Phaeton (carriage) most impressive phaeton was the English four-wheeled high flyer. The mail and spider phaetons were more conservatively constructed. The mail phaeton was used chiefly to carry passengers with luggage and was named for its construction, using "mail" springs originally designed for use on mail coaches. The spider phaeton, of American origin and made for gentlemen drivers, was a high and lightly constructed carriage with a covered seat in front and a footman's seat behind. Fashionable phaetons used at horse shows included the Stanhope, typically having a high seat and closed back, and the Tilbury, a two-wheeled carriage with an elaborate
HMS Phaeton (1782) sailed from Nantes on the 17 of February and ten days later had captured the packet ship "Princess Elizabeth", which was her only prize. On 28 May, "Phaeton", , and the hired armed lugger "Speedwell" detained "Frederickstadt". On 16 September "Phaeton" took the 6-gun "Chasseur". Then two days later she took the privateer "Brunette". Then with "Unite" she took 16-gun "Indien" on 24 September off the Roches Bonnes. On 9 October "Unite" captured "Découverte", with the 32-gun frigate "Stag" and "Phaeton" in company. "Phaeton" also recaptured three British vessels. These were "Adamant" (24 September), "Arcade" (3 October), and "Recovery" (20