French Fifth Rate frigate 'La Melpomène' (1789)

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La Melpomène
Nominal Guns	36	NNF-1774
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	State Navy
Keel Laid Down	1788	NNF-1774
Launched	6.8.1789	NNF-1774
First Commissioned	4.1792	NNF-1774
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1774
Shipyard	Toulon - Provence	NNF-1774
Ship Class	Junon Class (1782)	NNF-1774
Designed by	Joseph-Marie-Blaise CoulombFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1755-1789	NNF-1774
Category	Fifth Rate	NNF-1774
Ship Type	Frigate	NNF-1774
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1774
Captured	10.8.1794	NNF-1774
Becomes	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Melpomene' (1794) (38) 1794-1815 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1774
Length of Gundeck142' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)46.1216 (151′ 3″ Imperial)
Length of Keel128' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)41.5744 (136′ 4″ Imperial)
Breadth36' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)11.6928 (38′ 4″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold18' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.8464 (19′ 2″ Imperial)
Displacementc1,330Ton
Burthen700Ton

Armament

6.8.1789Broadside Weight = 274 French Livre (295.7008 lbs 134.123 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 8-Pounder

6.8.1789Broadside Weight = 274 French Livre (295.7008 lbs 134.123 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 8-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1782325Design Complement

Service History

DateEventSource
10.8.1794Taken by the British by Hoods squadron at Calvi

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by F.F. on Sunday 13th of November 2022 00:18

In the French Navy, according to the «règlement du 1er janvier 1786 sur les équipages» (rules about complement), two kind of fregates remained: the 32-gun ones (having 12-pdr and 6 pdr), and the 38-gun frigates (mounting 18-pdr and 8-pdr). From 1793, new rules gave 40 guns to the latter kind, a fourteenth pair of 18-pdr being added.

Posted by F.F. on Sunday 13th of November 2022 00:00

Her name was «la Melpomène» («la» = «the», when the name is a feminine one ; Melpomene is a muse).

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:37	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Puissant' (1793) (74) 1793-1816 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:33	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Stork' (1796) (16) 1796-1816 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:28	Jon Miller	David HotchkisBritish Naval Sailor Service 1779-1797
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:21	Jon Miller	British Second Rate ship of the line 'Sandwich' (1759) (90) 1759-1810 British 90 Gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:18	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Bedford' (1775) (74) 1775-1817 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

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