French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Saint Esprit' (1765)

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Le Saint Esprit ➡ 1794 Scipion
Nominal Guns	80	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Ordered	11.1.1762	FWAS1626
Keel Laid Down	5.1762	NNF-1715
Named	20.1.1762	FWAS1626
Launched	12.10.1765	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	1766	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	NNF-1715
Designed by	Joseph-Louis OllivierFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1727-1771	FWAS1626
Constructor	Joseph-Louis OllivierFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1727-1771	NNF-1715
Category	Third Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Premier Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Foundered	26.1.1795	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck184'French Feet (Pied du Roi)59.7645 (196′ 0″ Imperial)
Length of Keel168'French Feet (Pied du Roi)54.5696 (179′ 0″ Imperial)
Breadth48' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)15.6107 (51′ 2″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold23' 2"French Feet (Pied du Roi)7.4884 (24′ 6″ Imperial)
Burthen2,050Ton
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentFWAS1626
Length of Gundeck184' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)59.7632 (196′ 0″ Imperial)
Length of Keel168' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)54.5664 (179′ 0″ Imperial)
Breadth48' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)15.6107 (51′ 2″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold23' 3"French Feet (Pied du Roi)7.4975 (24′ 7″ Imperial)
Draught Forward21' 2"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.8749 (22′ 6″ Imperial)
Draught Aft24' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)7.7952 (25′ 6″ Imperial)
Displacement3,800Ton
Burthen2,050Tonneaux

Armament

1766Broadside Weight = 900 French Livre (971.28 lbs 440.55 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck30 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle18 French 8-Pounder

1766Broadside Weight = 997.5 French Livre (1076.502 lbs 488.2764 kg)FWAS1626
Location Unknown6 French Swivel
Lower Gun Deck30 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 French 24-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 French 8-Pounder
Forecastle6 French 8-Pounder

1778Broadside Weight = 1012 French Livre (1092.1504 lbs 495.374 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck30 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 French 24-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle22 French 8-Pounder

1780Broadside Weight = 1044 French Livre (1126.6848 lbs 511.038 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck30 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 French 24-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle20 French 12-Pounder

1782Broadside Weight = 996 French Livre (1074.8832 lbs 487.542 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck30 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 French 24-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 French 8-Pounder
Forecastle6 French 8-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
176686414 officers, 850 menNNF-1715

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1778 - 4.1779Capitaine de VaisseauE-WIKI22.3.1781 - 1781Capitaine de Vaisseau TransferedFWIKI1794Capitaine de VaisseauFWIKI

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1779Chef d'EscadreFWIKI

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1782Lieutenant de Vaisseauref:673

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1778Enseigne de Vaisseauref:673

Service History

DateEventSource
1778Rerated as a 84 gunnerFWAS1626
27.7.17781st Battle of Ushant
1780Rerated as a 82 gunnerFWAS1626
29.4.1781Battle of Fort Royal
5.9.1781Battle of the Chesapeake
1782Rerated as a 80 gunnerFWAS1626
2.1794Renamed ScipionFWAS1786
1.6.1794Glorious 1st of June
26.1.1795

Wrecked off Brest

FWAS1786

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

FWAS1626Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

FWAS1786Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:673 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by dave thomas on Saturday 5th of September 2015 00:47

does there exist a ship named Saint Esprit that served in the South China Sea or the China Station or plied Hong Kong, China, Singapore, or East Indies trade routes?

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