The French Navy in 1816
Ships of the Line
Frigates
Corvettes
Brigs
Flûtes
Gabarres
Introduction: The French Navy, 1816-1859
French Navy Ships, 1816-1859
Shipfinder, 1816-1859
(Use this page to find ships whose names you know.)
Ships of the Line
| Name | Launched | Rating | Fate |
| | | | |
| Océan (118) class | | | |
| OCEAN | 11.90 | 118 | Stk. 31.12.54, BU 1855-6 |
| MAJESTUEUX | 18.4.02 | " | Stk. 26.1.39 |
| | | | |
| Improved Océan class | | | |
| AUSTERLITZ | 15.8.08 | 118 | Stk. 8.3.37, BU 1837 |
| WAGRAM | 1.7.10 | " | Stk. 15.10.36, BU 1837 |
| ROYAL LOUIS | 1.12.11 | " | Stk. 31.3.25, BU |
| MONTEBELLO | 6.12.12 | " | Steam 1852 |
| HEROS | 15.8.13 | " | Stk. 10.3.28 |
| | | | |
| 110-gun class | | | |
| COMMERCE DE PARIS | 8.8.06 | 110 | Renamed Commerce 11.8.30. Stk. 26.1.39, hulk |
| DUC D'ANGOULEME | 30.8.14 | " | Renamed Iéna 9.8.30. Stk. 31.12.64, hulk |
| | | | |
| Indomptable (80) class | | | |
| FOUDROYANT | 8.3.99 | 80 | Stk. 26.10.33, BU 1834 |
| DONAWERTH | 4.7.08 | " | Stk. 1823, BU 1823-24 |
| EYLAU | 19.11.08 | " | Stk. 1.6.29, BU 1829 |
| SCEPTRE | 25.8.10 | " | Stk. 10.3.28, hulk |
| PACIFICATEUR | 22.5.11 | " | Stk. 28.10.23 |
| ILLUSTRE | 9.6.11 | " | Stk. 1826 |
| DIADEME | 30.11.11 | " | Stk. 21.1.56, hulk |
| CONQUERANT | 27.4.12 | " | Stk. 6.7.31, hulk |
| DUQUESNE | 12.10.13 | " | Stk. 19.11.36 |
| MAGNIFIQUE | 29.10.14 | " | Stk. 23.9.37, BU 1837 |
| | | | |
| Large 74-gun class | | | |
| VETERAN | 18.7.03 | 74 | Stk. 26.10.33, BU 1841-42 |
| CASSARD | 24.9.03 | " | Stk. 18.5.18, hulk |
| | | | |
| Temeraire (74) class | | | |
| PATRIOTE | 1785 | 74 | Stk. 16.1.21, hulk |
| TOURVILLE | 1788 | " | Stk. 26.10.33, BU 1841 |
| JEMMAPES | 1794 | " | Stk. 16.1.21, hulk |
| MAGNANIME | 17.8.03 | " | Stk. 4.1.20, hulk |
| COURAGEUX | 3.2.06 | " | Stk. 1827, hulk |
| AJAX | 17.6.06 | " | Stk. 10.3.18, hulk |
| LIS | 25.5.08 | " | Stk. 1.7.22, hulk |
| DANUBE | 21.12.08 | " | Stk. 18.12.26, BU |
| ULM | 25.5.09 | " | Stk. 1828 |
| TRIOMPHANT | 31.3.09 | " | Stk. 1.7.22, hulk |
| NESTOR | 21.5.10 | " | Stk. 29.8.49 |
| MARENGO | 12.10.10 | " | Stk. 21.7.58, hulk |
| TRIDENT | 9.6.11 | " | Stk. 11.1.58, hulk |
| TRAJAN | 15.8.11 | " | Stk. 1826 |
| AGAMEMNON | 23.2.12 | " | Frigate Amphitrite 1823 |
| GAULOIS | 14.4.12 | " | Stk. 1826, BU 1831 |
| ROMULUS | 31.5.12 | " | Frigate Guerrière 19.6.21 |
| VILLE DE MARSEILLES | 15.8.12 | " | Stk. 22.6.58 |
| COLOSSE | 5.12.13 | " | Frigate Pallas 24.10.25 |
| SCIPION | 5.9.13 | " | Stk. 20.2.46 |
| ORION | 9.10.13 | " | Stk. 26.9.35, hulk |
| DUGUAY TROUIN | 10.11.13 | " | Stk. 10.2.25, hulk |
| SUPERBE | 5.7.14 | " | Lost 15.12.33 |
| PROVENCE | 26.5.15 | " | Renamed Alger 15.7.30. Stk. 13.10.58, hulk |
| | | | |
| Small 74-gun class | | | |
| BOREE | 27.6.05 | 74 | Stk. 1827 |
| GENOIS | 17.8.05 | " | Stk. 14.8.21, BU |
| COMMERCE DE LYON | 9.4.07 | " | Stk. 23.2.19, BU 1830-31 |
