French Merchant east indiaman 'L'Indien' (1768)

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Henry WickhamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1685-1693
Thomas CamelfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1797-1799
John Clarke SearleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1811
Gunboat No. 7 (14) 1797-1802
British 14 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Sparkler"
(1797)
Swinger (12) 1794-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gun-brig
(1794)
Gunboat No. 23 (12) 1797-1802
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Unrated Gunboat
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(1797)
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Marine
Service 1794-1802
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Service 1790-1807
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L'Indien
Nominal Guns	20	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Compagnie des Indes
Launched	30.7.1768	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Lorient-Caudan - Lorient	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Indien Class (1767)
Designed by	Gilles CambryFrench Designer Ship Builder	NNF-1715
Category	Merchant	NNF-1715
Ship Type	East Indiaman
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Bought by the Navy	11.1771	NNF-1715
Becomes	French Third Rate ship of the line 'L'Indien' (1771) (20) 1771-1784 French 20 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck157' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)50.9964 (167′ 3″ Imperial)
Length of Keel148' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)48.0704 (157′ 8″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.1544 (43′ 1″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold17' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.5448 (18′ 2″ Imperial)
Displacement2,250Ton
Burthen1,242Tonneaux

Armament

30.7.1768Broadside Weight = 120 French Livre (129.504 lbs 58.74 kg)NNF-1715
Upper Gun Deck20 French 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
30.7.1768239Design ComplementFWAS1786

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWAS1786Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:20	Jon Miller	Henry WickhamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1685-1693
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:14	Jon Miller	Thomas CamelfordBritish Naval Sailor Service 1797-1799
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:12	Jon Miller	John Clarke SearleBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1811
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:09	Jon Miller	British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 7' (1797) (14) 1797-1802 British 14 Gun Unrated Gunboat 1797 Renamed "Sparkler"
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:08	Jon Miller	British gun-brig 'Swinger' (1794) (12) 1794-1802 British 12 Gun Unrated Gun-brig

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