British Navy Age-of-Sail

[beatrice_otter]

I have a British Naval officer commanding a sloop during the Napoleonic wars. Given skill, daring, and luck, what is the largest French-or-Spanish merchant ship he could reasonably take? What would be the most valuable cargo for it to be carrying? (Obviously, his ship is much too small to be going after, like, Spanish treasure galleons carrying silver.)

Comments

[beatrice_otter]

Yeah, he's a bit too much for what I need.