| EOLE | 7.6.07 | " | Stk. 23.2.19, BU |
| DUGUESCLIN | 20.6.07 | " | Stk. 1817, BU c1820 |
| ACHILLE | 15.7.07 | " | Stk. mid-1816 |
| ATLAS | 6.9.07 | " | Stk. 23.2.19, hulk |
| BRESLAW | 3.5.08 | " | Stk. 19.11.36 |
| HECTOR | 21.8.08 | " | Ordered BU 7.9.19, BU 1820 |
| | | | |
| Captured 74-gun ship | | | |
| ANNIBAL | -- | 74 | Stk. 27.12.23 |
Océan classDesigned by Sané in 1786. Data for this class are as the improved
Océan class in the main text except for a displacement of 5,058t and beam of 53ft 3in mld, 54ft 9in ext (
16.24, 16.69m).
Océan was built as
Etats de Bourgogne and was renamed
Côte d'Or in 1.1793,
La Montagne in 10.1793,
Le Peuple in 1795, and
Océan later in 1795.
Majestueux was built as
République Française and renamed in 1803.
Improved Océan classDesigned by Sané. Data for this class are given in the main text.
Wagram was built as
Monarque and renamed in 2.1810.
Royal Louis was built as
Impérial and renamed on 9.4.14 and 15.7.15. An additional ship,
Sans Pareil, was begun at Brest in 1811. She was cancelled and dismantled in 6.1816 and her timbers were used in a refit of
Wagram in late 1818.
110-gun classIn 1804 Sané shortened the plans of the original
Océan class to produce a 110-gun ship with one less gun on each side on each deck. The ships displaced 4,650t and measured 195ft 7in wl, 198ft 3in deck x 53ft 3in mld, 54ft 9in ext x 25ft 7in mean (
59.61, 60.42 x 16.24, 16.69 x 7.80m). During the war
Commerce de Paris carried: GD 30-36pdr; MD 32-24pdr; UD 32-12pdr; SD 6-8pdr, 12-36pdr carr. In 1828 the class was assigned: GD 30-36pdr; MD 32-24pdr; UD 32-36pdr carr.; SD 12-36pdr carr., 4-18pdr long. Four other ships of this type were begun at Antwerp in 1810-11 but not completed.
Commerce de Paris was built as
Ville de Paris and was renamed
Commerce de Paris in 1804 and
Commerce on 11.8.30. On 5.10.39 she was designated to replace
Orion as the school hulk for the naval academy at Brest, and on 18.12.39 she was renamed
Borda. In 8.1863 she was replaced by the 120-gun ship
Valmy which took the name
Borda, and she in turn took the name
Vulcain and replaced the frigate
Uranie as headquarters hulk and mechanics' training ship at Brest. She was BU in 1885.
Duc d'Angoulême was laid down as
Victorieux and was renamed
Iéna in 1807,
Duc d'Angoulême on 8.7.14 and 15.7.15, and
Iéna on 9.8.30. She was razeed to a 90-gun ship at Brest between 1826 and 1833 and proved very successful. She was given a unique armament derived from the
Suffren class: GD 26-36pdr, 4-22cm shell; UD 32-30pdr; SD 26-36pdr carr., 4-18pdr. (Her spardeck armament was modified to 24-30pdr carr., 4-16cm shell in 1846.) She became headquarters hulk for the reserve at Toulon and was BU 1886.
Indomptable classDesigned by Sané in 1787-88. Data for this class are given in the main text.
Foudroyant was named
Dix-huit Fructidor from 1797 to 1800.
