French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Protée' (1772)

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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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(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
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(1745)
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Service 1728-1749
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Le Protée
Nominal Guns	64	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	2.1771	NNF-1715
Launched	10.11.1772	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	2.1773	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Artesien Class (1764)	FWAS1786
Designed by	Joseph-Louis OllivierFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1727-1771	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
National Rate	Second Rang
Ship Type	Ship of the Line
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Captured	24.2.1780	BWAS-1714
Becomes	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Prothee' (1780) (64) 1780-1815 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck154'French Feet (Pied du Roi)50.0212 (164′ 1″ Imperial)
Length of Keel141'French Feet (Pied du Roi)45.7975 (150′ 3″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.1544 (43′ 1″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20'French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.496 (21′ 3″ Imperial)
Burthen1,100Ton

Armament

2.1773Broadside 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
2.17735699 officers, 560 menNNF-1715

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
2.1780 - 24.2.1780Capitaine de Vaisseau, as Chef de DivisionE-WIKI

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
24.3.1779 - 24.5.1779Lieutenant de Vaisseau† Discharged Deadref:12751780 - 24.2.1780Lieutenant de VaisseauFWIKI

Service History

DateEventSource
24.2.1780Taken by off Madeira
24.2.1780Taken by off Madeira
24.2.1780Taken by off Madeira

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

FWAS1786Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1275 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Robert Hubler on Monday 14th of August 2023 03:33

Captain de Cherisey commanded Protee in July 1777. He cited by Johnathan Dull on page 75 of the French Navy and American independence. Any one know anything about him?

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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"
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