Scrabble?! ESPOIRS

Definitions of ESPOIRS in various dictionaries:

During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, British vessels captured at least 12 French warships and privateers named Espoir, which means “Hope” in French. In only one case was there mention of an exchange of fire or casualties. In general, the privateers tried to escape, and failing that surrendered. HMS Crescent captured the French privateer Espoir, of ten guns, on 2 March 1793. Espoir was under the command of Jean-Jacques Magendie. By agreement Crescent shared the bounty bill with HMS Hind and the money was payable in Guernsey in July 1795. HM hired armed cutter Marechal de Cobourg captured the French privateer lugger Espoir on 12 December 1796. Espoir was a 40-ton ("of load") lugger commissioned in Boulogne in May 1793 under Pierre-Louis-Nicolas Hardouin with 8 swivel guns and 6 smaller pieces (swivel-mounted, large caliber blunderbusses), and a crew of 37 men. She was under Jean-Pierre-Antoine Duchenne from October to November 1795, and under Pierre-Antoine-Joseph Sauvage, with 20 men and 2 guns, when Coburg captured her. On 31 January 1797 HMS Lapwing was sailing off Barbuda when she captured the French privateer schooner Espoir. Espoir was armed with four guns and ten swivel guns, and had a crew of 48 men. She was out of Guadeloupe and Lapwing sent her into St. Christopher's. In mid-morning of 24 June 1797 His Majesty’s Excise cutter Viper, under the command of Mr. Robert Adams, was south of the Naze Tower when she encountered and captured a French privateer. Espoir had a crew of 15 men and was under the command of Pierre Francois Codderin. Espoir was armed with two swivel guns and was well supplied with small arms. She had sailed from Dunkirk two days earlier and had not yet taken any prizes. On 15 September 1797, HMS King’s Fisher, under the command of Commander Charles H. Pierrepont, was off Camina when she encountered the French privateer lugger Espoir, which she captured. Espoir was armed with two carriage guns and four swivel guns and had a crew of 39 men. She was 13 days out of Rochelle but had not made any captures. HMS Thalia, under Captain Lord Henry Paulet, captured the French navy brig Espoir in the Mediterranean on 18 September 1797. Espoir was armed with sixteen 6-pounder guns and had a crew of 96 men. She had sailed from Cayenne and earlier had been in company with another French corvette, which had, however been captured by an English frigate on 20 July. The Admiralty took her into the Royal Navy as Espoir. Later, Thalia shared the prize money with HMS Romulus and HMS Mahonesa. On 8 February 1798 HMS Zephyr, under the command of Commander William Champain captured the privateer Espoire (or Espoir), off La Désirade. Espoir was armed with eight guns and had a crew of 66 men. She was 16 days out of Guadeloupe but had made no captures On 11 February 1801, His Majesty’s hired armed brig Lady Charlotte, under the command of George Morris, was in Plymouth Sound when she sighted a vessel and gave cha...