HMS Placentia (1789)

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

HMS Placentia was the name-ship of her two vessel class, with both vessels being launched in 1789. John Henslow designed the small sloops for coastal patrol duties off Newfoundland. She was wrecked in 1794.

Placenica
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Placentia
Ordered	May 1789
Builder	Jeffrey & Start, Newfoundland
Launched	1789
Fate	Wrecked May 1794
General characteristics [1]
Class & type	Placentia-class sloop
Tons burthen	4233⁄94 (bm)
Length	44 ft 7 in (13.6 m) (overall) 35 ft 4+5⁄8 in (10.8 m) (keel)
Beam	15 ft 0 in (4.6 m)
Depth of hold	8 ft 4 in (2.5 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Sloop
Complement	30
Armament	4 x ½-pounder swivel guns

Career

Lieutenant Peter Halkett commissioned her in October 1789. He was followed in 1790 by Lieutenant Caither, who was followed in 1791 by Lieutenant Charles Herbert.^[2]

Herbert's successor, in 1792, was Lieutenant John Tucker. Placentia was rated as an armed sloop, and then as an armed ship. In 1794 Lieutenant Alexander Shippard (or Sheppard) assumed command.^[1]

Fate

On 7 May 1794 Placentia was sailing towards Burin from Marisheen when a strong current drove her towards the island of Marticot. She anchored off a reef but next morning a swell pushed her onto the rocks. Her crew abandoned her in a sinking state.^[3]