Eylau was begun as
Saturne and renamed in 1807.
Sceptre became a barracks hulk at Toulon and was destroyed by fire on 16.1.30.
Pacificateur was used in 1824 in trials of Paixhans' new 22cm shell gun.
Diadème became a barracks hulk and was BU 1868.
Conquérant was BU 1842.
Duquesne was built as
Zélandais and renamed in 4.14 and 7.15.
Large 74-gun classIn 1793-4 the French laid down two 74s designed by Sané to carry 24pdrs instead of 18pdrs on their main decks for their first few cruises. By 1816 the guns had been replaced with 18pdrs. These ships were 2ft longer than the standard 74 and half a foot wider.
Vétéran was begun as
Magnanime and was renamed
Quatorze Juillet in 1798 and
Vétéran in 1802.
Cassard was begun as
Lion and was renamed
Glorieux in 1795 and
Cassard in 1798. She became a mooring hulk and was BU c1830.
Temeraire classDesigned by Sané in 1782. Data for this class are provided in the main text.
Patriote became a mooring hulk and was BU c1830.
Jemmapes was begun as
Alexandre and was renamed 1793. She was BU c1830.
Magnanime replaced
St. Pierre as a prison hulk.
Courageux was begun as
Alcide and was renamed in 1802. She became a training hulk for seamen and was BU 1831-32.
Ajax replaced
Robert as prison hulk No.1 at Toulon.
Lis was laid down as
Glorieux and was renamed
Polonais in 1807 and
Lis (or
Lys) on 19.4.14 and 15.7.15. She became a storage hulk and was BU 1825-26.
Triomphant became a storage hulk and was BU 1825. Plans were drawn up in 1846-49 for converting
Nestor to steam, but she was found to be rotten and was BU.
Marengo became a prison hulk at Toulon, was renamed
Pluton 8.4.65, and was BU 1873.
Trident became a prison hulk and was BU 1874.
Ville de Marseilles became a barracks hulk and was BU c1879.
Orion became the first school ship for the new naval academy at Brest in 1827, was rerated a service craft in 1835, was replaced in 1839 by
Commerce, and was BU in 1841.
Duguay Trouin became a storage hulk at Brest.
Superbe was wrecked in the Levant.
Provence was begun as
Kremlin and was renamed
Provence on 19.4.14,
Kremlin on 22.3.15,
Hercule on 20.4.15,
Provence on 15.7.15, and
Alger on 15.7.30 (commemorating her service as flagship of the force that captured Algiers). She became a barracks hulk and was BU in 1882.
Small 74-gun classSane produced plans in 1803 for a small-model 74 for construction in shipyards outside France, including Genoa and Antwerp. Two prototypes, including
Borée, were built at Toulon. The class measured 177ft 7in wl, 180ft 1in deck x 46ft 11in mld (
54.12, 54.90 x 14.29m), with a depth of hull 9in less than the regular 74.
Eole was built as
Anversois and was renamed on 29.8.14 and 15.7.15.
Achille was begun as
Illustre and renamed
Dantzick in 1807 and
Achille on 29.4.14 and 15.7.15.
Atlas was begun as
Thésée and was renamed
Ville de Berlin in 6.1807 and
Atlas on 29.8.14 and 15.7.15. She became a storage hulk.
Breslaw was begun as
Superbe and renamed in 1807.
Hector was built as
Dalmatie and renamed on 29.8.14 and 15.7.15.
Captured 74-gun shipAnnibal was the British
Hannibal, built in 1786 and captured on 6.7.1801 at the battle of Algesiras. She was listed with GD 28-32pdr; UD 26-16pdr, SD 9-9pdr, 10-36pdr carr., which were presumably her English guns retained in French service. She became a prison hulk in 1823.
