HMS Alert (1793)

HMS Alert was a 16-gun sloop-of-war of the Ranger class, launched in 1793 for the Royal Navy. She served primarily during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

Alert was involved in numerous actions, primarily in the Channel and along the French coast. Her duties included escorting convoys, intercepting enemy shipping, and participating in minor skirmishes. While no single action brought her lasting fame, she was considered a reliable and active vessel. Details of her specific captures and contributions are scattered through historical records and period accounts.

The Ranger class was designed as smaller, faster vessels suitable for coastal patrol and dispatch work. They were known for their maneuverability but lacked the firepower and seaworthiness of larger warships. Alert's armament consisted of 16 six-pounder guns and a number of swivel guns.

The ultimate fate of HMS Alert is not readily available in all historical sources. Further research into naval records would be required to determine the exact date and circumstances of her decommissioning, sale, or loss. It is presumed she was disposed of sometime after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, as were many vessels no longer deemed necessary in peacetime.