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HMS ''Trompeuse'' was the French privateer ''Mercure'', captured in 1797. She foundered in the English Channel in 1800. ==Origins== Her origins are not clear. Two seminal references declare that captured ''Mercure'' in May 1797.〔Colledge & Warlow (2006), p.417.〕〔 However, there is no letter in the ''London Gazette'' for ''Melampus'' capturing a ''Mercure'' in 1797, which by itself is not unusual, but two other sources, one of them a letter in the ''London Gazette'' by the captain of ''Melampus'', puts his capture of a ''Mercure'' in February 1799 (see below). Winfield has ''Mercure'' being named ''Trompeuse'' and registered in September 1798. He reports that she was then commissioned into the Royal Navy a year later under Commander John Parker Robinson. However, there was an earlier capture of a privateer ''Mercure'' whose dates better fit these facts. On 31 August 1798, and captured the French privateer ''Mercure'', pierced for 20 guns but carrying 18, and with a crew of 132 men. She had sailed from Bordeaux the day before and was a new vessel, copper-bottomed and fastened. The French ship-owner Michel Delastelle fitted a ''Mercure'' out in 1798 and appointed Charles Delastelle, a relative of his, as captain.〔 On her first cruise she took no prizes. On her second cruise, under captain Jacques Fromy, she took two prizes. However the value of the prizes probably was no more than the cost of provisioning her and paying advances to the crew.〔Crowhurst (1989), pp.96-7.〕 In February 1799 ''Melampus'' captured this second ''Mercure'' in the Bay of Biscay.〔 ''Mercure'' was armed with 16 guns and had a crew of 103 men. She was from Saint Malo and was returning to her home port after having had a successful cruise in the Channel. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「HMS Trompeuse (1797)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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