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Two vessels have borne the designation, HM hired armed cutter ''Constitution''. The first served during the French Revolutionary Wars. The second served briefly at the start of the Napoleonic Wars and was sunk in 1804. The two cutters are similar enough that may have been the same vessel; at this juncture it is impossible to know. ==The first hired armed cutter ''Constitution''== This vessel served on a contract from 6 November 1796 to 7 November 1801. She was of 121 tons (bm) and was armed with twelve 4-pounder guns.〔Winfield (2008), p. 389.〕 On 7 November 1798, ''Constitution'', under the command of Lieutenant John Whiston, was among the vessels that participated in the capture of Minorca. Commodore Duckworth, the naval commander, mentioned Whiston's services in the letter Duckworth wrote on the campaign. She also shared in the prize money for the capture. ''Constitution'' detained the ''Zum Gutten Ensbrick'', Wevers, master, which had been sailing from Rotterdam to St. Andero. The prize arrived at Plymouth on 24 April 1799.〔''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 1, p.536.〕 When captured the French brig ''St Antoine'', on 9 June 1799, ''Constitution'', was entitled to share in the proceeds. On 31 August, the Danish ship ''Denmark'', Kaften, master, arrived at Plymouth. She had been on a voyage from Havana to Hamburg with a cargo of sugar, coffee, indigo, and cotton, supposedly Spanish property, when ''Constitution'' detained her.〔''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 2, p.351.〕 ''Constitution'' and the hired armed cutter ''Penelope'' shared in the proceeds of the capture of the Danish brig ''Neptunus''. Two French privateers, each of 14 guns, captured ''Constitution'' on 9 January 1801 off the Isle of Portland. ''Constitution'', and her crew of some 40 men was under the command of Lieutenant W.H. Faulknor. After an engagement that left ''Constitution''s rigging cut to pieces, the French boarded and captured her. ''Constitution'' suffered eight men killed or wounded; French casualties were 26 men killed or wounded. (One French vessel had a crew of 95 men and the other 85.) Although the French took ''Constitution''s crew on board their two vessels, they left Faulknor aboard her.〔''The Britannic magazine; or entertaining repository of heroic adventures''. Vol. 1-8. p. 203.〕 That same evening and the revenue cutter ''Greyhound'' recaptured ''Constitution''.〔Norie (1827), pp.179 & 458.〕 The subsequent court martial of Faulknor for the loss honourably acquitted him.〔''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 7, p.350.〕 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「Hired armed cutter Constitution」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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