HMS Pallas (1757)

Pallas in three positions, by John Cleveley the Elder, 1769
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Pallas
Ordered	13 July 1756
Builder	William Wells, Deptford
Laid down	July 1756
Launched	30 August 1757
Completed	8 October 1757 at Deptford Dockyard
Commissioned	August 1757
Fate	Burnt to avoid capture, 24 February 1783
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Venus-class fifth-rate frigate
Tons burthen	728 73⁄94 bm
Length	128 ft 4 in (39.12 m) (gundeck) 106 ft 4 in (32.41 m) (keel)
Beam	35 ft 10.75 in (10.9411 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 4.5 in (3.772 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	240 officers and men
Armament	36 guns comprising: Upperdeck: 26 × 12-pounder guns Quarterdeck: 8 × 6-pounder guns Forecastle: 2 × 6-pounder guns

HMS Pallas was one of the three 36-gun Venus-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and initially served in Sir Edward Hawke's fleet blockading the coast of France where she fought at the Raid on Cherbourg and in the Battle of Bishops Court. She later served for a number of years in the Mediterranean Sea before moving to serve off the coast of Africa between 1774 and 1776 where she protected the isolated British colonies. In 1778 she joined the Newfoundland Station and participated in the attack on Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Pallas returned to the English Channel after this and assisted in destroying a French invasion force intended for the Channel Islands in 1779 before briefly serving on the Jamaica Station. In 1783 she was beached on São Jorge Island after she was found to be heavily leaking; she was burned there on 24 February.