Figurehead of the ship Beschermer.
History
Dutch Republic
Name	Beschermer
Builder	Enkhuizen
Laid down	1781
Launched	1784
Batavian Republic
Name	Beschermer
Captured	30 August 1799
Great Britain
Name	HMS Beschermer
Acquired	1799
Commissioned	1799
Decommissioned	1806
Out of service	Lent to the East India Dock Company in 1806
Reclassified	Guard ship in 1801 Store ship from 1805
Fate	Sold, September 1838
General characteristics
Class and type	54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	1,051 67⁄94 (bm)
Length	145 ft 1 in (44.2 m) (gundeck) 118 ft 7 in (36.1 m) (keel)
Beam	40 ft 10 in (12.4 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft 4 in (5.0 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	In British service Lower gundeck: 24 × 18-pounder guns Upper gundeck: 24 × 32-pounder carronades Quarterdeck: 6 × 32-pounder carronades Forecastle: 2 × 32-pounder carronades As refitted 20 × 24-pounder guns 20 × 18-pounder guns Quarterdeck: 6 × 6-pounder guns Forecastle: 2 × 6-pounder guns

Beschermer (Protector) was a Dutch 56-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier (one of five provincial navies of the United Provinces of the Netherlands). The order to construct the ship was given by the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier.^[1]

In 1795 she became part of the Batavian Navy, following the French invasion of the Netherlands.

On 11 October 1797 Beschermer took part in the Battle of Camperdown under Captain Dooitze Eelkes Hinxt. The ship escaped the battle after Hinxt was severely wounded.^[2]

On 30 August 1799 Beschermer, under Captain Eilbrach, was surrendered to the British during the Vlieter Incident. The Royal Navy then took her on in various subsidiary roles.

In 1801 Beschermer served as a guard ship in the Swin. She was fitted as a storeship in 1805. Beschermer was lent to the East India Dock Company for use as a hulk at Blackwall in 1806 until she was sold for breaking up in September 1838.^[3][4]

Beschermer was eventually broken up in 1838.

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References