Hired armed cutter Idas

During the period of the Napoleonic Wars, two vessels have served the Royal Navy as the Hired armed cutter Idas. The name Idas comes from Idas, a figure from Greek mythology.

The first Idas
The first Idas was a cutter that served the Royal Navy from 10 November 1808 to 5 September 1812. She was armed with ten 6-pounder guns and had a burthen of 142 tons (bm).

On 1 December 1809, Idas was under the command of James Duncan and in company with the hired armed lugger Speculator, when they recaptured the Respect.

On 16 March 1810, boats from Idas and the hired armed cutter King George brought out a French privateer schuyt, of four guns from the Texel. They did so despite strong small arms fire from the shore.

In November 1812, the Custom-house officers of Arundel seized Idas while she was at anchor in the Downs and took her into Little Hampton harbour for having carried on an illicit trade.

Letters of marque
This Idas may have served as a privateer under a Letter of Marque both before and after her service with the Royal Navy.


 * On 24 December 1807, an Idas, cutter under the command of John May, of 141 tons burthen and fourteen 6-pounder guns, received a Letter of Marque.
 * On 12 January 1814, an Idas, cutter under the command of Thomas Newton, of 141 tons burthen and sixteen 9 and 6-pounder guns, received a Letter of Marque.

The second Idas
The second Idas was a cutter of 10 guns and 102 $18⁄94$ tons burthen (bm) that served the Royal Navy from 21 April 1809 until she grounded and was captured on 4 June 1810.

Lieutenant William Wells is the first officer on record as having commanded Idas. Initially she participated in the Gunboat War. On 19 June 1809 she captured the Danish vessels Fortuna and Joannes. On 4 July she captured the Gunild Cecilia and the Fortuna. On 25 July she captured the privateer Haberbaden and then on 14 August the privateer Flora, of six guns and 30 men. Flora was nine miles from the Skaw at the time. She had been six weeks out of Copenhagen and had taken only one prize, a Danish sloop, that Idas recaptured. Flora had recaptured the sloop after HMS Alert (1804) had captured her.

Then on 14 August Idas recaptured the Danish ship Laurentius and Maria. Next, on 6 September she captured the Margaretha Dorothea in company with the gun-brig HMS Urgent (1804). Two weeks later, on 20 September, she captured the Margaretha and the Tra Broders. On 7 October Idas captured the Danish sloops No. 59, Cecilia Maria, and Bonus. On 7 November 1809, she captured the Danish sloop Four Sisters while in company with the hired armed cutter Hero. Two days later, on 9 November, Idas captured the Danish brig Resolution. A partial disbursement of the prize money Resolution amounted to £1400. Then at some point Idas captured the Haabet.

On 4 June 1810, while under the command of Lieutenant J. Rayson, Idas grounded on the end of Ellebourge Sand at the entrance on the Scheldt where the French captured her.

The schooner Porgey came to her rescue while under enemy fire, but also grounded and was burnt to avoid capture. A party from HMS Drake (1804) arrived with orders either to free Idas, or burn her if necessary to prevent the French from taking possession. The officer commanding the party, Lieutenant Langley was not in uniform, and though he was two years Rayson's junior, Rayson mistook him for Drake's captain. Langley ordered Rayson to leave with his crew, which Rayson did, understanding that Langley would blow up Idas. Langley left with his men on the last boat, not having set fire to Idas but instead intending to return after he had delivered his men back to Drake. Langley was, however, unable to return due to the swiftness of the currents and fire from the shore. Consequently, the French were able to capture Idas. The court martial for the loss of the Idas reprimanded Langley for his actions.