HMS Alarm was a lugger acquired by the British Royal Navy from the Commissioners of Customs in 1810. As a lugger, she was a small, sailing vessel characterized by her fore-and-aft rig and typically used for patrol, dispatch, or small-scale combat during her period of service. Specific details about her construction, such as tonnage, dimensions, or armament, are not provided in the available sources, but as a customs lugger, she would have been modestly sized and maneuverable, suitable for coastal operations. During her service with the Royal Navy, Alarm was active primarily along the Scottish coast. In 1811, Lieutenant Robert Forbes was appointed to command her at Leith. Under his command, Alarm achieved a notable success on 25 June 1811 when she captured the Danish sloop Emanuel, commanded by Svend Torgenson. Alarm brought Emanuel into Leith on 1 July, marking a small but significant engagement in her operational history. This capture suggests that Alarm was engaged in patrol or anti-smuggling duties, typical of vessels of her class during the Napoleonic Wars period. Alarm’s service with the Royal Navy was relatively brief. She was returned to the Customs authorities in 1812, indicating that her role was primarily auxiliary and that she did not undergo significant modifications or participate in major naval battles. The National Maritime Museum notes her as a hired lugger, with a service period from 1810 to 1813, emphasizing her role as a civilian vessel temporarily employed by the Royal Navy. In summary, HMS Alarm was a small, commercially acquired lugger that served a short but active period in the Royal Navy, primarily engaged in patrol and escort duties, with her most notable achievement being the capture of the Danish sloop Emanuel. Her service exemplifies the use of small vessels for coastal surveillance during the early 19th century.

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