Hired armed cutter Adrian
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Two vessels named His Majesty's Hired armed cutter Adrian served the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars as hired armed vessels.
The first Adrian was the cutter Industry, of 8415⁄94 tons (bm). She was armed with eight 12-pounder carronades. She served under contract from 21 August 1804 to 25 August 1805. During her service she was renamed Adrian.[1] Adrian was in company with the frigate Diamond when on 1 and 2 June 1805 Adrian captured the chasse-marées Marie and Sophie.[2] At the time Adrian was under the command of Lieutenant Joseph Bain Bett, who apparently transferred from the hired armed cutter Rhoda. Marie was one of three chasse-marées that on 1 June he observed sailing to Brest. Adrian succeeded in first driving Marie ashore, and then capturing her. However, as the prize crew was retrieving her, a musket ball killed Adrian's mate. Marie had been carrying a cargo of wine and brandy from Bordeaux to Brest. The other two chasse-marées escaped.[3]
Before her contract with the Navy, Industry may have been the cutter Industry, William Johns, master, of 85 tons (bm), that received a letter of marque on 20 June 1803. This Industry was armed with six 1, 11⁄2, and 2-pounder guns, and four swivel guns, and had a crew of 36 men.[4]