French brig Belliqueuse (1793)

Belliquese was a French Navy 12-gun brig launched in 1793 as the name-vessel of her class, and sold in 1797 to serve as a privateer. The British Royal Navy captured her in 1798. Though the Royal Navy named her HMS Bellete and took her measurements, it never actually commissioned her; she was sold in 1801.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Belette.

Belliqueuse
History
France
Name: Belliquese
Ordered: 15 April 1793
Builder: Michel Colin-Olivier, Dieppe
Laid down: May 1793
Launched: 30 December 1793
Captured: January 1798
Great Britain
Name: HMS Belette
Acquired: 16 January 1798 by capture
Fate: Sold 1801
General characteristics [1][2]
Class and type: Belliqueuse-class brig
Displacement: 475 tons (French)
Tons burthen:
  • 220-280 (French; "of load")
  • 346 ​49⁄94 (bm)
Length:
  • 104 ft 4 1⁄2 in (31.8 m) (overall)
  • 85 ft 7 1⁄2 in (26.1 m) (keel)
Beam: 27 ft 7 in (8.4 m)
Depth of hold: 7 ft 5 in (2.3 m)
Sail plan: Brig
Complement:
  • French Navy:6 officers + 110-140 other ranks[3]
  • Privateer:120
  • British service:125
Armament:
  • French Navy
    • Originally:12 × 12-pounder guns
    • 1794:6 x 24-pounder + 2 × 8-pounder guns[3]
  • Privateer:14 × 8-pounder guns + four carronades
  • British service:20 x 24-pounder carronades

French Navy

The Belliqueuse-class of brig-corvettes were built to a design by Pierre-Alexander-Laurent Forfait. The class was ill-fated. All five fell into British hands.[1]

Between 23 May 1794 and 24 December, Belliqueuse was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Louvel (fils). She was at Le Havre, Ostend, and Dunkirk. From there she sailed to Cherbourg.[4]

Between 25 March 1795 and 6 June, Louvel escorted convoys between Saint-Malo and Brest roads. He also cruised with her in the Bay of Cancale.[5]

In January 1797 the French Navy stationed her at Saint-Malo. It then sold Belliqueuse in November to private interests for use as a privateer.[6]

Capture

On 16 January 1798 Melampus was in company with Seahorse when they captured Belliqueux, off the Irish coast. She was out of Saint-Malo, and on 11 January had captured His Majesty's packet Prince Ernest, which had been sailing from Tortola. The captain of the packet and all but four of her crew were on board Belliqueux.[7]

Fate

She arrived at Plymouth on 22 January 1798 and immediately went into ordinary under the name HMS Belette (or Billette). The "Principal officers and commissioners of His Majesty's Navy" offered Billette, of 346 tons, for sale on 31 August 1801.[8] She was sold for £1,500.[2]

Citations and references

Citations

  1. Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 202.
  2. Winfield (2008), pp. 284-5.
  3. Demerliac (1999), p. 93, n°559.
  4. Fonds Marine (1790-1804), p.86.
  5. Fonds Marine (1790-1804), p.146.
  6. Roche (2005), p. 70.
  7. "No. 14085". The London Gazette. 23 January 1798. p. 75.
  8. "No. 15396". The London Gazette. 11 August 1801. p. 991.

References

  • Demerliac, Alain (1999). La Marine de la Révolution: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1792 A 1799 (in French). Éditions Ancre. ISBN 2-906381-24-1.
  • Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 209 (1790-1804) (1790-1804)
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.
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