HMS Volcano (1804)

History
United Kingdom
NameJason
OwnerW. Row
BuilderWilliam Rowe, St Peter's, Newcastle
Launched1803
FateSold June 1804
United Kingdom
Name
  • HMS Heron (1804–1810)
  • HMS Volcano (1810–1816)
Acquiredby purchase, 1804
Commissioned1804
Decommissioned1806
Recommissioned1810
Decommissioned1815
FateSold, 28 August 1816
United Kingdom
NameJason
OwnerGardner
Acquired1816 by purchase
FateWrecked 1821
General characteristics
Type16-gun ship-sloop / bomb vessel
Tons burthen338, or 339, or 340
Length
  • Overall:97 ft 6 in (29.7 m)
  • Keel:75 ft 9 in (23.1 m)
Beam29 ft 0 in (8.8 m)
Depth of hold12 ft 11 in (3.9 m)
Complement
  • Sloop:70
  • Bomb:67
Armament
  • Sloop: 14 × 18-pounder carronades + 2 × 9-pounder guns
  • Bomb:1 × 13" mortar + 1 × 10" mortar + 4 × 24-pounder carronades + 6 × 6-pounder guns

HMS Heron was originally the merchant vessel Jason, launched at Newcastle in 1803, that the Admiralty purchased in 1804 for the Royal Navy for use as 16-gun ship-sloop under the name HMS Heron. During the Napoleonic Wars she served as a convoy escort on the Leeward Islands station. Then in 1810 the Admiralty had her converted into a bomb vessel and renamed her HMS Volcano. As Volcano she served during the War of 1812, and in particular participated in the Battle of Baltimore. The Admiralty sold her in 1816. New owners returned her to mercantile service under her original name of Jason. She was wrecked in 1821.