French ship Prompt (1692)

Last updated
History
Flag of France (1814-1830).svg France
NamePrompt
OrderedJune 1692
Builder Dunkirk
Laid downSeptember 1692
Launched25 December 1692
CommissionedMarch 1693
FateCaptured at the Battle of Vigo in October 1702
General characteristics
Tonnage1,200
Length154 French feet [1]
Beam40 French feet
Draught22-24½ French feet
Depth of hold15 French feet 8 inches
Complement500 men (380 in peacetime), + 10 officers
Armament70, later 76 guns

Prompt was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 70 guns, comprising twenty-eight 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and thirty 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with twelve 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and the forecastle.

Designed and built by René Levasseur, she was begun at Dunkirk in September 1692 as one of the replacements for the ships destroyed by an English attack at La Hougue in June 1692. She was launched on 25 December 1692 and completed in March 1693.

Prompt took part in the Battle of Lagos on 28 June 1693. In 1698 she was substantially rebuilt at Brest Arsenal and emerged shorter by 9 feet, but now armed with 76 guns, comprising twelve 36-pounder and fourteen 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-eight 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with twelve 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six more on the forecastle, as well as four smaller 4-pounder guns on the poop.

She was captured by Edward Hopsonn's squadron during the attack on Vigo on 22 October 1702 and added to the English Navy as HMS Prompt Prize. She saw little service under her new ownership, being condemned on 20 May 1703 and taken to pieces at Chatham during the following month.

Notes and citations

  1. The French (pre-metric) foot was 6.575% longer than the equivalent English foot.

Related Research Articles

Triomphant was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 94 guns, comprising twenty-eight 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, thirty 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-eight 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck. In 1699 the 8-pounders on the upper deck were replaced by twenty-six 12-pounders, and one pair of 6-pounders was removed from the quarterdeck.

Fier was a first-rate three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed on completion with 90 guns, comprising twenty-six 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-eight 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-six 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with ten 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck. In 1706 an extra pair of 36-pounders was added on the lower deck, and an extra pair of 8-pounders on the upper deck, giving her 94 guns in total,

The Foudroyant was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy.

The Foudroyant was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the lead vessel in the two-ship Foudroyant Class.

The Merveilleux was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the second vessel in the two-ship Foudroyant Class.

The Terrible was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy.

The Sceptre was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the lead vessel in the two-ship Sceptre Class.

The Lys was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the second vessel in the two-ship Sceptre Class.

The Tonnant was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the lead vessel in the two-ship Tonnant Class.

Saint Philippe was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the second vessel in the two-ship Tonnant Class.

The Admirable was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was initially armed with 96 guns, comprising twenty-eight 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, thirty 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-eight 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with ten 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck. In 1699 the 8-pounders on the upper deck were replaced by twenty-six 12-pounders, and two pairs of 6-pounders was removed from the quarterdeck, reducing the ship to 90 guns; one pair of 12-pounders was removed in 1704.

The Admirable was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was intended to be armed with 88 guns, but was modified during construction and completed with 82 guns, comprising six huge 48-pounders plus eighteen 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-eight 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-four 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with six 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck.

The Orgueilleux was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was initially armed with 88 guns, comprising twenty-eight 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, thirty 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-four 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with six 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, but an extra pair of 8-pounders was added soon after completion. By 1706 one pair of 36-pounders had been removed and an extra pair of 6-pounders added on the quarterdeck to maintain the 90-gun rating.

The Ambitieux was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was initially armed with 92 guns, comprising twenty-eight 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-eight 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-six 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with ten 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck. By 1706 an additional pair of 8-pounders were added on the upper deck, and an extra pair of 6-pounders was added on the quarterdeck, raising the ship to 96 guns; she briefly received four 100-pounders to replace four 36-pounders, but the latter were restored soon after.

The Ambitieux was a First Rank three-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 92 guns, comprising twenty-eight 36-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-eight 18-pounder guns on the middle deck, and twenty-six 8-pounder guns on the upper deck, with ten 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck.

Bourbon was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 68 guns, comprising twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-eight 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six 6-pounder guns on the forecastle.

Saint Louis was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 64 guns, comprising twenty-four 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six 6-pounder guns on the forecastle.

Éole was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 64 guns, comprising twenty-four 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six 6-pounder guns on the forecastle.

Fort was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 68 guns, comprising twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-eight 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six 6-pounder guns on the forecastle.

The Bizarre was a second rank two-decker ship of the line of the French Royal Navy. She was armed with 68 guns, comprising twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck and twenty-eight 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, with eight 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and six 6-pounder guns on the forecastle.

References