HMS Alacrity was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by William Rowe at Newcastle and launched in 1806.

She captured a large privateer before herself falling victim to a French man-of-war in 1811 in an action in which her captain failed to distinguish himself.

[4] On 14 December Alacrity captured the French privateer Friedland in Home waters after a two-hour chase.

This was her second cruise and during the two days she had been out she had captured a Swedish galiot sailing from Stockholm to Plymouth with a cargo of iron and tar.

This entailed sending a prize crew consisting of Alacrity's second lieutenant (Alexander Martin) and thirteen men.

They then took the boats in tow and sailed towards Alacrity with English colours hoisted over the French, a ruse suggesting that the cutting-out party had succeeded in their mission.

[9] It acquitted all the survivors and commended the boatswain, James Flaxman, who had remained on deck though wounded and had attempted to rally the crew to Alacrity's defence.

On 20 August the shipyard received an order to cease further work as she was in such bad shape that there was no point in continuing.