French corvette Sylphe (1804)

Sylphe was ar Abeille class 16-gun brig of the French Navy. The British captured her in 1807 and took her into the Royal Navy as HMS Seagull, but apparently never actually used her in any capacity. She was sold in 1814.

French service
From December 1804 to May 1805, under Lieutenant de vaisseaux Jean-Jacques-Jude Langlois, she patrolled between Dunkirk and Hellevoetsluis, and then cruised the coasts of England, Scotland and Ireland. Then she sailed from Pasajes to Rochefort. She then took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805, capturing the merchantman Brothers. She also took part in the Action of 25 September 1806.

Between 15 April 1806 and 13 January 1807, Sylphe was in the roads of the Île-d'Aix, still under the command of Langlois for part of the time. On 17 January 1807 Sylphe was in the roads of Lorient under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Le Maresquier.

On 12 December 1806, the French frigate Thétis and Sylphe captured HMS Netley (1798). The French sold Netley and she became the privateer Duquesne. Less than nine months later, on 23 September 1807, HMS Blonde captured Dusquesne.

Capture
On 9 August 1808 Sylphe, under the command of capitaine de frégate M. Louis Marie Clément, (a Member of the Legion of Honour), sailed with Diligente and Espiègle, to carry supplies from Lorient to Guadeloupe. On 11 August they encountered the 18-gun HMS Comet. The French, under orders to avoid combat, attempted to escape. Diligente out-sailed her two consorts. Comet caught up with the two laggards, with Espiègle ahead. Comet then engaged Sylphe, capturing her near the Île d'Yeu.

In the 20-minute engagement, the French suffered seven men killed and five wounded, most severely; the British had no casualties. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Comet 11 Augt. 1808" to the three surviving claimants from the action. The British took Sylphe into Royal Navy service as HMS Seagull.

Fate
When Sylph arrived at Plymouth the Admiralty laid her up. She was never commissioned and never fitted for sea duty. The Admiralty offered her for sale on 21 July 1814. She was sold on that day for £520.