▁ 1 8 0 4 ; ▁her ▁master ▁is ▁J . ▁Sh ield s ▁and ▁her ▁owner ▁is ▁Sand erson , ▁but ▁she ▁is ▁now ▁armed , ▁and ▁her ▁trade ▁is ▁London - g overn ment ▁service . ▁ ▁H ired ▁armed ▁ship ▁Lord ▁E ld on ▁is ▁various ly ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁" ar med ▁defense ▁ship ", ▁a ▁" h ired ▁armed ▁ship ", ▁or ▁simply ▁" ar med ▁ship ". ▁The ▁Navy ▁Board ▁usually ▁h ired ▁the ▁vessel ▁complete ▁with ▁master ▁and ▁crew ▁rather ▁than ▁bare bo at . ▁Cont ract s ▁were ▁for ▁a ▁specified ▁time ▁or ▁on ▁an ▁open - ended ▁month ly ▁h ire ▁basis . ▁The ▁Admir alty ▁provided ▁a ▁regular ▁naval ▁officer ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁commander . ▁The ▁civil ian ▁master ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁sail ing ▁master . ▁For ▁purposes ▁of ▁prize ▁money ▁or ▁salv age , ▁h ired ▁armed ▁vessels ▁received ▁the ▁same ▁treatment ▁as ▁naval ▁vessels . ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁mention ▁of ▁her ▁in ▁readily ▁available ▁sources ▁was ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁ 1 8 0 4 . ▁The ▁London ▁Star ▁reported ▁that ▁" also ▁arrived ▁the ▁h ired ▁armed ▁ship ▁Lord ▁E ld on , ▁from ▁a ▁cru ise ". ▁ ▁Then ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁November ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁Lord ▁E ld on ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Commander ▁Francis ▁New com be ▁when ▁eight ▁or ▁ten ▁gun bo ats ▁captured ▁her ▁off ▁Al ge cir as . ▁However , ▁two ▁days ▁later ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁re