French ship Belle Poule (1802)
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| Career |  —  |
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 1801 |
| Launched: | 18 April 1802 |
| Captured: | By Royal Navy, 13 March 1806 |
| Fate: | Sold out of the Royal Navy, 1818 |
| General characteristics | |
| Length: | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Range: | No fuel, so limited only by provisions |
| Complement: | 300 officers and men |
| Armament: |
40 guns:
|
Belle Poule was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy, built from plans by Jacques-Noël Sané and Borda. She was launched on 18 April 1802.
In March 1803, she was incorporated to the fleet of Rear-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand Linois, whose mission was to re-take the colonies of the Indian Ocean, given to English at the peace of Amiens. The fleet included the 74-gun ship of the line Marengo, the frigates Atalante, Belle Poule and Sémillante, troop ships and cargoes with food and ammunition.
At the beginning of November, the division set sail for Batavia to protect the Dutch colonies. En route, Linois destroyed the English counters in Bencoolen, capturing five ships, and sailed for the South China Sea, where the China Fleet of the British East India Company was expected. The fleets met in the Battle of Pulo Aura, but the greater numbers and aggressive action of the British East Indiamen, some of whom flew Royal Navy flags, drove the French away. Linois returned to Batavia and Atalante and Belle Poule were dispatched in the Gulf of Bengal; Belle Poule captured a few ships before returning to the Ile de France (now known as Mauritius).
In 1805 and 1806, Belle Poule and some other ships of the division cruised the African coasts between the Red Sea and the Cape of Good Hope, capturing some ships. On 13 March 1806, Linois met with the division of Vice-Admiral Sir John Warrem, with seven ships of the line (including the 108-gun London, the 82-gun Ramilles and Repulse, and the 80-gun Foudroyant), 2 frigates (including the 48-gun Amazone) and one corvette. After a fierce duel with London, Marengo struck her colours; Belle Poule battled against Amazone and later against Ramilles, and had to surrender as well.
She was commissioned into the Royal Navy, and eventually sold at Deptford in 1818.
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