The Royal Navy has a long and prestigious history and it chooses to reinforce that history by naming its vessels after predecessors that made a name for themselves in times gone by. The Arethusa-class light cruiser that has recently featured in the pages of the Times of Malta (February 19) was in fact the eighth incarnation of this name.

Readers may be interested to know that the third Royal Navy vessels of this name also had a close connection with Malta. This HMS Penelope was a 36-gun fifth rate frigate launched in 1798. In March 1800 it was one of the vessels providing the blockade of Valletta preventing the French from receiving supplies. At this time three French ships: the 64-gun Guillaume Tell and the two frigates Justice and Diane had taken refuge in the Grand Harbour after having escaped destruction at the Battle of the Nile.

On the night of March 30 Guillaume Tell, under the command of French Admiral Denis Decrès, attempted to escape from Valletta however she was sighted just before midnight by the crew of Penelope, which gave chase. Captain Henry Blackwood, aboard the Penelope, immediately summoned the rest of the blockading squadron. Although Penelope was able to engage Guillaume Tell soon after 1am it was not until dawn that Penelope dismasted the much larger Guillaume Tell allowing the British ships Lion and Foudroyant to catch up and force the French vessel to strike her colours.

After her capture Guillaume Tell was recommissioned in May 1801 as HMS Malta under Captain Albemarle Bertie.