Frigates
| Name | Launched | Rating | Fate |
| | | | |
| 24pdr type | | | |
| INCORRUPTIBLE | 8.95 | 40-18p | Stk. 1819 |
| REVANCHE | 9.95 | " | Stk. 1819, BU 1824 |
| | | | |
| 18pdr type, plans by Sane | | | |
| FLORE | 3.7.03 | 40-18p | Stk. 25.11.40, BU |
| PENELOPE | 22.10.06 | " | Stk. 1827 |
| BELLONE | 18.4.07 | " | Stk. 11.12.41 |
| PALLAS | 9.4.08 | " | Stk. 1822, BU 1824 |
| JUNON | 21.7.08 | " | Stk. 17.8.42 |
| CALYPSO | 23.5.08 | " | Stk. 8.11.24, BU 1841 |
| AURORE | 15.8.09 | " | Renamed Dauphine 5.9.29 and Aurore 9.8.30. Stk. 5.7.47 |
| MEDUSE | 1.7.10 | " | Lost 4.7.16 |
| EURYDICE | 30.10.10 | " | Stk. 20.6.25, BU 1825 |
| NYMPHE | 1.5.10 | " | Stk. 5.9.32, hulk |
| GLOIRE | 3.11.11 | " | Stk. 1822, BU 1828-29 |
| MEDEE | 5.5.11 | " | Stk. 6.2.49, hulk |
| PSYCHE | 9.5.12 | " | Stk. 1821, BU 1823 |
| AFRICAINE | 26.5.12 | " | Lost 1822 |
| DUCHESSE D'ANGOULEME | 24.6.12 | " | Stk. 2.6.25, BU 1825 |
| ERIGONE | 25.3.12 | " | Stk. 8.11.24, BU 1825 |
| ARETHUSE | 11.5.12 | " | Corvette 17.3.32 |
| FLEUR DE LIS | 4.10.12 | " | Renamed Résolue 9.8.30. Lost 6.1833 |
| NEREIDE | 30.9.13 | " | Stk. 1825 |
| CYBELE | 11.4.15 | " | Corvette 13.8.31 |
| | | | |
| 18pdr type, plans by Segondat | | | |
| SIRENE | 23.9.05 | 40-18p | Stk. 1819, BU 1837 |
| DANAE | 22.8.08 | " | Stk. 1819, BU 1873 |
| PERLE | 13.8.13 | " | Stk. 30.9.23, BU 1825 |
| THEMIS | 14.7.13 | " | Stk. 6.7.31 |
| | | | |
| 18pdr type, plans by Pestel | | | |
| HERMIONE | 13.11.11 | 40-18p | Stk. 14.4.41 |
| GALATEE | 3.5.12 | " | Stk. 6.5.37, BU 1838 |
| | | | |
| 18pdr type, plans by Rolland | | | |
| AMPHITRITE | 28.10.10 | 40-18p | Stk. 1821 |
| CIRCE | 15.12.11 | " | Corvette 13.8.31 |
| | | | |
| Captured 18pdr frigate | | | |
| PROSERPINE | -- | 40-18p | Hulk, Stk. 20.7.65 |
24-pdr typeA few frigates were built in the 1790s on plans by Forfait with 24pdr guns on the main deck.
Incorruptible, received 24-24pdrs and 10-8pdrs and
Revanche, had 22-24pdrs and 10-8pdrs. Unlike the large, experimental
Forte (1794) which had 50 guns including 30-24pdrs, these ships probably had hulls similar to the 18pdr class. In 1801 the 24pdrs in
Incorruptible were replaced with 18pdrs because they reduced her speed and fatigued her hull.
Revanche also had 18pdrs by 1816.
18pdr type, plans by SaneData for this class are included in the main text.
Flore was built as
Hortense and renamed in 1814.
Bellone was built as
Pauline and renamed in 1814. She was reclassified as a transport (
corvette de charge) in 1841.
Junon was built as
Amélie and renamed in 1814.
Calypso was begun as
Aréthuse and renamed
Elbe in 1807 and
Calypso in 1814.
Aurore was built as
Adrienne and renamed
Aurore in 1814,
Dauphine on 5.9.29, and
Aurore on 9.8.30. She was reclassified as a transport in 1841.
Méduse was lost in a famous shipwreck off Senegal.
Eurydice was built as
Prégel and renamed in 1814.
Nymphe became a headquarters hulk at Brest and was BU in 1873.
Médée became a headquarters hulk at Toulon, was renamed
Muiron in 1850, and sank in 1882.
Psyché was built as
Jahde and renamed in 1814.
Africaine was built as
Ems and renamed in 1814. She was wrecked near Newfoundland.
Duchesse d'Angoulême was begun as
Eurydice and renamed
Atalante in 1811 and
Duchesse d'Angoulême in 1814.
