HMS Vestal (1833)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Vestal.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Vestal
Namesake	Vesta (mythology)
Ordered	9 November 1831
Builder	Sheerness Dockyard
Cost	£19,173 (£27,508 fitted)
Laid down	May 1832
Launched	6 April 1833
Completed	By 15 July 1833
Fate	Sold for breaking up by order dated 17 February 1862
General characteristics
Class and type	Vestal-class sixth-rate frigate
Tons burthen	911 75⁄94 (bm)
Length	130 ft (39.6 m) (gundeck) 104 ft 6 in (31.9 m) (keel)
Beam	40 ft 6 in (12.3 m)
Depth of hold	10 ft 6 in (3.2 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	240
Armament	Upper deck: 18 × 32-pounder guns Quarterdeck: 6 × 32-pounder gunnades Forecastle: 2 × 32-pounder gunnades

HMS Vestal was a 26-gun Vestal-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built to a design by Sir William Symonds and was launched in 1833.

On her maiden voyage, she departed for the West Indies on 19 October 1833, and arrived in Barbados on 3 December of that year. In October 1835, Vestal seized the Spanish slave ship Amalia. This was to a regular part of her Caribbean duties. During 1838 and 1839, she was in Havana protecting British interests off the coast of Mexico. During the following years she visited Canada, Jamaica, the United States, Argentina and Tasmania.

His Majesty's Ship the Vestal frigate, commanded by Captain William Jones. Having their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria on board, off Culver Cliffs on 24 July 1833

On 26 August 1852, Vestal ran aground on the Hemstead Ledge, west of The Needles, Isle of Wight whilst on a voyage from Portsmouth, Hampshire to the West Indies. After throwing her guns overboard, she was refloated and taken back to Portsmouth for inspection and repair. She was decommissioned in 1860; and broken up in 1862.

References

Sources

• Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.