HMS Surveillante (1803)
| History | |
|---|---|
  France
|
|
| Name: | Surveillante |
| Builder: | Les Frères Crucy (Basse-Indre) |
| Laid down: | July 1801 |
| Launched: | 29 May 1802 |
| Acquired: | December 1802 |
| Captured: | 30 November 1803 |
| Fate: | Surrendered to the Royal Navy |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | Surveillante |
| Acquired: | 30 November 1803 |
| Decommissioned: | 1814 |
| Fate: | Broken Up 14 August 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Virginie class frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 1094 bm |
| Length: | 47.4 m (156 ft) (126-11.25 ft-ins) |
| Beam: | 11.9 m (39 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.5 m (18 ft) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: | 28 18-pounder upper deck cannon, 12 32-pounder quarterdeck carronades, 2 9-pounder bow chasers & 2 32-pounder forecastle carronades |
| Armour: | Timber |
The Surveillante entered service as a 40-gun Virginie class frigate of the French Navy. She was surrendered to the British in 1803, after which she served in the Royal Navy, classed under the British system as a 38 gun vessel, until 1814 when she was decommissioned. HMS Surveillante had a long and active career under two successful and distinguished commanders, from the Baltic to the North-Western coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, and was present at the Battle of Copenhagen (1807) and throughout the Peninsula War. Her record as a taker of prizes is notable for its success, particularly towards the end of her career.
Surveillante was present at Saint Domingue (Haiti) in November 1803 during the revolt of slaves against the French, and was trapped by the British blockade of Saint-Domingue. The French naval commander who was also Surveillante's Captain, Henry Barre, prevailed upon British Commodore John Loring's representative, Captain John Bligh, to accept the capitulation of the Surveillante, in order to put her, as well as her crew and passengers, under British protection. The former slaves threatened to fire red hot shot at the ship from the overlooking forts.
The British naval Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica station Admiral Sir John Duckworth, accepted the French commander General Rochambeau, his staff and entourage, as prisoners. Duckworth wrote "From General Rochambeau's extraordinary conduct in the public service, neither Captain Bligh or myself have any thing to say to him further than complying with his wishes in allowing him to remain on board the Surveillante until her arrival at Jamaica." Another French frigate, the HMS Clorinde, suffered the loss of her rudder and was temporarily beached, although she was re-floated and taken as a prize. Consequently both frigates were brought into the Royal Navy as HMS Surveillante and HMS Clorinde. Surveillante, newly built, was bought into the Service quickly; the first recorded Navy Pay Office Ships' Pay Books from the Navy Board commenced from 11 July 1804.
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Wikipedia