HMS Daring (1804)

HMS Daring was a 12-gun gun-brig of the Archer class of the British Royal Navy.

History
She was built under contract by Jabez Bailey, of Ipswich and launched in October 1804. On 8 April 1806, she shared with the HMS Hardy (1804) and HMS Moucheron (1802) in the capture of the Minerva.

In August 1809, she served in the West Scheldt, being detached under Sir Home Popham to take soundings. By 1811 she was fitting out at Sheerness before proceeding to the coast of West Africa.

On 29 April 1810, Daring was in company with Armide at the captured of the Aimable Betsie.

Fate
On 27 January 1813 Daring’s captain, Lieutenant William Pascoe RN was forced to run the gun-brig aground on Tamara (one of the Iles de Los off Guinea) and burn her when he was threatened by the French frigates Aréthuse and Rubis. He arrived in the Sierra Leone River with the greater part of his crew on 28 January and reported to Captain Frederick Paul Irby of HMS Amelia (1796).

Irby sent Pascoe back in a small schooner to reconnoitre and saw that the two frigates were unloading a Portuguese prize before preparing to sail to intercept British home-bound trade. Pascoe returned on 4 February and found that a cartel had arrived with the master and crew of Daring. Captain Irby, his crew depleted by sickness but reinforced by the men from Daring, sailed to attack Aréthuse, which was anchored well to the north of the Rubis, which had been disabled by striking a rock). Amelia engaged Aréthuse for four hours and suffered heavy casualties - 51 killed (including Lieutenant Pascoe) and 95 wounded. Although badly damaged, Amelia made it home to Britain via Madeira. Aréthuse returned to the stranded Rubis, which was burnt on 8 February when she could not be refloated.