HMS Magnet (1807)
Introduction '''HMS ''Magnet''''' was a ''Cruizer''-class brig-sloop built at Robert Guillaume’s yard at Northam and launched in 1807.She served in the Baltic, where she took two prizes, one an armed privateer, before wrecking in 1809.
Baltic She was commissioned under Lieutenant George Morris, who sailed her for the Baltic. During the Finnish War of 1808-1809 Sweden and Britain were allies and Britain had stationed a squadron there to prevent the Russian high seas fleet from putting to sea.On 2 June 1808. ''Magnet'' was in company with the frigate  when they, together with the boats of  and , captured four Russian vessels carrying corn. They also captured the boat ''Humbug''.On 20 August, ''Salsette'', the ship sloop  and ''Magnet'' joined the squadron under Samuel Hood in ''Centaur'', which was blockading the Russian fleet in Rogerwick Bay. On 30 August Sir James Saumarez arrived in , together with a number of other ships of the line and , ''Magnet's'' sister and the name ship of their class. A number of other smaller vessels also arrived the next day.The British made preparations to send in ''Baltic'' and  as fire ships but when that proved impossible made no further real attempt to attack the Russians. On 30 September the British raised the blockade and sailed for Karlskrona; the Russians immediately sailed for Kronstadt. The bulk of the British fleet, including Saumarez, then departed Karlskrona for Britain, arriving in the Downs on 8 December. ''Magnet'' was one of the ships that stayed behind in the Baltic for trade protection purposes.On 5 December, ''Magnet'' took the Danish privateer ''Paulina'' after encountering her off the island of Bornholm. Morris had in some manner disguised ''Magnet'' and so succeeded in luring ''Paulina'' out from her inshore shelter. ''Magnet'' then pursued ''Paulina'' throughout the afternoon and finally caught up with her at dusk about two miles off the north end of Bornholm. During the chase ''Paulina''s crew of 42 men tried to lighten their vessel by throwing overboard all but three of her ten 4 and 8-pounder guns. ''Paulina'' was 12 days out of Copenhagen and had not captured anything.
Loss On 23 December 1808, ''Magnet'' left Karlskrona as part of the last convoy of the year, in company with four other British warships – ''Salsette'', the brig-sloop , the gun-brig , and the cutter  - three Swedish naval vessels, and twelve merchant vessels. Unfortunately, the convoy left after an unusually severe winter had set in. Furthermore, a storm coming from the north drove already formed ice onto the convoy. ''Fama'' parted company and was wrecked on the north-east point of Bornholm Island. The convoy sought shelter off Falsterbo on Christmas Day and remained there until 6 January 1809 when the vessels set sail in an attempt to reach Malmö. ''Salorman'', under the command of Andrew Duncan, was wrecked around 23 December at Ystad. She lost one man but the rest of her officers and men were saved. ''Urgent'' left with dispatches for the Baltic on 28 December and survived.Ice blocked the entrance and the Swedish frigate ''Camilla'' and six ships of the convoy went aground. ''Magnet'' and three other ships of the convoy grounded on the Saltholm Shoal on 11 January. ''Magnet'' was refloated but ran into further difficulties in the ice before her crew finally ran her ashore at Örö, west of Malmö, where she sank. Morris managed to get his entire crew of 120 safely ashore and they eventually arrived in Gothenburg; ''Magnet'' was a complete loss. The teak-built ''Salsette'' escaped after being stuck in the ice for more than two months.
Post-script Thirty-four years later, in July 1842, ''Magnet'' was refloated and taken into Malmö. Her masts, sails, and rigging were in good condition. Three skeletons and the well-preserved body of a sailor were found in the ship. A quantity of woolen clothes were reported to have been found in good condition; linen clothes had rotted. Three silver watches found on the ship were deemed repairable.
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