French Fifth Rate frigate 'La Surveillante' (1778)

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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
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Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
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4th Rate Ship of the Line
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British 24 Gun
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Service 1728-1749
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La Surveillante
Nominal Guns	32	NNF-1774
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	8.1777	NNF-1774
Launched	26.3.1778	NNF-1774
First Commissioned	5.1778	NNF-1774
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1774
Shipyard	Lorient - Brittany	NNF-1774
Ship Class	Iphigenie Class (1777)	NNF-1774
Designed by	Leon-Michel GuignaceFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1751-1802	NNF-1774
Constructor	Gilles CambryFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1739-1777	NNF-1774
Category	Fifth Rate	NNF-1774
National Rate	Quatrième Rang	NNF-1774
Ship Type	Frigate	NNF-1774
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1774
Wrecked	1.1797	NNF-1774

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1774
Length of Gundeck136' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)44.1728 (144′ 11″ Imperial)
Length of Keel120' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)38.976 (127′ 10″ Imperial)
Breadth34' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)11.0838 (36′ 4″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold17' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.5448 (18′ 2″ Imperial)
Laden Draught Aft16' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.1968 (17′ 0″ Imperial)
Displacementc1,150Ton
Laden Draught Forward15' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)4.872 (15′ 11″ Imperial)
Burthen620Ton

Armament

26.3.1778Broadside Weight = 174 French Livre (187.7808 lbs 85.173 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle6 French 6-Pounder

5.1778Broadside Weight = 174 French Livre (187.7808 lbs 85.173 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle6 French 6-Pounder

12.3.1779Broadside Weight = 186 French Livre (200.7312 lbs 91.047 kg)ref:1846
Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 6-Pounder

1794Broadside Weight = 210 French Livre (226.632 lbs 102.795 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle2 French 36-Pounder Obusier
Quarterdeck/Forecastle6 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1777288Design Complement

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1779Lieutenant de Vaisseauref:6311780 - 11.1781Capitaine de FrégateE-WIKI

Service History

DateEventSource
24.6.1778Took the Cutter in the Channel
27.7.17781st Battle of Ushant
12.3.1779

cruising in squadron of 2 64-gun ships and 2 frigates when she captured the Old England

ref:1846
12.3.1779Took the Privateer 44 degrees N X12 degrees Wref:1846
19.4.1779Took the Galley off the US Coast
6.10.1779Quebec vs Surveillante
20.6.1780Action off Monti Christi
6.6.1781Ulysses vs Surveillante
1.1797Wrecked in Bantry Bay during a stormNNF-1774

Notes on Ship

Wreck of the Surveillant
Click to view a PDF file on the wreck site

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1846J W Damer Powell, Book

ref:631 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Timothy Oakley on Saturday 26th of December 2020 08:34

1790 French Surveillante32 Captain Sarcé
1793 French Surveillante32 Captain Tréhouart-Beaulieu

Posted by Timothy Oakley on Saturday 26th of December 2020 08:13

After the Siege of Yorktown, French Surveillante32 captain Jean-Marie de Villeneuve Cillart sailed with Gontaut de Lauzun to France with news of the victory. Arriving at Brest on 15 November 1782

Posted by Timothy Oakley on Saturday 26th of December 2020 08:03

Sept 1782 French Surveillante32 and Ariel captured the merchant vessel Grand Duc off the coast of Spain. The French navy briefly took her into service before decommissioning, striking off and selling her for £t 72,489 at Brest in 1783.

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