French frigate Ariane (1811)


Ariane was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.

Clorinde, sister-ship of French frigate Ariane (1811)
History
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameAriane
NamesakeAriana
BuilderNantes
Laid down1807
Launched1811
Commissioned9 January 1812
FateRan aground and scuttled 22 May 1812
General characteristics
Class and typeAriane-class frigate
Length45.5 m (149 ft 3 in)
Beam12.36 m (40 ft 7 in)
Draught5.9 m (19 ft 4 in)
Sail planFull-rigged ship, 1,950 m2 (21,000 sq ft)
Complement325
Armament
Ariane aground (second from left), Andromaque ablaze and sinking (second right), and HMS Northumberland (right) on 22 May 1812.

Career

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Ariane was commissioned on 9 January 1812 under Captain Jean-Baptiste-Henri Féretier.

Between 21 February 1812 and 17 May, a three-vessel French squadron consisting of the frigates Ariane and Andromaque, and the brig Mameluck engaged in commerce raiding in the Atlantic. They captured numerous British and American vessels and burnt them all, except for Patent, M'Master, master, and Woodrup, Sims, master. They made a cartel of Patent, putting their British prisoners aboard her; she arrived at Plymouth on 24 May. The American prisoners the French put on Woodrop, which they sent to America.[1]

Returning to Lorient, the squadron met the British 74-gun ship-of-the-line HMS Northumberland, Captain Henry Hotham. In the ensuing action of 22 May 1812, the two frigates ran aground trying to escape their much stronger opponent; their crews set them afire to prevent the frigates's capture.[2]

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4668. 12 May 1912. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735025. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  2. ^ Chantier archéologique sous-marin

References

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  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours, 1671 - 1870. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. p. 49. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.