Romaine class frigate
Encyclopedia
The Romaine class was a class of nine 42-gun frigates of the French Navy
, designed in 1794 by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. They were originally designated as "bomb-frigates" (Fr. frégate-bombarde) and were intended to carry a main armament of twenty 24-pounder guns and a 12-inch mortar. Experience quickly led to the mortars being removed. A further eleven ordered to this design in 1794 were not built, or were completed to altered designs.
Two vessels of the class became breakwaters in less than 15 years after their construction. The British Royal Navy
captured three. One was lost at sea. None had long active duty careers. All-in-all, this does not appear to have been a successful class.
A tenth vessel, Furieuse, was begun at Cherbourg in March 1795 to the same design but was completed as a vessel of the Seine class
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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...
, designed in 1794 by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. They were originally designated as "bomb-frigates" (Fr. frégate-bombarde) and were intended to carry a main armament of twenty 24-pounder guns and a 12-inch mortar. Experience quickly led to the mortars being removed. A further eleven ordered to this design in 1794 were not built, or were completed to altered designs.
Two vessels of the class became breakwaters in less than 15 years after their construction. The British 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 three. One was lost at sea. None had long active duty careers. All-in-all, this does not appear to have been a successful class.
- RomaineFrench frigate Romaine (1794)The Romaine was the lead ship of the Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Expédition d'Irlande and in the Battle of Tory Island....
- Builder: Le Havre
- Begun: March 1794
- Launched: 25 September 1794
- Completed: December 1794
- Fate: Condemned 1804.
- ImmortalitéFrench frigate Immortalité (1795)The Immortalité was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Expédition d'Irlande, and was captured shortly after the Battle of Tory Island by HMS Fisgard...
- Builder: Lorient
- Begun: May 1794
- Launched: 7 January 1795
- Completed: February 1795
- Fate: Captured by the British Navy on 20 October 1798, becoming HMS Immortalite.
- ImpatienteFrench frigate Impatiente (1795)The Impatiente was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Expédition d'Irlande, where she was wrecked on 29 December 1796. Only 7 survived, and 420 were lost.-References:...
- Builder: Lorient
- Begun: May 1794
- Launched: 12 March 1795
- Completed: May 1795
- Fate: Wrecked off Cape Clear on 29 December 1796.
- IncorruptibleFrench frigate Incorruptible (1795)The Incorruptible was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.On 15 July 1796, under captain Bescond, she fought against the 56-gun HMS Glatton.In 1800, she was involved in the battle of Dunkirk....
- Builder: Dieppe
- Begun: March 1794
- Launched: 20 May 1795
- Completed: December 1795
- Fate: Deleted 1815.
- RevancheFrench frigate Revanche (1795)The Revanche was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.-References:...
- Builder: Dieppe
- Begun: March 1794
- Launched: 31 August 1795
- Completed: December 1795
- Fate: Deleted 1818 or 1819.
- LibreFrench frigate Libre (1796)The Libre was a Romaine-class frigate of the French Navy. She was built at Le Havre, and though launched in 1796, was not placed into service until 1798. She sailed from Le Havre in March 1801 in the company of Indienne towards Cherbourg, then Cadiz and La Corogne under Captaine de Frégate Bourdet...
- Builder: Le Havre
- Begun: August 1794
- Launched: 11 February 1796
- Completed: January 1798
- Fate: Captured by the British Navy on December 1805, but not added to the British Navy.
- ComèteFrench frigate Comète (1796)The Comète was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806 and in the Battle of San Domingo.From June 1808, she was used as a mast machine in Bayonne, and was eventually broken up in 1810.-References:...
- Builder: Le Havre
- Begun: September 1794
- Launched: 11 March 1796
- Completed: January 1798
- Fate: Converted to a breakwater 1808, taken to pieces 1810.
- DésiréeFrench frigate Désirée (1796)The Désirée was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.She was captured in a Raid on Dunkirk by HMS Dart, under Patrick Campbell, on 8 July 1800.-References:...
- Builder: Dunkirk
- Begun: February 1794
- Launched: 23 April 1796
- Completed: December 1798
- Fate: Captured by the British Navy on 8 July 1800, becoming HMS Desiree.
- PoursuivanteFrench frigate Poursuivante (1798)The Poursuivante was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.In June 1800, the Poursuivante took part in the battle of Dunkirk under commander Oreille. In 1802, she departed Flushing to ferry troops to Saint-Domingue, under capitaine de vaisseau Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez. She arrived as...
- Builder: Dunkirk
- Begun: February or April 1794
- Launched: 24 May 1796
- Completed: April 1798
- Fate: Condemned 1805, made a breakwater 1806 or 1807.
A tenth vessel, Furieuse, was begun at Cherbourg in March 1795 to the same design but was completed as a vessel of the Seine class
Seine class frigate
The Seine class was a class of five 42-gun frigates of the French Navy, designed in 1793 by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. The first four were originally designed to carry a main armament of 24-pounder guns, but in the event were completed at Le Havre with 18-pounders...
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