My Workbench

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

GHQ Téméraire class 74 gun Le Fougueux

I took a break from my American fleet to build another French ship of the line. This is the GHQ version of a Téméraire class 74 gun ship Le Fouguex. Launched in 1785 at Lorient, she took part in the First Battle of Groix in 1795. In the battle of Trafalgar she fired the first shot at HMS Royal Sovereign. She was captured by HMS Temeraire and wrecked in the storm that followed the battle. She displaced 1,966 tons and had a crew of 700. Length of gun deck = 183'3" imperial; Breadth = 47' imperial; Depth of Hold 23'5" imperial.
Armament: Broadside Weight 881 lbs
     Lower Gun Deck = 28 x French 36 pounders
     Upper Gun Deck = 30 x French 18 pounders
     Quarterdeck = 16 x French 8 pounders
     Forecastle = 4 French 36 pounders carronades










5 comments:

L.R. said...

Broadside, 838 French pounds ≈ 924 lb.

Displacement, c. 2950 tons (SI) ≈ 3245 short tons ≈ 2900 long tons.

Dimensions are correct, but, calculated from French data, don't match with the Royal Navy's measurments (beam was measured including planking in the Royal Navy, for example).

A Miniatures Hobby Room said...

Thanks for the corrections, here and in other posts. Who are you L.R.? I would like to consult with you as a possible resource for future posts.
Regards,
Vol

L.R. said...

Thanks !

I have no website, but if I choose to have one I'll link.

I know James wrote about the Commerce-de-Marseille. Do you know in which book, on which page ?

A Miniatures Hobby Room said...

L.R.

Volume I
Commerce-de-Marseille. · 66, 123, 253, 385, 386

Volume V
Commerce-de-Marseille, 403

Cheers;
Vol

L.R. said...

Thank you very much, Vol !

Thanks to you, I have plenty of new data !

In fact, the 120-gun ship of the line the Commerce-de-Marseille is mentioned in volume 1 only, the ship in volume 5 being the 74-gun ship of the line the Ville-de-Marseille ; anyway thanks to your knowledge of William James' books I found easily what I was looking for.

II wish I can return the favor. Here are some data about the French Sané's ships of the line.

According to Maurice Loir (La Marine royale en 1789, Paris, Colin, 1900 - https://archive.org/details/lamarineroyaleen00loiruoft -, pages 187 & 188), the weight of the French 36-pdr, 24-pdr, 18-pdr, 12-pdr, 8-pdr & 6-pdr guns were, respectively, 7190 livres (≈ 3520 ㎏ ≈ 7759 lb), 5116 livres (≈ 2504 ㎏ ≈ 5521 lb), 4212 livres (≈ 2062 ㎏ ≈ 4545 lb), 2995 livres (≈ 1466 ㎏ ≈ 3232 lb), 2382 livres (≈ 1166 ㎏ ≈ 2571 lb) & 1733 livres (≈ 848 ㎏ ≈ 1870 lb). These data are accurate.
Cost :
36-pdr, 1340 ₶ (≈ £ 58 sh 6 ½) ;
24-pdr, 1000 ₶ (≈ £ 43 sh 10 ½) ;
18-pdr, 784 ₶ (≈ £ 34 sh 2 ½).
[₶ : livre tournois ; £ 1 ≈ 22.974 ₶]

Armament of the French ships of the line :

- 118-gun ships of the line :
Long guns
32×36-pdr 34×24-pdr 34×12-pdr 18×8-pdr
Broadside, 1260 livres ≈ 617 ㎏ ≈ 1360 lb
Howitzers
6×36-pdr
Broadside, 108 livres ≈ 53 ㎏ ≈ 117 lb
- 80 gun ships of the line :
Long guns
30×36-pdr 32×24-pdr 18×12-pdr
Broadside, 1032 livres ≈ 505 ㎏ ≈ 1114 lb
Howitzers
6×36-pdr
Broadside, 108 livres ≈ 53 ㎏ ≈ 117 lb
- 74-gun ships of the line :
28×36-pdr 30×18-pdr 16×8-pdr
Broadside, 838 livres ≈ 410 ㎏ ≈ 904 lb
Howitzers
4×36-pdr
Broadside, 72 livres ≈ 35 ㎏ ≈ 78 lb
- 38-gun frigates :
14×18-pdr 5×8-pdr
Broadside, 292 livres ≈ 143 ㎏ ≈ 315 lb
Howitzers
4×24-pdr
Broadside, 48 livres ≈ 23 ㎏ ≈ 52 lb

More data about the French three-deckers in the XVIIIth century (in French, but most data understandable) :
https://troisponts.net/2011/12/02/les-vaisseaux-a-trois-ponts-francais-du-xviiie-siecle/
The Ville-de-Paris (1764-1782) :
https://troisponts.net/2013/04/13/la-ville-de-paris-1764-1782/
The French 80-gun ships of the line in the XVIIIth century :
https://troisponts.net/2011/10/15/les-vaisseaux-de-80-canons-francais-de-1740-a-1785/