History | |
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France | |
Name: | Saint Louis |
Namesake: | Louis IX of France |
Builder: | Lorient, plans by Nicolas Lévèque |
Laid down: | July 1751 |
Launched: | 27 July 1752 |
Commissioned: | January 1753 |
Fate: | Hulked in June 1768; sold to the French Royal Navy in April 1779 |
General characteristics | |
Type: | East Indiaman |
Displacement: | 2100 tons (French) |
Tons burthen: | 1100 (French; "of load") |
Length: | 145' (keel 130') |
Beam: | 40' |
Draught: | 17' |
Propulsion: | Sail |
Complement: |
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Armament: |
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Armour: | Timber |
Saint Louis was a French East Indiaman, launched on 27 July 1752. She served in the Indian Ocean where she participated in three battles and at least one single-ship action. In 1768, she became a careening hulk in Lorient.
In February 1753, Saint-Louis departed Lorient, bound for the Indian Ocean. She called in at Gorée and Île de France (now Mauritius) before arriving in Pondicherry. She returned via Île de France, Bourbon (now Réunion), and Martinique, returning to Lorient in January 1755.
With the Seven Years' War underway, she was prepared for a new voyage in March 1756, but remained in Lorient harbour, ready to depart, until June. She eventually sailed in December with a 253-man complement and full armament (26 heavy guns out of a total of 54 guns), under Captain Louis de Joannis, to reinforce Aché's Indian Ocean squadron.
On 29 April 1758, she took part in the Battle of Cuddalore, engaging HMS Yarmouth and HMS Cumberland. At the battle of Negapatam, her first officer, Langery, had his head shot away by a cannonball.
Next, she took part in the battle of Pondicherry on 10 September, engaging HMS Newcastle, HMS Tiger and HMS Grafton. On 29 September 1758, she had an inconclusive engagement with the British East Indiaman Pitt, before returning to France in December 1760.