French Fifth Rate flûte 'La Balance' (1760)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
Devastation (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
Mercury (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1745)
Seahorse (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
Charles PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Shark (8) 1732-1755
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Unrated Sloop
(1732)
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La Balance
Nominal Guns	34	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	2.1759	NNF-1715
Acquired	9.1760	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	11.1761	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Le Havre - Normandy	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Balance Class (1760)	NNF-1715
Designed by	Jean-Joseph GinouxFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1751-1781	NNF-1715
Constructor	Joseph-Louis OllivierFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1727-1771	NNF-1715
Category	Fifth Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Quatrième Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Flûte	NNF-1715
Wrecked	17.1.1768	ref:1275

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck140'French Feet (Pied du Roi)45.472 (149′ 2″ Imperial)
Breadth31'French Feet (Pied du Roi)10.0959 (33′ 1″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold14' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)4.5878 (15′ 0″ Imperial)
Displacement1,350Ton
Burthen660Ton

Armament

11.1761Broadside Weight = 164 French Livre (176.9888 lbs 80.278 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck14 French 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 French 8-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
11.17611939 officers, 184 menNNF-1715

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1766Enseigne de VaisseauFWIKI1766 - 1767Enseigne de Vaisseauref:673

Service History

DateEventSource
1766

From 1766 to 1767 , campaign to Martinique .

ref:673

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1275 Web Site

ref:673 Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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