Fleur de Lis was built as
Dryade and was renamed
Fleur de Lis in 1814 and
Résolue on 9.8.30. She was wrecked near Cherbourg.
Néréide was built as
Rancune and renamed in 1814.
18pdr type, plans by SegondatThis type was built to the same specifications as Sane's 18pdr frigates but on slightly different plans. (Alternatively, they may have been built on Sane's plans under Segondat's supervision.)
Sirène was begun as
Amphitrite and renamed
Milanaise in 1805 and
Sirène in 1814.
Danaé was begun as
Nymphe and renamed
Vistule in 1807 and
Danaé in 1814.
Thémis was begun as
Iphigénie and renamed
Oder in 1807 and
Thémis in 1814.
18pdr type, plans by PestelAnother slight variant on Sane's standard 18pdr frigate design.
Hermione was built as
Illyrienne and renamed in 1814.
18pdr type, plans by RollandData for this variant on Sane's 18pdr frigate are given in the main text.
Amphitrite was begun as
Andromède and was renamed
Saale in 1807 and
Amphitrite in 1814.
Captured 18pdr frigateProserpine, launched in 10.1808 at Chatham, was captured by
Pauline and
Pénélope from the British on 27.2.1809. She was recommissioned in 1828 with an armament of GD 26-18pdr; SD 16-24pdr carr., 2-18pdr. She was reclassified as a transport in 1841, sent to Cayenne as a prison ship in 1856, and BU there in 1865-66.
Corvettes
| Name | Launched | Rating | Fate |
| | | | |
| Misc. large corvettes | | | |
| GEOGRAPHE | 8.6.00 | 24-8p | Stk. 6.4.19 |
| DEPARTEMENT DES LANDES | 19.7.04 | 20-24p | Stk. 1820, BU 1829-30 |
| | | | |
| 8pdr corvettes, Victorieuse class | | | |
| VICTORIEUSE | 17.4.06 | 20-24p | Lost 10.8.47 |
| DIANE | 5.9.08 | " | Stk. 31.8.31, hulk |
| SAPHO | 18.1.09 | " | Lost 8.8.23 |
| BAYADERE | 17.6.11 | " | Stk. 9.3.33, BU 1833 |
| AIGRETTE | 14.8.11 | " | Stk. 20.8.22, hulk |
| EGERIE | 18.11.11 | " | Stk. 15.5.26. |
| | | | |
| 6pdr corvettes, Diligente class | | | |
| DILIGENTE | 7.11.01 | 20-24p | Stk. 11.10.54 |
| COQUETTE | 21.11.09 | " | Stk. 4.4.22 and BU |
| FRIPONNE | 4.5.10 | " | Stk. 11.7.20 and BU 1820 |
| ECHO | 3.7.10 | " | Stk. 30.7.44 |
Misc. large corvettesGéographe was begun in 1794 as
Uranie and was renamed
Galatée in 1797 and
Géographe in 1800 as flagship of a voyage of discovery (1801-03). She served as a barracks ship in 1808-11 and on harbor service at Lorient after 1815.
Département des Landes, designed by Rolland, was very similar to the
Victorieuse group, below. Begun in 1803 as
Egérie, she was renamed in 1.1804 when the the départment for which she was named offered to pay for a corvette.
8pdr corvettes, Victorieuse classData for this class are given in the entry for
Espérance in the main text. The first three ships were built on plans drawn by Poncet and "corrected" by Sané, and the last three, which had identical dimensions, were simply listed as designed by Sané. Although rated for 8pdrs, they carried 24pdr carronades for most of their careers.
Victorieuse was paid for by the troops of the Army of Italy under Murat and replaced a ship named
Erigone in the building program. She had a light spardeck, which was removed when she was razeed to a 24-gun corvette at Toulon in 1835-39. Her subsequent armament was 16-30pdr carr., 4-16cm shell, and 2-12pdr.
Diane was converted to a barge at Brest in 1831.
Sapho ran aground at Brest in 1823, was soon salvaged, but was BU 1824-25.
Aigrette became a storage hulk at Brest and was BU 1832.
