HMS Earnest was launched at Leith in 1805 as one of 48 later Archer-class gun brigs for the British Royal Navy. During her naval career Earnest captured five small privateers and numerous merchant vessels. In 1816 the Admiralty sold her and she became the merchantman Earnest. She continued to sail and was last listed in 1850.

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History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Earnest
Ordered	June 1804
Builder	Menzies & Goalen, Leith
Laid down	August 1804
Launched	16 January 1805[1]
Commissioned	February 1805
Fate	Sold May 1816
United Kingdom
Name	Earnest
Acquired	May 1816 by purchase
Fate	Last listed 1850
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Archer-class gun-brig
Tons burthen	1826⁄94,[1] or 18220⁄94 bm
Length	Overall: 80 ft 11+1⁄8 in (24.7 m) Keel: 66 ft 8+1⁄8 in (20.3 m), or 65 ft 10 in (20.1 m)[1]
Beam	22 ft 8 in (6.9 m), or 22 ft 6 in (6.9 m)[1]
Depth of hold	9 ft 5 in (2.9 m)
Sail plan	Brig
Complement	50
Armament	10 × 18-pounder carronades

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In February 1805 Lieutenant Alexander Sinclair commissioned Earnest.

Earnest shared with Active, Griper, Carrier, Mariner, and Minx in the proceeds from the recapture of Francis, Tucker, master, and Betsey on 14 and 15 September.^[3]

Earnest was part of the Boulogne flotilla with Cruizer, Minx, Mariner, and Griper, and so all shared in the proceeds of the recapture on 29 September of Rover, of Newcastle, Hillary, master.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Lieutenant Richard Templar replaced Sinclair in 1806.^[2] On 14 April Ernest sent into Dover Gute Hoffnung which had been sailing from Hamburg to Caen.^[5] On 6 June Earnest was in company with Oberon when they captured Yonge Heinrick H.H. Berg, master.^[6] Then on 7 and 8 August, Earnest and Constant captured Frau Teresta and a ship of unknown name.^[7] On 25 August 1806 Earnest captured Vrow Luckina, Caper, master.^[8]

Between January and February 1809 Earnest underwent fitting by Pitcher, Northfleet. In May Earnest was in Wingo Sound where she captured two sloop-rigged privateers, Four Brothers (or Fire Bredere), of four guns and 22 men, and Mackarel (or Makrel), of two guns and 18 men.^[9] On 15 May Superb and Earnest captured Diana, D'Lieb, and Livegierne.^[10]

On 28 July Lloyd's List reported that Earnest had recaptured Vriendschap, Kok, master, which had been sailing to the Baltic when a Danish lugger had captured her. Vriendship arrived at Ystad.^[11] Earnest also recaptured Emanuel, Tygerfon, master. The prize money notice gives the name of Friendschap's master as L. H. Hok.^[12] A later notice gives the date of recapture for Emanuel as 28 September 1808, and that of Friendschap as 2 July 1809.^[13]

On 28 July 1810, Earnest captured in the Kattegat a Danish privateer cutter of two guns and 13 men.^[14][15] On 2 October Earnest captured Walusten, and on 13 March 1811 Voranfsehende.^[16] This may have been the bark, from Norway, that Earnest captured off the Gallopper Sand.^[17]

On 15 June 1811, Earnest's yawl captured a French privateer schuyt of unknown name. The schuyt was armed with six guns and had a crew of 24 men, who escaped ashore.^[18] Then on 7 July Earnest captured the French privateer lugger Sacripan, of five guns and 28 men.^[19][20]

Lloyd's List reported on 10 September that Primus, with tar and hemp, Worksam, in ballast, Scaleigh, with corn, Experiment, with iron, Columbus. with linseed. Neptunus, with timber, and Hector, with sundry goods, had all come into Yarmouth. They were prizes to HMS Tremendous, Ranger, Calypso, Algerine, Musquito, Earnest. and Portia.^[21]

In June 1814 Lieutenant James Tait replaced Templar.^[2]

Beatson & Co. purchased Earnest on 2 May 1816 for £600 and retained her name.^[2] He also had her rebuilt. She entered Lloyd's Register in 1818 (the Register was not published in 1817), with J. Beatson master and owner, and trade London–Fayal.^[23]

On the night of 28 January 1819, Earnest, Beatson, master, ran on shore near Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk. She was nearly full of water and had previously struck on the Haisborough Sands on her way from Hamburgh to London.^[24]

Earnest appeared in the 1820 Register of Shipping with trade London–Bahia. Lloyd's List reported on 1 January 1820 that as she was sailing from Pernambuco to Le Havre she ran aground near Cherbourg. She was expected to be got off.^[25]

On 3 December 1825 Earnest, Spooner, master, was reported to be in Memel harbour in a critical state as there was floating ice and strong currents.^[26]