Spanish ship Fama
{{Short description|Spanish warship}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = File:Francis Sartorius - Four frigates capturing Spanish treasure ships, 5 October 1804.jpg |Ship caption = Painting of the Battle of Cape Santa Maria. Fama can be seen as the second-from-left ship exchanging fire with HMS Medusa on the far left side of the image. }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=Spain |Ship flag=Image:Flag of Spain.svg |Ship name= Fama |Ship namesake= |Ship owner= |Ship operator= Spanish navy |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= 1795 |Ship launched= 1795 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= 1795-1804 |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured=5 October 1804 |Ship fate= |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header=title |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag=Image:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg |Ship name= HMS Fama |Ship namesake= |Ship owner= |Ship operator= |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= 1804 |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= 1804-1812 |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= Sold in 1812 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= Fifth-rate frigate |Ship type= Frigate |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement= |Ship tons burthen= 979 tons |Ship length= 145 ft |Ship beam= 39 ft |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= 12 ft |Ship decks= Two |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= Sail |Ship sail plan= |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement= |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= *34 Cannon |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
Fama was a fifth-rate frigate in service with the Spanish and British Royal Navies.{{Cite web|url=https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=13071|title=Spanish Fifth Rate frigate 'Fama' (1795)|last=Harrison|first=Simon|website=threedecks.org|access-date=2018-02-20}}
History
Fama was laid down as a 34-gun fifth-rate frigate in Cartagena in 1795, and was launched later that year. In 1796 she was assigned to the Spanish Philippines, and so she departed Concepcion, Chile for Manila on 10 October 1796 in the company of the third-rates Europa, Montañes, San Pedro, and the frigate Pilar.Aguado, Juan-Garcia, Jose M (1999). Un Ingeniero de Marina en el s. XVIII. A Coruna. University de Coruna Press. p. 320 In Manila a typhoon severely damaged the squadron, putting it out of action for nearly two years.Parkinson 1954, p. 139 At the same time, the Anglo-Spanish War broke out between Great Britain and Spain. After repairs were completed, Admiral Ignacio Maria de Álava y Sáenz de Navarrete attempted to use the fleet to disrupt the British trade with China by sailing the squadron into the South China Sea in search of a British convoy. After fighting an inconclusive battle with a British fleet in January 1797, de Navarrete ordered Fama and Europa to Macau in an attempt to intercept British merchantmen in the Pearl River estuary.Parkinson 1954, p. 157 This operation was likewise a failure, and both ships returned to Manila.Parkinson, C. Northcote (1954). War in the Eastern Seas, 1793 – 1815. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. p. 157
In 1804 Fama and three other Spanish frigates departed Montevideo for Spain laden silver and gold destined for France.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K1QEAAAAQAAJ&dq=Spanish+Frigate+Fama&pg=PA281|title=The naval history of Great Britain, from ... 1793, to ... 1820, with an account of the origin and increase of the British navy. Chamier|last=James|first=William|date=1837|language=en}} Though Britain and Spain were not at war, the Royal Navy intercepted the Spanish force with the intent to stop its valuable cargo from reaching France. In the ensuing Battle of Cape Santa Maria, a force of four British frigates attacked the Spanish frigates. Fama struck her colors in surrender soon after the battle started, but later attempted to flee. She was caught by the faster HMS Medusa and HMS Lively several hours later and forced to surrender a second time.
Following her capture, Fama was inducted into the Royal Navy as HMS Fama. She was sold in 1812.{{Cite web|url=https://www.napoleon-series.org/military/battles/1804/c_santamaria.html|title=Seizing the Gold of Spain: the Action off Cape Santa Maria|website=www.napoleon-series.org|access-date=2018-02-20}}
References
- Parkinson, C. Northcote (1954). War in the Eastern Seas, 1793 – 1815. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.