HMS Venus (1758)
HMS "Venus" (renamed HMS "Heroine" in 1809) was the name ship of the 36-gun "Venus"-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1758 and served for more than half a century until 1809. She was reduced from 36 to 32 guns in 1792. She was sold in 1822. Career. On 18 May 1759, "Venus", HMS "Thames", and HMS "Chatham", were in company when "Venus" intercepted the French frigate "Arethuse" near Audierne Bay ("" ). After a two-hour chase, "Arethuse" lost her top masts and was overtaken. "Thames" and "Venus" engaged her with heavy  fire, causing 60 casualties before she surrendered. "Arethuse" subsequently had a lengthy career as HMS "Arethusa". American Revolution. Mount Hope Bay raids: She participated in the Raids. French Revolutionary Wars. On 27 May 1793, "Venus," Captain Jonathon Faulkner"," encountered the French frigate "La Sémillante" south-west of Cape Finisterre which resulted in close action. "The sails, rigging and spars of the British frigate had taken the brunt of the enemy fire and were extremely cut up so that a further engagement was inadvisable. Indeed she was lucky to escape an encounter with a fresh opponent." On 17 July 1801, "Tromp , , and Venus" left Portsmouth with a convoy to the West Indies. Napoleonic Wars. On the morning of 10 July 1805, "Venus" encountered the French privateer brig "Hirondelle". After a chase of 65 miles, during which "Hirondelle" threw two of her 6-pounder guns overboard, "Venus" succeeded in capturing her quarry. "Hirondelle", of Dunkirk, was armed with four 6-pounder guns and twelve 3-pounder guns, and had a crew of 90 men. She left Gigeon, Spain, on 27 June, but had not captured anything. However, on prior cruise, she had captured several vessels, most notably the Falmouth packet "Queen Charlotte , which had resisted for some two hours before striking her colours. On 18 January 1807 Venus" captured the French privateer brig "Determinée" of Guadeloupe, one hundred leagues east of Barbados after a chase of 16 hours. "Determinée" had a crew of 108 men and was pierced for 20 guns but carried only 14. The British took her into service as . "Venus" was paid-off and put into Ordinary in July 1807 at Woolwich. On 14 July 1807 she was renamed "Heroine" after the capture of the Danish vessel . Between March and May 1809 she was fitted for Baltic service. Captain  Hood Hanway Christian recommissioned "Heroine" in March and commanded her until November 1809. "Heroine" participated in the reduction of Flushing in 1809 during the Walcheren Campaign. In this engagement "Heroine" was part of a squadron of ten frigates under the command of Captain Lord William Stuart. On 11 August 1809 this squadron sailed up the western Scheldt under a light wind, suffering minor damage from the shore batteries of Flushing and Cadzand. Two men were wounded on "Heroine". Fate. "Heroine" was paid off and laid up at Sheerness between November 1809 and December 1823. Between 1817 and 1820 she served  as a receiving ship. Then between December 1823 and June 1824 she underwent fitting at Woolwich to serve as a temporary convict ship. The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy offered "Heroine, of 32 guns and 722 tons", lying at Deptford, for sale on 22 September 1828. She was sold on that date to John Small Sedger for £1,170.