Active-class frigate

This article is about the British frigate class. For other ship classes, see Active class.

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HMS Astraea captures the Gloire, a print by Thomas Whitcombe

Class overview
Builders|

* John Fisher, Liverpool
* J. Pollard, Sheerness Dockyard
* George Parsons, Bursledon, Hampshire
* Robert Fabian, East Cowes

Operators| United Kingdom
Preceded by| Amazon class
Succeeded by| Hermione class
Built| 1780–1784
In commission| 1780–1830
Planned| 8
Completed| 8
Lost| 3
Scrapped| 5
General characteristics
Type| 32-gun fifth-rate frigate
Tons burthen| 68929⁄94 (bm)
Length|

* 126 ft 6+1⁄2 in (38.6 m) (overall)
* 104 ft 7+1⁄2 in (31.9 m) (keel)

Beam| 35 ft 2+1⁄4 in (10.7 m)
Draught| 8 ft (2.4 m)
Depth of hold| 12 ft 1+1⁄2 in (3.7 m)
Sail plan| Full-rigged ship
Complement| 220
Armament|

* Upper deck: 26 × 12-pounder guns
* QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns + 4 × 18-pounder carronades
* Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 2 × 18-pounder carronades

The Active-class frigate was a 32-gun fifth-rate frigate class of eight ships designed by Edward Hunt to replace the Amazon class design, which they resembled with a distinct midsection. Due to poor performance of the Active class, orders continued for the Amazon class.

## Description

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The Active class was designed with a 126-foot (38 m) gundeck, measuring 103 ft 9+5⁄8 in (31.639 m) at the keel, 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m) at the beam, and a draught of 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m). They displaced 689+25⁄94 tons burthen. The class was designed with an armament of 26 12-pounder (5.4 kg) cannon on the gundeck, four 6-pounder (2.7 kg) guns on the quarterdeck with four 24-pounder (11 kg) carronades, and two 6 pdr guns and two 24 pdr carronades on the forecastle.

## Ships in class

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* HMS Cerberus (1779) \- wrecked attempting to exit Castle Harbour, Bermuda, via Castle Roads
* HMS Active (1780) – wrecked on Anticosti Island in the St Lawrence estuary 13 July 1796, abandoned 30 July 1796.
* HMS Daedalus (1780) \- broken up July 1811.
* HMS Fox (1780) – broken up 1816
* HMS Astraea (1781) – wrecked on Anegada Island in the Virgin Islands 23 March 1808.
* HMS Ceres (1781) – broken up 1830.
* HMS Quebec (1781) – broken up 1830.
* HMS Mermaid (1784) \- broken up November 1815.

## References

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* Winfield, Rif (2014). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. ISBN 978-1-84415-717-4.

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