French corvette Dromadaire (1810)

The Dromadaire was a 24-gun store ship of the French Navy.

On 29 March 1811, she departed Toulon under ensiegne de vaiseeau Morin, carrying gunpowder and ammunition for Corfu, escorted by the frigates Adrienne and Amélie. Two days later, the ships ran across a British squadron comprising HMS Unite and HMS Ajax. Ajax captured Dromadaire, while the frigates managed to escape to Portoferraio. Captain Otway of Ajax reported that Dromadaire was frigate-built and sailed remarkably well. Her cargo consisted of 15,000 shot and shells of various sizes and 90 tons of gunpowder. Apparently Napoleon Bonaparte intended them as a present for Hammuda ibn Ali, the Bey of Tunis.

Morin was acquitted for the loss of his ship on 28 December 1811.

Admiral Sir Charles Cotton, commander in chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet, decided to buy her and her stores for the Royal Navy.

Sources and references

 * Marshall, John (1823-1835) Royal naval biography, or, Memoirs of the services of all the flag-officers, superannuated rear-admirals, retired-captains, post-captains, and commanders, whose names appeared on the Admiralty list of sea officers at the commencement of the present year 1823, or who have since been promoted ... (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown).