HMS Nymph
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HMS Nymph was a Royal Navy sloop launched at Chatham Dockyard in May 1778. She was one of 25 vessels of the Swan class of Royal Navy ships. She sank in the British Virgin Islands in 1793. The Nymph was 96 feet long, with a beam of 26 feet and a depth in the hold of 12 feet.
The 303-ton vessel was fitted with three masts and was able to accommodate 125 men, 16 guns and 14 swivel guns. Her role was to protect English interests and island inhabitants from French and American privateers. She was first commissioned under Vice Admiral Sir Edward Hughes' East India fleet in 1779, and her duties included protecting interests in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras and serving as an escort to East India merchant convoys.
In December 1782, HMS Nymph was recommissioned to the West Indies under Admiral Hugh Pigot and Rear Admiral Sir Richard Hughes, of the Lesser Antilles squadron.
The Nymph's Caribbean adventures ended abruptly, however. A crew member's carelessness caused a fire, which forced the crew to abandon the ship as it foundered in Road Town's harbour.
In February 1969, dredging in Road Town harbour revealed the remains of the Nymph. Artifacts were removed, but no archaeological survey or site excavation was conducted.
However, the location of the wreck was subsequently lost for many years, and during a more recent expedition conducted by the University of Bristol it was discovered that none of the more than 300 artifacts can be found. The team does have a photographic archive of the artifacts, however, which include galley wares. A fresh expedition is planned by the University in 2006.
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