HMS Seine

HMS Seine was a Royal Navy Amazon-class frigate launched in 1798. She was built at Blackwall, England. Her service life was relatively short, but eventful, marked by several notable actions and ultimately ending in shipwreck.

Service History:

• Seine initially served in the English Channel and off the coast of France during the Napoleonic Wars, engaging in blockade duty and intercepting enemy vessels. She played a role in disrupting French naval activities.
• In 1798, while under the command of Captain David Milne, Seine captured the French frigate Vengeance after a hard-fought battle. This action earned Milne and his crew considerable recognition.
• Seine saw service in the Caribbean, participating in operations against French and Spanish colonies.

Loss:

• HMS Seine was wrecked on 15 December 1798. Due to poor visibility and inadequate pilotage, the frigate ran aground on a sandbank near Île de Sein, off the coast of Brittany, France. Despite efforts to refloat her, Seine was deemed beyond salvage and was ultimately destroyed to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. All of her crew survived the incident.

Legacy:

• The wreck of HMS Seine serves as a reminder of the perils faced by naval vessels of the era and the often-unpredictable nature of maritime warfare. Her capture of Vengeance, however, remains a notable achievement in the history of the Royal Navy.