French frigate Président
Encyclopedia
The Président was a 40-gun frigate of the Gloire Class in the French Navy
, built to a 1802 design by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. She served with the French Navy from her completion in 1804 until late 1806 when the Royal Navy
captured her. Thereafter, she served as the HMS President until she was broken up in 1815.
She took part in L'Hermite's expedition
, which led to her capture.
. She was the flagship for a squadron under Rear Admiral
Sir Thomas Louis
. On 27 September, they fell in with the Président, Capt. Gallier Labrosse, south of the Isles of Scilly
, near Belle Île
. The Président had been sailing with Regulus, Sybille, and Surveillante, but had separated from them on 20 August.
Louis's squadron had sailed to the Bay of Biscay
to await the return of Admiral Willaumez
from the Caribbean. On spotting the Président, the squadron gave chase but the ships of the line were not fast enough to catch her. However, an 18-gun Cruizer class brig-sloop
attached to the squadron, , Captain Edward Hawkins, was able to get within firing range. Dispatch proceeded to harry the Président with her forward guns, forcing Président to turn towards the nearest British frigate, HMS Blanche
, under Captain Sir Thomas Lavie. Seeing the Président turn, Louis ordered Canopus to fire, even though the range was extreme. Realizing that the rest of the British squadron would arrive shortly, Labrosse struck his colours
, surrendering to Dispatch. The Président had suffered only minor damage and there were no casualties on either side in the action.
The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS President (dropping the accent over the 'e' in her name). The frigate's design was much admired and she served as the model for a number of later frigates, notably the Seringaptam Class
in the Royal Navy.
, sailing for South America on 7 May 1808 after completion conversion for British service at Plymouth. Mackenzie commanded her until 1810, apart from a brief period in 1809, when Captain Charles Schomberg
temporarily commanded her off Brazil while Mackenzie temporarily commanded Bedford
.
In 1810 Captain Samuel Warren
took command and on 31 December sailed her for the Cape of Good Hope and thence to the East Indies. In the East Indies she took part in the operations in Java and the rest of the Dutch East Indies. In 1811, President was attached to the squadron of Admiral Robert Stopford that captured Java
. On 31 August the frigates , Président, and Phoebe
, and were detached to take the seaport of Cheribon. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Java" to all remaining survivors of the campaign.
Returning to the UK in late 1812 or early 1813, President then served from May 1813 in the Irish Sea, first under Captain Francis Mason, then from April 1814 under Captain Archibald Duff.
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, built to a 1802 design by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. She served with the French Navy from her completion in 1804 until late 1806 when the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
captured her. Thereafter, she served as the HMS President until she was broken up in 1815.
French service
Originally ordered under the name Minerve, she was renamed as Président on 24 December 1803.She took part in L'Hermite's expedition
L'Hermite's expedition
L'Hermite's expedition was a French naval operation launched in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars. The operation was intended as both a commerce raiding operation against the British trading posts of West Africa and as a diversion to the Trafalgar campaign...
, which led to her capture.
Capture
In June 1806, Captain Thomas George Shortland took command of HMS CanopusHMS Canopus (1798)
HMS Canopus was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the British Royal Navy. She had previously served with the French Navy as the Tonnant-class Franklin, but was captured after less than a year in service by the British fleet under Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile in 1798...
. She was the flagship for a squadron under Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Sir Thomas Louis
Thomas Louis
Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis, 1st Baronet was an officer of the British Royal Navy who served in three wars and saw numerous actions, notably as one of Horatio Nelson's "Band of Brothers" in the Mediterranean in 1798 who commanded ships at the Battle of the Nile...
. On 27 September, they fell in with the Président, Capt. Gallier Labrosse, south of the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
, near Belle Île
Belle Île
Belle-Île or Belle-Île-en-Mer is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 km from the Quiberon peninsula.Administratively, the island forms a canton: the canton of Belle-Île...
. The Président had been sailing with Regulus, Sybille, and Surveillante, but had separated from them on 20 August.