6pdr corvettes, Diligente classDiligente proved to be a very fast ship whose plans were copied as late as 1848. She was built on a private plan by Ozanne subsequently adopted by the navy. She was rearmed with 18pdr carronades and was reclassified as a corvette aviso in 1821. (Postwar corvette avisos built on the same plans are listed in this chapter under brigs and avisos.)
Echo, in contrast, was assigned an armament of 18-24pdr carr. and 2-6pdr in 1818 and remained a 20-gun corvette to the end of her career. She was begun as
Favorite and renamed in 1810.
Brigs
| Name | Launched | Rating | Fate |
| | | | |
| Misc. large brigs | | | |
| ABEILLE | 24.6.01 | 18-24p carr. | Stk. 15.11.44, hulk |
| ALACRITY | -- | 18-32p carr. | Stk. 20.8.22 and BU |
| Sylphe class | | | |
| ADONIS | 16.8.06 | 16-24p carr. | Stk. 6.11.22, BU c1823 |
| CURIEUX | 17.7.06 | " | Stk. 5.6.33 |
| GENIE | 23.7.08 | " | Stk. 1833 |
| HUSSARD | 26.6.09 | " | Stk. and BU 1822 |
| EPERVIER | 19.5.10 | " | Stk. 19.2.21 and BU |
| RAILLEUR | 2.6.10 | " | Stk. 12.2.22, BU 1822 |
| OLIVIER | 3.7.10 | " | Stk. 5.8.23 and BU |
| ZEBRE | 1.12.10 | " | Stk. 12.1.47 |
| LAURIER | 20.6.11 | " | Stk. 15.6.18, hulk |
| FAUNE | 3.1.11 | " | Lost 4.5.32 |
| LANCIER | 22.5.11 | " | Stk. 22.5.21 |
| ECLAIREUR | 9.4.11 | " | Stk. 22.5.21 |
| INCONSTANT | 28.11.11 | " | Stk. 17.8.42, BU 1843 |
| ACTEON | 24.8.12 | " | Stk. 1821, BU 1822 |
| ZEPHYR | 17.6.13 | " | Lost 2.5.23 |
| EURYALE | 9.12.13 | " | Stk. 14.3.46 |
| SILENE | 17.8.14 | " | Lost 14.5.30 |
| HURON | 29.9.14 | " | Stk. 13.8.22 |
| RUSE | 9.14 | " | Lost 24.1.35 |
| | | | |
| Misc. small brigs | | | |
| ARGUS | -- | 12-16p carr. | Stk. 1827 |
| ECUREUIL | -- | " | Stk. 28.6.27 |
| FAVORI | -- | " | Stk. 1827, service craft |
| LYNX | -- | " | Stk. 1834 |
Misc. large brigsAbeille was built at Toulon and measured 98ft 4in x 27ft 11in (
29.96 x 8.50m). She became a depot hulk, was renamed
Molène before 1865, and was BU 1868.
Alacrity was a large English brig launched in 1806 and captured by
Abeille on 26.5.11.
Sylphe classThis class was designed by Sané and was similar to an earlier class designed by Pestel, of which none survived in 1816. They measured 95ft 8in x 27ft 7in mld (
29.16 x 8.42m). French 16-gun brigs were designed for 6pdr long guns, but these were replaced well before 1815 with 24pdr carronades.
Curieux was built as
Mercure but was transferred to Italy on 14.6.10 as
Simplon. She was borrowed back in late 1810 under her Italian name and was renamed
Curieux on 24.9.14 and 15.7.15.
Olivier was built as
Mamelouck and renamed 21.4.14 and 15.7.15.
Laurier became a hulk at Brest and was BU 1832.
Faune was lost near the bar at Tuspay.
Inconstant was given to Napoleon on 27.5.14 when he was exiled to Elba. She returned to Toulon on 24.5.15.
Zéphyr was wrecked near Cape Palos on the Biscay coast.
Silène was wrecked 60nm east of Algiers with the brig-aviso
Aventure.
Rusé was lost off Bône, Algeria.
Misc. small brigsThe pre-1816 navy had no standard class of small brigs equivalent to the postwar brig avisos. A three-masted schooner,
Créole, was brig-rigged from 1811 to 1821 because of a lack of masts at Réunion, where she was stationed. The only true small brigs on the navy list in 1816 were four captured British gun brigs. All four retained their British names until renamed on 24.9.14 and 15.7.15. They also retained their British 16pdr carronades.
