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Royal Navy Packets (1823 -1850)

Admiralty took over the Falmouth Postal Packet Service in 1823, largely replacing the Post Office owned and other vessels they had on charter from captains & private, often local, syndicates. With few exceptions, crew and commanders were replaced with navy personnel running the service.

In April 1823, at the time of the transfer of control to the Admiralty, there were 23 hired packets on 5 routes, Med., N. America, Leeward Islands, Jamaica & Brazil. Plus 5 hired packets used exclusively for the Lisbon route.  By 1828, there were 13 hired and 21 Naval packets, in 1833 just 4 hired and 20 naval packets. Until in 1851 just 3 naval packets.[on the Brazil route]

1823 became a watershed for the local shipbuilders, who, for a quarter of a century had enjoyed unprecedented business, building new packet ships for local owners, many of whom used Post Office insurance payments to replace their old vessels.

A prime example, Mr. [Richard Leane] Symons  constructed the first dry-dock in the port, at Little Falmouth (Flushing), specifically for construction and maintenance of the local packet fleet. The dock was operational in 1820, but virtually unused by the packet service after 1823, due to the navy having their own dockyard at Plymouth, 45 miles east of Falmouth.

West Briton, Truro, Friday April 20th, 1838: BRISEIS, HEARTY, REDPOLE, THAIS, ARIEL, CALYPSO and the MYRTLE, all except the latter foundering at sea and all hands perished.  "Surely the Government will no longer continue in the Packet service so dangerous a class of vessels, as the old 10-gun brigs have always proved themselves to be, but at once provide for that service such craft as experience has proved to be so necessary for the security of life and property."  [see Sir William Symonds ]

Predominately, until the introduction of steamers, the navy vessels employed were Brigantines, which were referred to as His Majesty's Packet Brig. (HMPB)

Crop of Navy Brig plans, RCPS Journal of 1834

Alban                    H.M. Cutter     Advice Boat / Branch Packet

Alert (1835)               HMPB

Algerine (1834)

Alphea                     H.M. Cutter

Ariel (1827)               HMPB Sloop-6               Lost 1828

Astraea  (1810)          H.M.  Packet Supply Ship      Falmouth 1823-43

Badger (1829)               HMPB

Blucher (1815)               ex Little Catherine (1801)

Briseis (1829)               HMPB Sloop-6               Lost 1838

Calypso (1826)               HMPB - ex Hyaena (1823)     Lost 1833

Cambria (1825)               HMPB ?

Cephalus (1829?)               H. M. Brig-18

Charybdis (1834)               HMPB

Constitution               H. M. Cutter

Crane (1839)               HMPB-6          Last Packet-brig built?

Cygnet (1819)               HMPB-6

Cynthia (1826?)               HMPB-6          Wrecked 1827

DELIGHT (1836)            H.M.P.  Brig-Sloop-10

EXPRESS (1835)  

Dolphin (1844)            H.M.P.  Brig-10          Branch Packet (Rio-Bue)

Dove (1824)               H.M.P.  Brig-6

Hornet (1832)

Spider (1836)

Sparrowhawk (1837?)

Star (1835)               H.M.P.  Brig-6

Swift (1836)  

Cuttings

FP 14/11/1835           Admiralty.

"No Packet command be held for longer than 5 years, and this intimation shall be given to every Lt. commencing appointment to that service.