History | |
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Name | Naïade |
Ordered | 23 July 1779 [1] |
Builder | Toulon [1] |
Laid down | July 1779 [1] |
Launched | 21 December 1779 [1] |
Commissioned | April 1780 [1] |
Captured | 1805 |
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Name | HMS Naiad |
Fate | Sold 1784 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Coquette-class corvette |
Type | corvette |
Tons burthen | 400 tonnes |
Length | 38.7 metres |
Beam | 9.9 metres |
Draught | 4.9 metres |
Armament | 18 × 8-pounder long guns |
Naïade was a 20-gun Coquette-class corvette. She took part in the Indian theatre of the Anglo-French War with the squadron under Suffren. The British Royal Navy captured her in 1783 but never commissioned her; it sold her in 1784.
On 11 February 1782, Naïade departed Brest. She called Isle de France (Mauritius) and arrived at Cuddalore on 10 March 1782 to support the squadron under Suffren. [1]
In November 1782, she was at Ceylon under Costebelle. [2]
On 11 April, Captaine de Brûlot Villaret de Joyeuse was given command of Naïade. [3] Suffren sent her to Madras to warn the French blockading squadron, composed of the 74-gun Fendant, [4] the 64-gun Saint-Michel and the frigates Cléopâtre and Coventry, of the imminent arrival of a superior British force. [5] Three days after her departure, on 11 April 1783, Naïade spotted the 64-gun HMS Sceptre, [6] under Captain Graves; [7] after trying without success to elude his much stronger opponent, Villaret was forced into battle, and struck his colours after a five-hour fight. [8] [9] [5] [7] When Villaret surrendered his sword, Graves allegedly told him "Sir, you have given us a fairly beautiful frigate, but you made us pay dearly for her!"; [5] some authors add that Graves returned Villaret his sword. [1]
The British armed Naïade with twenty-two 12-pounder guns, and two 18-pounder and six 12-pounder carronade, but never commissioned her. [10] From 26 April 1783, she was under Lieutenant Richard Strachan.
Naïade was sold on 17 August 1784. [10]
Louis-Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse was a French admiral.
The Fantasque was a Lion-class 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She is famous for being captained by the French commander Pierre-André de Suffren during the American Revolutionary War.
HMS Coventry was a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy, launched in 1757 and in active service as a privateer hunter during the Seven Years' War, and as part of the British fleet in India during the Anglo-French War. After seventeen years' in British service she was captured by the French in 1783, off Ganjam in the Bay of Bengal. Thereafter she spent two years as part of the French Navy until January 1785 when she was removed from service at the port of Brest. She was broken up in 1786.
Artésien ('Artesian') was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She was funded by a don des vaisseaux donation from the Estates of Artois.
Bellone was an Iphigénie-class 32-gun frigate of the French Navy on plans by Léon-Michel Guignace. She took part in the American Revolutionary War in the Indian Ocean with the squadron under Suffren, and later in the French Revolutionary Wars. She was present at the Glorious First of June.
The Vengeur was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy designed by Antoine Groignard. She saw action with Bailli de Suffren during the American War of Independence.
Admiral comte Pierre André de Suffren de Saint Tropez, bailli de Suffren, Château de Saint-Cannat) was a French Navy officer and admiral. Beginning his career during the War of the Austrian Succession, he fought in the Seven Years' War, where he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lagos. Promoted to captain in 1772, he was one of the aids of Admiral d'Estaing during the Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War, notably taking part in the Siege of Savannah.
Sévère was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.
Saint Michel was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.
Bizarre was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She was present at two major battles, and was wrecked in 1782.
HMS Fortune was a British 14-gun sloop launched in 1778 that the French captured in April 1780. She then served with the French navy under the same name.
Étienne-François de Cillart de Villeneuve was a French aristocrat and Navy officer, brother to Armand-François Cillart de Surville and Jean-Marie de Villeneuve Cillart.
Armand de Saint-Félix was a French Navy officer and admiral.
Louis-Hyacinte de Cavelier, chevalier de Cuverville was a French Navy officer.
Jacques Jérôme Antoine Trublet de Villejégu was a French Navy officer.
The action of 12 August 1782 was a minor single-ship action that opposed the French 32-gun frigate Bellone to the British 28-gun HMS Coventry in the run-up to the Battle of Trincomalee. Although both ships were frigates, Bellone belonged to the Iphigénie class and was a comparatively large frigate for her time, carrying a battery of 18-pounder long guns, while Coventry was a sixth-rate armed only with 9-pounder long guns. Furthermore, Bellone had the advantage of the wind. The nominal crew of Coventry was about tho thirds of that of Bellone, but in the occasion it was reinforced by the troops she was carrying. In spite of these overwhelming odds, Coventry managed to inflict heavy casualties on Bellone, and most decisively to shoot most of the senior staff. The resulting confusion on Bellone allowed Coventry to escape to Madras.
Charles Louis du Chilleau de La Roche was a French Navy officer.
Félix d'Hesmivy de Moissac was a French Navy officer. He fought in the War of American Independence, earning a founding membership in the Society of the Cincinnati, and taking part in the French operations in the Indian Ocean as Suffren's flag captain.
Du Pas de la Mancelière was a French Navy officer. He notably captained the 64-gun Ajax in Suffren's squadron during the Anglo-French War, and was killed in action at the Battle of Cuddalore.
Lézard was a 16-gun Cerf-class cutter of the French Navy. She was built in 1781, and took part in the Indian theatre of the Anglo-French War. She was captured by the 74-gun HMS Sultan in October 1782 at Trinquebar, and later returned to France.