirteen were killed and twenty were wounded . " Artois " had one man killed and six wounded in the whole engagement . Impressed by MacBride ' s report , the Admiralty approved their purchase for service with the Royal Navy , and she was registered as the sloop HMS " Pylades " on 16 February 1782 . MacBride ' s report , though it convinced the Admiralty to acquire the two ships , was apparently greeted with ' much mirth , on account of the singular manner in which it was worded ' . Royal Navy service . " Pylades " was fitted out at Deptford between February and 16 October 1782 , with her armament consisting of 18 short nine - pounders and ten ½ - pounder swivel gun s . The cost for her to be fitted and coppered came to £3 , 719 5s 7d . " Pylades " was commissioned in August 1782 under her first captain , Lieutenant John Osborn . Osborn was promoted to the rank of master and commander in January 1783 , and remained in command until 1786 . During this time " Pylades " was paid off in May 1783 but recommissioned that same month under Osborn with orders to patrol in the Western Approaches . On 6 October 1785 , " Pyllades " stationed a cutter off the Ram Head to intercept any smuggling boats that might attempt to land . When she discovered a small cutter lying - to , and several boats near the unknown vessel , " Pyllades " s boat rowed alongside . At this point , the smugglers fired a swivel that killed one of " Pyllades " s men , and escaped . The Crown offered a pardon to anyone ( other than the actual perpetrator himself ) to any of the smugglers that provided information that would result in the arrest of the perpetrator and the other smugglers . The Crown also offered a reward of ₤100 to the same end . Osborn left " Pylades " in 1786 . " Pyllades " recommissioned in November that year under her new captain , Commander Davidge Gould , who was stationed off the Start . Fate . Commander John Stevens Hall became " Pylades " s new captain in or around March 1789 , and served as such until the sloop was paid off in December that year . " Pylades " was then sold for £27 12s 6d and was broken up at Plymouth by 23 March 1790 .