French ship Sphinx (1776)

The Sphinx was a two-deck 64 gun ship of the French Navy. She was built at Brest to plans by Ollivier Fils and launched in 1776. She took the name of a recently retired 64 gun ship with the same dimensions. She fought in the American War of Independence, most notably in Suffren's campaign in the Indian Ocean.

She was built according to norms laid down by French shipbuilders in the 1730s and 1740s which had aimed at a good combination of low cost and high manoeuvrability and armament, in the face of a numerically-superior Royal Navy. The first 64 gun ship of her type was launched in 1735, followed by dozens of others until the end of the 1770s, a decade in which they were definitively outclassed by 74 gun ships.

As with all French warships of this era, she had an oak hull, pine masts and hemp ropes and sails. She not only carried fewer guns than a 74-gun ship, her 64 iron guns were of lower caliber:

Each gun had a reserve of around 50 to 60 shot as well as bar shot and grape shot.

She could also carry enough fresh water to feed her crew for two to three months and enough provisions to feed them for five to six months without calling at a port. This included wine, vinegar, oil, flour, condiments, cheese, fruits, dry vegetables and even livestock which would be butchered on board.

The Sphinx fought as part of Louis Guillouet d'Orvilliers's fleet against Augustus Keppel's force at the battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778, captained by comte de Soulanges. She formed part of the blue squadron, the rear guard commanded by Louis-Philippe d'Orléans, duc de Chartres.

In 1780 she joined Guichen's squadron sent to fight in the Antilles. On 17 April 1780, still captained by the comte de Soulanges, she fought in the battle of Martinique in the West Indies. She and the rest of the squadron then returned to France.

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