Argus was HMS
Plumper, built in 1804 and captured near St. Malo by a division of gunboats on 16.7.05.
Ecureuil was HMS
Bouncer, built in 1804 and captured after being stranded near Boulogne on 21.2.05.
Favori was HMS
Mallard, built in 1801 and captured after grounding at Wissant in 2.05. She was a service craft at Brest in 1831.
Lynx was HMS
Conflict, built in 1801 and captured after being stranded near Nieuport on 23.10.04.
Smaller shipsThe navy in 1816 included many small ships, of which the most important were five schooners:
Bacchante (6-8pdrs, 1812-24),
Biche (10-8pdrs, 1808-17),
Cerf (12-24pdr carr., 1807-21),
Levrette (10-8pdrs, 1808-23), and
Torche (10-12pdrs, 1812-37). One list from October 1816 shows a total of 20 schooners, 4 cutters, 1 gunboat, 15 luggers, 9 lateen-rigged craft, and many unnamed gunboats and mouches.
Flûtes, later Corvettes de charge, later Transports
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| | | | |
| 800 ton type | | | |
| SEINE | Le Havre | 23.5.03 | Stk. 1835 |
| RHONE | Le Havre | 4.5.05 | Lost 1836 |
| CARAVANE | Marseille | 10.9.08 | Lost 21.10.17 |
| LYBIO | La Ciotat | 17.5.10 | Renamed Bonite 1835. Stk. 1842 |
| SALAMANDRE | La Ciotat | 21.3.11 | Lost 1826 |
| ELEPHANT | Marseille | 5.5.11 | Stk. 1826, hulk to 1833 |
| LICORNE | La Ciotat | 15.11.11 | Stk. 1826 |
| GOLO | Marseille | 12.11 | Stk. 1825 |
| NORMANDE | La Ciotat | 2.12 | Stk. 1824, hulk to 1833 |
| CORNALINE | La Ciotat | 4.12 | Lost 2.2.23 |
| ARIEGE | Marseille | 16.5.12 | Stk. 1833 |
| BONITE | Marseille | 2.8.13 | Stk. 1835-6 |
| HIPPOPOTAME | Marseille | -- | Begun 1814, canc. 1818 |
| TARN | Bayonne | 7.4.18 | Stk. 19.11.42 |
| ADOUR | Bayonne | 25.3.19 | Stk. 23.4.51 |
| MOSELLE | Cherbourg | 13.5.20 | Renamed Abondance 20.4.33. Stk. 31.10.51, hulk to 1856 |
800-ton typeThe 800-ton "flûte" was one of the ship types standardized during the Napoleonic Wars by the Navy's senior naval constructor, J.-N. Sané. The first ship of this type was
Normande, designed by Forfait in 1788. The plans for the first two ships above were credited to P.-A. Forfait, the third was built on Forfait's plans "as reviewed by Sané," and the later units were credited solely to Sané, although they were probably essentially identical to Forfait's ships. All flûtes were redesignated "corvettes de charge" (cargo-carrying corvettes) on 13.11.21.
Seine, originally
Escaut, was renamed in 1814.
Lybio was renamed
Bonite in 1835-6.
Normande, originally
Egyptienne, was renamed on 26.9.14 (effective upon her arrival at Toulon from a voyage). After being stricken,
Ariège was an "annexe" at Cherbourg until ordered scrapped on 9.6.49.
Adour served as a hospital ship and warehouse at Gabon from 1847 until she was replaced by
Oise in 1854.
Moselle and an unnamed sister were begun at St. Malo in 1810 and re-erected at Cherbourg circa 1815. The sister was cancelled circa 1816.
Moselle was renamed
Abondance on 20.4.33 and served as a boys' training ship from 1836 until scrapped in 1856.
