Prince William

Prince William was built in Newcastle in 1788. She then traded between England and the Baltic. The Royal Navy first hired her in 1797. His Majesty's hired armed ship Prince William served on two contracts, one during the French Revolutionary Wars and one during the Napoleonic Wars. The Admiralty returned her to her owners at the end of each contract. Merchantman Prince William first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1789. That volume showed her burthen as 350 tons; by 1791 the burthen had been corrected to 306 tons. (There is no readily accessible online volume for 1788). Britain's trade provided a lucrative target for French privateers so the Admiralty hired a number of merchant vessels, armed them, and then used them for convoy escort duties. First contract (1797–1801) Prince William served from 24 April 1797 to 26 November 1801. Her captain was Commander Thomas Whitwronge Clayton, her master was W. Nicholson, and she served on the North Sea station.