French corvette Naïade (1780)

Naïade was a 20-gun Coquette-class corvette. She took part in the Indian theatre of the Anglo-French War with the squadron under Suffren. The British Royal Navy captured her in 1783 but never commissioned her; it sold her in 1784.

History
France
NameNaïade
Ordered23 July 1779 [1]
BuilderToulon [1]
Laid downJuly 1779 [1]
Launched21 December 1779 [1]
CommissionedApril 1780 [1]
Captured1805
United Kingdom
NameHMS Naiad
FateSold 1784
General characteristics
Class and typeCoquette-class corvette
Typecorvette
Tons burthen400 tonnes
Length38.7 metres
Beam9.9 metres
Draught4.9 metres
Armament18 × 8-pounder long guns

French service

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On 11 February 1782, Naïade departed Brest. She called Isle de France (Mauritius) and arrived at Cuddalore on 10 March 1782 to support the squadron under Suffren.[1]

In November 1782, she was at Ceylon under Costebelle.[2]

On 11 April, Captaine de Brûlot Villaret de Joyeuse was given command of Naïade.[3] Suffren sent her to Madras to warn the French blockading squadron, composed of the 74-gun Fendant,[4] the 64-gun Saint-Michel and the frigates Cléopâtre and Coventry, of the imminent arrival of a superior British force.[5] Three days after her departure, on 11 April 1783, Naïade spotted the 64-gun HMS Sceptre,[6] under Captain Graves;[7] after trying without success to elude his much stronger opponent, Villaret was forced into battle, and struck his colours after a five-hour fight.[8][9][5][7] When Villaret surrendered his sword, Graves allegedly told him "Sir, you have given us a fairly beautiful frigate, but you made us pay dearly for her!";[5] some authors add that Graves returned Villaret his sword.[1]

British service

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The British armed Naïade with twenty-two 12-pounder guns, and two 18-pounder and six 12-pounder carronade, but never commissioned her. [10] From 26 April 1783, she was under Lieutenant Richard Strachan.

Fate

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Naïade was sold on 17 August 1784.[10]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Roche (2005), p. 321.
  2. ^ Cunat (1852), p. 87.
  3. ^ Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 542.
  4. ^ Cunat (1852), p. 274.
  5. ^ a b c Hennequin (1835), p. 214.
  6. ^ Levot (1866), p. 544.
  7. ^ a b "No. 12509". The London Gazette. 10 January 1784. p. 1.
  8. ^ Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 660.
  9. ^ Cunat (1852), p. 381-382.
  10. ^ a b Demerliac (1996), p. 73, n°462.

References

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