HMS Echo was a sixth-rate warship of the Royal Navy, armed with 24 guns, and served actively from 1758 to 1764 during the Seven Years' War. Originally built as the French frigate Écho, she was constructed in Nantes beginning in 1756, shortly after the outbreak of hostilities between France and Britain. The vessel was initially intended to be a privateer named Maréchal de Richelieu but was purchased by the French Navy in December 1757. She was completed in early 1759, measuring approximately 118 feet 2 inches (36.0 meters) in length with a short keel of 96 feet 9.5 inches (29.5 meters). Her beam was notably broad at 32 feet 4.5 inches (9.9 meters), and she had a shallow hold depth of just 9 feet 11.5 inches (3.0 meters), making her relatively low-sided compared to similar vessels. As a French frigate, Écho was armed with a total of 28 guns, including 24 nine-pounder cannons and four smaller weapons. Her crew size as a French vessel is not recorded, but her designated Royal Navy crew was 160 men. Her design featured low sides, which contributed to her agility and speed, advantageous in her role as a privateer hunter. Her service history in the Royal Navy began after her capture by HMS Juno in 1758, during which she was refitted for her new role. Stationed in the Caribbean, HMS Echo proved effective in her duties by capturing five enemy vessels over the course of five years. After the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, she was declared surplus to Navy requirements and was decommissioned at Chatham Dockyard. Following six years in dock, she was sold out of service in 1770. HMS Echo’s capture and subsequent service exemplify the importance of such vessels in maritime warfare and privateering during this period.

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