HMS Forester (1832)

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

HMS Forester was a 10-gun Cherokee-class brig-sloop built for the Royal Navy during the 1830s.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Forester
Ordered	26 May 1826
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	September 1930
Launched	28 August 1832
Fate	Sold in 1843
General characteristics
Class & type	Cherokee-class brig-sloop
Tons burthen	230 bm
Length	90 ft 4 in (27.5 m) (gundeck)
Beam	24 ft 8 in (7.5 m)
Draught	9 ft 11 in (3.0 m)
Depth of hold	11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Brig rig
Complement	52
Armament	10 muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: 2 × 6 pdr guns 8 × 18 pdr carronades

Description

The Cherokee-class brig-sloops were designed by Henry Peake, they were nicknamed 'coffin brigs' for the large number that either wrecked or foundered in service, but modern analysis has not revealed any obvious design faults. They were probably sailed beyond their capabilities by inexperienced captains tasked to perform arduous and risky duties.^[1] Whatever their faults, they were nimble; quick to change tack and, with a smaller crew, more economical to run.^[2] Forester displaced 297 long tons (302 t) and measured 90 feet 4 inches (27.5 m) long at the gundeck. She had a beam of 24 feet 8 inches (7.5 m), a depth of hold of 11 feet (3.4 m), a deep draught of 9 feet 11 inches (3.02 m) and a tonnage of 230 tons burthen. The ships had a complement of 52 men when fully manned, but only 33 as a packet ship. The armament of the Cherokee class consisted of ten muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: eight 18 lb (8.2 kg) carronades and two 6 lb (2.7 kg) guns postioned in the bow for use as chase guns.^[3]

Construction and career

Forester was ordered on 23 May 1826 and laid down in September 1830 at Chatham Dockyard. The ship was launched on 28 August 1832 and was fitted out as a brigantine with three guns on 2 January 1833. She was commissioned in October 1832 for service off the west coast of Africa.^[4]

On 14 February 1833, she ran aground on a reef off St Martin's, Isles of Scilly, with the loss of a crew member. She was later refloated and towed by the paddle sloop-of-war HMS Rhadamanthus to Plymouth, Devon, England, where she was paid off in ordinary.^[5][6][7][8]