High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! HMS Active was a Royal Navy fifth-rate frigate launched on 14 December 1799 at Chatham Dockyard. Sir John Henslow designed her as an improvement on the Artois-class frigates. She served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, capturing numerous enemy vessels. Her crews participated in three actions that would later qualify them for the Naval General Service Medal. She returned to service after the wars and finally was broken up in 1860.