HMS Lutine (1779) 1858. The bell was found entangled in the chains originally running from the ship's wheel to the rudder, and was originally left in this state before being separated and re-hung from the rostrum of the Underwriting Room at Lloyd's. It weighs and is in diameter. It remains a mystery why the name on the bell does not correspond with that of the ship. The bell was traditionally struck when news of an overdue ship arrived - once for the loss of a ship (i.e. bad news), and twice for her return (i.e. good news). The bell was sounded to ensure
HMS Trompeuse (1799) HMS Trompeuse (1799) HMS "Trompeuse" was the French privateer "Mercure", captured in 1799. She foundered in the English Channel in 1800. British records on "Mercure" are ambiguous. French records are more informative. Two seminal British references declare that captured "Mercure" in May 1797. However, there is no letter in the "London Gazette" for "Melampus" capturing a "Mercure" in 1797, which by itself is not unusual, but two other sources, one of them a letter in the "London Gazette" by the captain of "Melampus", puts his capture of a "Mercure" in February 1799 (see below). Winfield has "Mercure" being named "Trompeuse"