Gabarres, later Transports
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| | | | |
| 559 tons | | | |
| LOIRE | (prize) | (1809) | Stk. 1838 |
| | | | |
| 467 tons | | | |
| DURANCE | La Ciotat | 9.05 | Stk. 1838 |
| EXPEDITIVE | Marseilles | 2.09 | Stk. 1824 |
| PRUDENTE | La Ciotat | 4.1.11 | Stk. 1826 |
| LA CIOTAT | La Ciotat | 4.11 | Renamed Uranie 12.16. Lost 14.2.20 |
| | | | |
| 380 tons (type écurie) | | | |
| ALOUETTE | La Seyne | 3.11 | Lost 6.6.17 |
| CHEVRETTE | Toulon | 7.11 | Lost 20.3.30 |
| LIONNNE | La Ciotat | 20.7.11 | Stk. 1844, hulk to 1852 |
| COQUILLE | Toulon | 8.11 | Renamed Astrolabe 1825. Stk. 14.8.51 |
| TRUITE | La Ciotat | 20.8.11 | Lost 13.12.32 |
| INFATIGABLE | Marseille | 23.9.11 | Stk. 1837 |
| EMULATION | Marseille | 12.11 | Stk. 8.12.45 |
| EGLANTINE | La Seyne | 2.12 | Stk. 1828 |
| MARGUERITE | La Seyne | 2.12 | Lost 1818 |
| ZELEE | Toulon | 2.12 | To steam (q.v.) 1853 |
| LAMPROIE | Toulon | 2.12 | Stk. 16.10.49 |
| ACTIVE | La Seyne | 3.12 | Stk. 1827 |
| | | | |
| 350 tons | | | |
| PANTHERE | Bayonne | 30.5.06 | Stk. 1833 |
| | | | |
| 262 tons (type écurie) | | | |
| LEZARD | Toulon | 9.09 | Stk. 1852, hulk to 1866 |
| MARSOUIN | Toulon | 9.09 | Lost 1.1.1834 |
| PORTEFAIX | Toulon | 9.09 | Renamed Loiret 11.20. Stk. 1844 |
| | | | |
| 250 tons | | | |
| GIRONDE | Bayonne | 23.6.08 | Stk. 1833 |
| CHARENTE | Bayonne | 12.7.09 | Renamed Robuste 1836. Stk. 6.2.39 |
The word "gabarre" (often spelled "gabare") was used for river cargo craft and also for seagoing vessels designed to carry bulky cargo. The Navy often used them to carry ship timbers to its dockyards, but the large cargo capacity, robust hulls, and good seakeeping qualities of some of these ships (and the larger flûtes and corvettes de charge) also made them suitable for use on major exploration expeditions. For example, the 380-ton gabarre
Coquille, renamed
Astrolabe, was used by Dumont d'Urville on his circumnavigation voyage of 1825-29.
559-ton type
Loire was the former Portuguese merchant ship
Ovidor, taken off Singapore on 19.11.09. She was renamed
Généreux in 1810 and
Loire in 1814. She was built of teak on the island of Ile de France (now Réunion). Originally rated a flûte, she was redesignated a gabarre in 1822.
467-ton type
Prudente and
La Ciotat were sisters, built to plans by Sané which may have been a modified version of the plans by J.-L Feraud that were used for the first two.
Prudente became a mooring hulk at Rochefort and was scrapped in 1844.
La Ciotat was renamed
Uranie in December 1816 and was wrecked in the Falkland Islands (Malouines) in February 1820.
380-ton typeIn 1811-12 the Navy built twelve "gabarres-écuries" (cargo ships fitted to carry horses) to plans by F. Pestel. Until July 1814 these ships were named respectively
Grande Gabarre Ecurie No. 1 to
No. 12.
Alouette was lost at Cap Français, Haiti, on 6.6.17.
Emulation,
Lamproie,
Astrolabe, and
Zélée were designated 14-gun corvettes in 1846.
Zélée was fitted with a small steam engine (mixed propulsion) in 1853--see the steam section for subsequent information on this ship.
262-ton type
In 1809 the Navy built three small brig-rigged gabarres-écuries to plans by J.-P. Vincent. Until July 1814 they were named respectively
Petite Gabarre Ecurie No. 1 to
No. 3.
Lézard was a hulk at Lorient from 1852-1867.
Marsouin was reclassified as a small brig in 1823 and was wrecked on the Ile du Levant near Toulon on 1.1.34.
Smaller types
200 tons:
Jeanne (1806-28),
Sarcelle (1808-29),
Louise (1806-16, acquired),
Prevoyante (1803-17, acquired); 170 tons:
Desirée (1803-38),
Girouette (1808-26)
Copyright © Stephen S. Roberts 2004-2015.