HMS Ariadne was a 20-gun Cyrus-class sixth-rate post ship of the British Royal Navy. Built in 1805, she served during the Napoleonic Wars and was involved in several notable engagements, including the capture of the French privateer Jeune Richard in 1808. Ariadne also participated in the capture of the French frigate Eliza in 1809 and played a role in the operations off the Spanish coast during this period. The ship had a crew complement of around 160 men and was armed with a mix of cannons and carronades. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars, HMS Ariadne was laid up in ordinary at Chatham in 1816 and was eventually broken up in 1820. Her service history illustrates the important role that smaller warships like sixth-rates played in supporting the British Navy during the early 19th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.