HMS Pique (1795)

HMS Blanche tows the captured Pique into port, depicted by Robert Dodd
History
France
Name:	Pique
Builder:	Rochefort
Laid down:	January 1783
Launched:	2 December 1785
Completed:	By 1786
Renamed:	Built as Fleur-de-Lys Renamed Pique in June 1792
Captured:	6 January 1795, by the Royal Navy
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Pique
Acquired:	1795
Fate:	Wrecked in action on 29/30 June 1798
General characteristics
Class and type:	Galathée class frigate, later 38-gun fifth rate frigate
Displacement:	1,150 tons (French)
Tons burthen:	906  21⁄94 (bm)
Length:	144 ft 1 1⁄2 in (43.9 m) (overall) 119 ft 5 1⁄4 in (36.4 m) (keel)
Beam:	37 ft 9 1⁄4 in (11.5 m)
Depth of hold:	11 ft 8 in (3.6 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Complement:	French service Originally: 150 (peace) and 220 (war) Later:280 and then 322
Armament:	French service Upper deck: 26 x 12-pounder guns Spar deck:6 x 6-pounder guns British service' Upper deck:26 x 12-pounder guns QD: 6 x 6-pounder guns + 4 x 24-pounder carronades Fc: 2 x 6-pounder guns + 2 x 24-pounder carronades

HMS Pique was a 38-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She had formerly served with the French Navy, initially as the Fleur-de-Lys, and later as the Pique. HMS Blanche captured her in 1795 in a battle that left the Blanche's commander, Captain Robert Faulknor, dead. HMS Pique was taken into service under her only British captain, David Milne, but served for just three years with the Royal Navy before being wrecked in an engagement with the French ship Seine in 1798. The Seine had been spotted heading for a French port and Pique and another British ship gave chase. All three ships ran aground after a long and hard-fought pursuit. The arrival of a third British ship ended French resistance, but while the Seine and Jason were both refloated, attempts to save Pique failed; she bilged and had to be abandoned.

Pique was built at Rochefort as the Fleur-de-Lys, one of the six-ship Galatée class designed by Raymond-Antoine Haran. She was launched on 2 December 1785. The French Revolution led to her being renamed Pique in June 1792.

Between 25 May and 23 December 1792 Pique was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau d'Ancausse de Labatut. She cruised the environs of Belle Île and Île d'Yeu before returning to Île-d'Aix roads. She then sailed to observe the entrance to the Channel.

From 9 January 1793 Pique was under the command of capitaine de vaisseau d'Ancausse de Labatut in the Île-d'Aix roads. Then under the command of capitaine de vaisseau de Leissègues, between 7 March and 23 November 1793 she carried troops and passengers to the Windward Islands.