French corvette Capricieuse (1849)

For other ships of the same name, see French ship Capricieuse.

Capricieuse

Photograph of Capricieuse
History
France
Name	Capricieuse
Namesake	"Capricious", "whimsical"
Builder	Toulon [1]
Laid down	October 1847 [1]
Launched	5 July 1849 [1]
Stricken	18 March 1865 [1]
Fate	Broken up 1868
General characteristics
Length	43.9 m (144 ft)
Beam	11.8 m (39 ft)
Draught	4.9 m (16 ft)
Complement	244 men
Armament	2 × 30-pounder long guns 2 × 16-pounder Paixhans guns other guns on main battery
Armour	Timber

The Capricieuse was a late 22-gun corvette of the French Navy.

Career

Capricieuse was commissioned under Arnault de Gorse on 1 September 1849. From 1850, she served in the Far East under Captain Rocquemaurel, returning to Toulon in 1854. She then took part in the Crimean War as a troopship. ^[1]

In 1855, it sailed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with commander Paul-Henry de Belvèze. ^[2]

Capricieuse returned to China in 1856. In 1858, she took part in the Battle of Canton, being present at the capture of the city on 30 January and at the Battle of Taku Forts. ^[1]

She returned to Toulon in 1860. Struck in 1865, she was broken up in 1868. ^[1]

Citations

1. Roche, vol.1, p.97
2. "La Capricieuse". thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 7 August 2025.

References

• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671 - 1870. p. 97. ISBN   978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC   165892922.