Louis's squadron had sailed to the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
to await the return of Admiral Willaumez
Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez
Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez was a French sailor and admiral of the First French Empire....
from the Caribbean. On spotting the Président, the squadron gave chase but the ships of the line were not fast enough to catch her. However, an 18-gun Cruizer class brig-sloop
Cruizer class brig-sloop
The Cruizer class was an 18-gun class of brig-sloops of the Royal Navy. Brig-sloops were the same as ship-sloops except for their rigging...
attached to the squadron, , Captain Edward Hawkins, was able to get within firing range. Dispatch proceeded to harry the Président with her forward guns, forcing Président to turn towards the nearest British frigate, HMS Blanche
HMS Amfitrite (1804)
HMS Amfitrite was a 38-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She had previously served with the Spanish Navy before she was captured during the Napoleonic Wars and commissioned into the Royal Navy. The Admiralty renamed her HMS Blanche after she had spent just over a year as Amfitrite...
, under Captain Sir Thomas Lavie. Seeing the Président turn, Louis ordered Canopus to fire, even though the range was extreme. Realizing that the rest of the British squadron would arrive shortly, Labrosse struck his colours
Striking the colors
Striking the colors is the universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. Surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck.-In international law:# "Colors. A national flag . The colors . ....
, surrendering to Dispatch. The Président had suffered only minor damage and there were no casualties on either side in the action.
The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS President (dropping the accent over the 'e' in her name). The frigate's design was much admired and she served as the model for a number of later frigates, notably the Seringaptam Class
Seringapatam class frigate
The Seringapatam class frigates, were a successful class of British Royal Navy 46-gun sailing frigates. The first vessel of the class was HMS Seringapatam. The Seringapatam's design was based on the French frigate Président, which the British had captured in 1806...
in the Royal Navy.
Cruising
In December 1807, she was commissioned under the command of Captain Adam MackenzieAdam Mackenzie
Adam Mackenzie was an officer of the Royal Navy. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 13 March 1790, to Commander on 22 June 1796, and to Captain on 2 September 1799. He died on 13 November 1823.-HMS Pylades:...
, sailing for South America on 7 May 1808 after completion conversion for British service at Plymouth. Mackenzie commanded her until 1810, apart from a brief period in 1809, when Captain Charles Schomberg
Charles Marsh Schomberg
Sir Charles Marsh Schomberg was the youngest son of the naval officer Alexander Schomberg and Arabella Susannah Chalmers, and followed his father's profession...
temporarily commanded her off Brazil while Mackenzie temporarily commanded Bedford
HMS Bedford (1775)
HMS Bedford was a Royal Navy 74-gun third rate. This ship of the line was launched on 27 October 1775 at Woolwich.-Early service:In 1780, Bedford fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent...
.
In 1810 Captain Samuel Warren
Samuel Warren
Samuel Warren may refer to:* Samuel Warren , English barrister and author; MP for Midhurst from 1856–1859...
took command and on 31 December sailed her for the Cape of Good Hope and thence to the East Indies. In the East Indies she took part in the operations in Java and the rest of the Dutch East Indies. In 1811, President was attached to the squadron of Admiral Robert Stopford that captured Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. On 31 August the frigates , Président, and Phoebe
HMS Phoebe (1795)
HMS Phoebe was a 36-gun fifth rate of the British Royal Navy. She had a career of almost twenty years and fought in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812...
, and were detached to take the seaport of Cheribon. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Java" to all remaining survivors of the campaign.
Returning to the UK in late 1812 or early 1813, President then served from May 1813 in the Irish Sea, first under Captain Francis Mason, then from April 1814 under Captain Archibald Duff.
Fate
In August 1815, the Royal Navy renamed her as HMS Piedmontaise but broke her up in December of that same year.Post script
The President was the model for three later British 44-gun frigates:- HMS Africaine (1827)
- HMS Maeander (1840)HMS Maeander (1840)HMS Meander was launched at Chatham on 5 May 1840. She was a Seringapatam-class frigate, armed originally with 16 32-pounder carronades and 28 18-pounder carronades. The length of her keel was 133 feet and her beam 42 feet; her burthen was 1221 tons. As a frigate her complement was 222 seamen, 39...
- HMS Stag (1830)