Diligente was a French Navy Naïade-class corvette, launched in 1794 as a brig. captured her in the Antilles in 1800. The British took her into service as a 14-gun transport and sold her in 1814.
Diligente was a sister ship to Naïade. They were built to a plan by Pierre-Agustin Lamothe. The Royal Navy captured Naïade in 1806 and took her into service as HMS Melville; she was sold for breaking up in 1811.
Between 30 Mar 1794 and 29 May, Diligente was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Lacouture. Then from 9 June to 15 December Diligente was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Noguez. Under these lieutenants' command, Diligente conducted a cruise into the Bay of Biscay, returning to Lorient, visited Brest, cruised into the Atlantic, escorted a convoy to the Île-d'Aix roads, cruised the region around the Azores and returned to Brest, and escorted a convoy from Camaret to Saint-Malo.[1]
Between 18 March 1795 and 25 July Diligente was in Saint-Malo roads, cruised in the bay of Saint-Brieuc and bay of Granville, and returned to Saint Malo.[1]
Around 17 July 1797, Diligente escorted a convoy from Mindin (opposite Saint-Nazaire) to Larmor, while still under Noguez's command, who had by then been promoted to capitaine de frégate.[1]
On 6 September, 1799, under command of "Citizen" Du Bois, she captured American merchantman "America" at (28°N -35°W) in the Atlantic Ocean.[2] War of Knives and Quasi War:Shortly after 3 December, 1799 she encountered, but no action took place as she was convoying troops of General Toussaint for the Haitian Revolution, seemingly carrying a US pass.[3] Anchored at Cape Nicola, St Domingo on 7 December, 1799.[4]
In July 1800 the frigate captured Diligente, which was armed with twelve 12-pounder guns and had a crew of 130 men. The Royal Navy took her into service as a 14-gun transport under her existing name.
There is little information readily available on line about the storeship Diligentes career as she was never registered. The National Maritime Museum (NMM) has a drawing of her lines, made in 1811. The NMM describes her as serving as a storeship at Woolwich.
In 1807 Rcd. Turner was master.[5]
In 1809 Thomas Miller was appointed to the Diligente storeship.[6]
In 1810 Mr. T. Hoskins was appointed to command the Diligente store-ship.[7]
In 1812-1813 Edward Ives was master.[5]
Lastly, Donald McDonald was master in 1814.[5]