HMS Dover was a 38-gun troopship of the Royal Navy, originally built as the Italian corvette Bellona at Venice in 1808. Her construction included coppering between February and March 1810, a common practice to prevent biofouling on wooden hulls. The vessel was captured by the British at Lissa in 1811 during the Battle of Lissa, where she was under the command of Giuseppe Duodo, who was killed in the engagement. The British, under Captain William Hoste aboard HMS Amphion, took Bellona into service, arriving at Deptford in September 1811. After her capture, Bellona was fitted as a troopship from March to July 1812. Despite some references suggesting she was never commissioned, records indicate she was commissioned in 1812 by Lieutenant de Vaisseau A.Y. Dray. As HMS Dover, she served primarily as a troopship and transport, operating in the Mediterranean and later on the North American station. Notably, she recaptured the schooner Harriet in June 1813 and captured the ship Liverpool Packet, which was later restored to its owners, as well as capturing the brig Roscio in 1813. Dover played a role in the Gulf Campaign of 1814, transporting troops and participating in the broader context of the War of 1812. She was involved in the Battle of Lake Borgne in December 1814, sharing in prize money from the capture of American vessels. She continued her service after the war, arriving in Portsmouth from Havana in 1815 and later sailing to the West Indies in 1816. From 1819, Dover served as a guardship at Leith under Captain Arthur Batt Bingham, serving as the flagship of Admiral Robert Otway and then Admiral Sir John P. Beresford. Between 1824 and 1825, she was fitted as a receiving ship at Deptford, and later served during the quarantine service in 1831. Ultimately, HMS Dover was sold at Deptford in January 1836 for £1,000. Her maritime significance lies in her transition from an Italian corvette to a British troopship involved in key operations during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.