Sail spardeck corvettes (32 guns)

HEROINE (launched 1830)
ARIANE class (launched 1830-37)
THISBE (launched 1830)
CORNALINE class (launched 1834)


HEROINE sail spardeck corvette (32 guns)

Displacement:  1015t
Dimensions: 137ft 10in wl x 35ft 1in mld x 16ft 4in mean, 16ft 11in max.
Same, meters: 42.00 x 10.70 x 4.98, 5.15m
Masts: Main 48ft 11in x 2ft 3in; Fore 43ft 10in x 2ft 1in; Mizzen 37ft 3in x 1ft 5in
Armament: (1835) GD 20-30p carr., 4-12p; SD 8-30p carr. (1841?) GD 24-16cm shell. Spardeck armament of 6-18p carr. suppressed 1844.
Complement: 229

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
HEROINE Brest 21.11.27 8.5.30 1.7.30 Stk. 28.12.50

Class. In 1827 the French navy introduced a new type of spardeck corvette which was in essence a miniature frigate with a main armament of carronades. Perry designed the lead ship of the type, Héroïne, in 1827. During construction a round stern was substituted for the original square stern and the spardeck was filled in amidships to form a complete deck with the forecastle and poop. In 1835 the armament for new ships of this type was changed to 24-16cm shell guns and 6-18p carronades. The navy soon decided to retrofit this armament to ships already afloat, which was easy because the new artillery would fit in the existing gun ports.

Disposal. Héroïne became a guard hulk, was renamed Plougastel in 1861, and was BU 1865-66.



ARIANE class sail spardeck corvettes (32 guns)

Displacement:  1015t
Dimensions: 137ft 10in wl, 138ft 9in deck x 35ft 1in mld, 35ft 11in ext x 15ft 6in mean, 16ft 3in max. Depth 14ft 1in
Same, meters: 42.00, 42.28 x 10.70, 10.96 x 4.73, 4.96m. 4.28m
Masts: As Héroïne. Sail area 1740 sq.yd.
Armament: (Ariane) GD 20-30p carr., 4-12p; SD 8-30p carr. (Sapho c1834) GD 20-30p carr., 4-18p; SD 6-18p carr. (Boussole and Embuscade 1840, Ariane 1841) GD 24-16cm shell; SD 6-18p carr. Spardeck artillery suppressed in some 1844. (Sabine and Alcmène c1842) GD 10-30p No.2, 4-16cm shell, 2-30p carr.
Complement: 229

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
ARIANE Cherbourg 8.27 23.5.30 20.6.32 Stk. 23.11.50
SAPHO St. Servan 25.7.28 23.8.31 14.4.34 Stk. 18.12.43
BOUSSOLE Cherbourg 26.8.30 21.5.33 9.5.40 Lost 3.3.48
ALCMENE St. Servan 12.1.30 19.9.34 1.9.37 Lost 3.6.51
SABINE St. Servan 29.8.31 20.9.34 16.10.37 Stk. 16.10.49
EMBUSCADE St. Servan 1.9.32 20.5.37 11.8.40 Stk. 21.2.61

Class. Leroux designed this class in 1827 using the same specifications as for Héroïne. The designed height of battery was 6ft 8in but it was also recorded as 5ft 11in, perhaps reflecting service experience. Alcmène, originally named Martinique, was renamed 3.8.31.

Disposals. Ariane became a coal hulk at Brest and was BU 1866. Sapho was BU 1843 at Brest. Boussole was wrecked on Little Curaçao Island. Alcmène was wrecked on the coast of New Zealand. Embuscade became a guard hulk, was renamed Emulation before 1865, and was BU 1883.



THISBE sail spardeck corvette (32 guns)

Displacement:  1015t
Dimensions: 137ft 10in wl x 35ft 1in mld
Same, meters: 42.00 x 10.70m
Masts: As Héroïne
Armament: GD 20-30p carr., 4-18p; SD 8-30p carr.
Complement: 229

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
THISBE Rochefort 6.28 21.6.30 1.7.32 Stk. 17.8.42

Class. Guillemard completed plans for this ship in 5.28 using the same specifications as for Héroïne.

Disposal. Thisbé became a hulk and was BU 1865.



CORNALINE class sail spardeck corvettes (32 guns)

Displacement:  1057t
Dimensions: 141ft 1in wl x 35ft 1in mld x 15ft 10in mean
Same, meters: 43.00 x 10.70 x 4.83m
Masts: As Héroïne
Armament: (Berceau) GD 20-30p carr., 4-12p; SD 8-30p carr. (Cornaline c1839) GD 24-16cm shell; SD 6-18p carr.
Complement: 229

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
CORNALINE Lorient 26.7.33 29.11.34 9.3.39 Stk. 22.4.44
BERCEAU Lorient 8.33 16.10.34 11.9.40 Lost 13.12.46

Class. This class, designed by Chaumont, incorporated a 1 meter increase in length compared to the Héroïne type. This modification was decided upon in 2.33 because changes to the Héroïne type during construction had increased its weight and reduced the height of its battery above the waterline.

Disposal. Cornaline was hulked at Brest in 1844, was ordered moved to Cherbourg in 1849, served as a storage hulk, and was BU 1869. Berceau was lost with all hands after leaving the harbor of St. Denis at Réunion.