| Career (France) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Argus |
| Namesake: | Argus |
| Builder: | Le Havre |
| Laid down: | July 1799 |
| Launched: | 20 July 1800 |
| Commissioned: | May 1802 |
| Struck: | 31 March 1807 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Vigilant-class corvette |
| Tons burthen: | 160 tonnes |
| Length: | 29.2 metres |
| Beam: | 8.4 metres |
| Draught: | 3.5 metres |
| Complement: | 84 |
| Armament: | 16 x 6-pounder guns |
| Armour: | Timber |
Argus was a Vigilant-class 16-gun brig of the French Navy.
She took part in the Battle of Trafalgar. On 23 October 1805 French Captain Julien Cosmao made a sortie from Cadiz with some of the more seaworthy ships that had escaped the battle, in an attempt to retake some of the captured prizes.Argus was among the sortieing vessels. A storm came up that wrecked many vessels and forced the remains of the French fleet back to Cadiz. There the Spanish seized a number of them after they entered the war against France in 1808. However, Argus was not among them.
She fought off Cayenne on 27 January 1807 at the side of Favorite. The British report from the engagement states that she was armed with fourteen brass 8-pounder guns, which were the equivalent of English 9-pounders, and had a crew of 120 men.[1]
Argus was broken up at Cayenne in April 1807.