French Third Rate ship of the line 'L'Illustre' (1750)

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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
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3rd Rate Ship of the Line
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L'Illustre
Nominal Guns	64	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	1.1749	NNF-1715
Launched	1750	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	3.1751	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Brest - Brittany	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Illustre Class (1750)	NNF-1715
Constructor	Pierre SalinocFrench Ship Builder	NNF-1715
Category	Third Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Second Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Condemned	10.1761	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck150'French Feet (Pied du Roi)48.72 (159′ 10″ Imperial)
Length of Keel131' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)42.554 (139′ 7″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 8"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.2085 (43′ 4″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20' 4"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.6043 (21′ 8″ Imperial)
Burthen1,100Ton

Armament

3.1751Broadside Weight = 510 French Livre (550.392 lbs 249.645 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
3.17515088 officers, 500 menNNF-1715

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1.1.1751 - 11.1751Chef d'EscadreFWIKI11.1751 - 1752Capitaine de Vaisseauref:12201753Capitaine de Vaisseauref:67320.3.1755 - 25.9.1755Capitaine de Vaisseauref:12751758 - 1759Capitaine de Vaisseau3DECKS1759Capitaine de Vaisseauref:631

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
18.2.1758 - 30.10.1760Lieutenant de Vaisseauref:1275

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1751 - 1755Enseigne de Vaisseauref:673

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
5.3.1755 - 25.9.1755Garde de la Marineref:17141759Garde de la Marineref:673

Service History

DateEventSource
20.3.1755Sailed from Brest ref:1714
25.9.1755Paid off at Brest ref:1714
10.9.1759Battle of Pondicherry

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
4.1755-1755	Fleet for Quebec 1755	Emmanuel-Auguste de Cahideuc (Comte Dubois de la Motte)French Naval Sailor Service 1698-1764

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

3DECKSManuel Blasco Felip, Cy Harrison, Web Site

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1220David Stockman, Web Site

ref:1275 Web Site

ref:1714 Archive

ref:631 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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