French ship Protecteur

Scale model on display at the Musée de la Marine in Paris. This model is a 64-gun, probably mislabeled.
History
France
Name:	Protecteur
Namesake:	"Protector"
Builder:	Toulon, by plans by Noël Pomet
Laid down:	29 May 1757
Launched:	22 May 1760
Decommissioned:	1784
General characteristics
Class and type:	Souverain-class 74-gun ship of the line
Tonnage:	1550 tonnes
Length:	53.3 m (174 ft 10 in)
Beam:	14.1 m (46 ft 3 in)
Height:	7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Complement:	410 men

Protecteur was a Souverain-class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, the only to have borne the name.

She was laid down in 1757 and launched in 1760.

In 1762, under Captain de L'Ilsle Calian, Protecteur was part of Bompart's squadron. In 1766, she escorted merchantmen under Captain de Broves.

In 1788, Under Captain Dapchon, Protecteur was appointed to Admial d'Estaing's squadron and took part in the American revolutionary war. She was present at the Battle of Grenada.

In 1782, Protecteur was part of the escort of a 20-sail convoy, along with the ship Pégase and the frigates Indiscrète and Andromaque. The English HMS Foudroyant and HMS Queen intercepted, yielding the Third Battle of Ushant in which they captured Pégase and four transports, but where the rest of the French convoy escaped.

From 1784, Protecteur was hulked and used as a hospital in Rochefort.

A model of a 64-ship of the line on display at the Musée de la Marine is labelled as representing Protecteur, probably as the result of an error of Admiral Pâris. The model is probably that of Protée (1748 - 1771).