HMS Bellona (1806)
 Capture of Lord Nelson on 14 August 1803. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name: | Bellone[1] |
| Builder: | Bordeaux |
| Launched: | 1799 |
| Captured: | On 9 July 1806 by the Royal Navy |
 UK | |
| Name: | HMS Bellona |
| Acquired: | Captured on 9 July 1806 |
| Renamed: | HMS Blanche in February 1808 |
| Fate: | Broken up in 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 28-gun sixth rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 642 85⁄94 bm |
| Length: | |
| Beam: | 33 ft 7 in (10.24 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Complement: | 200 |
| Armament: | 28 guns |
Bellone was a French privateer frigate that cruised under Jacques François Perroud and achieved fame with the capture of large East Indiaman Lord Nelson on 14 August 1803. HMS Powerful captured her during the Action of 9 July 1806. The British Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Bellona. Later, the Nay renamed her HMS Blanche. She was broken up in 1814.
Career
French privateer
Bellone was designed as a powerful privateer, armed with thirty-two 8-pounder long guns and a crew of 200 men. She operated from Ile de France from 1801.
In April 1801 she sailed on a cruize under the command of Jacques François Perroud. On his cruise he captured Amboina, Porcher, Tay, Saleh, John, Traveed, Farquhar, Mage, Pedro, and Farquhar.[2] On 3 April 1802 she returned to Port Louis. Farquhar had arrived the day before. Farquhar had a cargo of saltpetre, rice, cotton, sugar, indigo, Madeira wine, and muslin.[3]
On 9 August 1803, Bellone captured Diamond as Diamond was returning to England after having delivered slaves to Havana. However, HMS Goliath recaptured Diamond on 12 August and sent her into The Downs.[4]
On 14 August Bellone met the large East Indiaman Lord Nelson and managed to capture her by boarding.
Bellone captured the whaler Young William near the Cape of Good Hope later in 1805, but gave her up.[5]
In the Action of 9 July 1806, the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Powerful attacked Bellone. She attempted to flee for almost two hours, trading shots with the much more potent opponent, before striking her colours. Perroud was commended for his spirited defence against overwhelming odds; William James, notably, described Perroud's actions as "extraordinary".[6]
Royal Navy ship
After her capture, Bellone was incorporated in the Royal Navy as HMS Bellona, armed as a sixth-rate frigate of 28 guns.[7]
Bellona was renamed HMS Blanche in 1809.[7]
On 26 July or August 1810, Blanche captured the French privateer Confiance.[7]
Fate
Blanche was disposed of and broken up in 1814.[7]
Citations and references
Citations
- ↑ Demerliac (2004), n°2237, p.282.
- ↑ Piat (2007), p.99.
- ↑ Piat (2007), p.95.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4378.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4253.
- ↑ James, p. 246
- 1 2 3 4 Naval Database
References
- Demerliac, Alain (2004). La Marine du Consulat et du Premier Empire: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1800 A 1815 (in French). Éditions Ancre. ISBN 2-903179-30-1.
- James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 4, 1805–1807. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-908-5.
- Piat, Denis (trans: Mervyn North-Coombes) (2007) Pirates and Corsairs in Mauritius. (Christian le Comte). ISBN 978-99949-905-3-5