French ship Belle Poule (1828)
Model of Belle-Poule, on display at Toulon naval museum.
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| History | |
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 France
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| Namesake: | Paule de Viguier, baronne de Fonterville |
| Laid down: | 1828 |
| Commissioned: | July 1835 |
| Decommissioned: | 19 March 1861 |
| Fate: | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Surveillante-class frigate |
| Displacement: | 2500 tonnes |
| Length: | 54 metres (177 ft) |
| Beam: | 14.10 metres (46.3 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.80 metres (12.5 ft) |
| Propulsion: | sail |
| Complement: | 300 |
| Armament: |
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| Armour: | Timber |
The Belle-Poule was an Surveillante class 60-gun first rank frigate of the French Navy. She achieved fame for bringing the remains of Napoléon from Saint Helena back to France, in what became known as the Retour des cendres.
Although construction was started in 1828, the Belle-Poule was launched only in 1834. She was one of the first ships to be built in a covered shipyard, which allowed the builders to delay construction while the political and financial circumstances were not favourable. Her design was inspired by the USS Constitution cruiser class. She was commissioned in July 1835, and displayed very good sailing properties.
On 1 August 1839, under command of the Prince of Joinville, third son of King Louis-Philippe, she left Cherbourg to join the Eastern fleet of Admiral Lalande. She was back in Toulon on 21 December 1839.
On 27 July 1840, she set sail with special equipment for Saint Helena to bring back the remains of Napoleon. She had been painted black for the occasion. On 30 September, she arrived back in Cherbourg, where, on 8 December, the Emperor's remains were transferred to the steamship Normandie. The Normandie transported the remains to Le Havre and up the Seine to Rouen, for further transport to Paris.
The transfer of the remains from Belle-Poule to Normandie in the road of Cherbourg was executed in much ceremony, and became a subject of choice for marine and romantic painters.
In 1841, the Belle-Poule cruised along the Canadian coast, landing in Halifax, and visited New York, where the Prince of Joinville visited the President of the USA. The Belle-Poule was back in Toulon on 14 July 1842.
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Wikipedia