French Fourth Rate frigate 'L'Indien' (1777)

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Robert BaylisBritish
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Service 1790-1795
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L'Indien
Nominal Guns	44	NNF-1774
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	1776	NNF-1774
Launched	11.1777	NNF-1774
First Commissioned	4.1778	NNF-1774
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1774
Shipyard	Amsterdam - Holland	NNF-1774
Ship Class	Indien Class (1777)	NNF-1774
Designed by	Jacques BouxFrench Ship Builder Service 1776	NNF-1774
Category	Fourth Rate	NNF-1774
Ship Type	Frigate	NNF-1774
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1774
Given Away	1.1781	NNF-1774
Becomes	American Fifth Rate frigate 'South Carolina' (1781) (40) 1781-1782 American 40 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1774
Length of Gundeck160' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)51.968 (170′ 5″ Imperial)
Length of Keel149' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)48.3952 (158′ 9″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)12.992 (42′ 7″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold16' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.2239 (17′ 1″ Imperial)
Burthen1,269French Tonneaux1242.6021

Armament

11.1777Broadside Weight = 576 French Livre (621.6192 lbs 281.952 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck28 French 36-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle12 French 12-Pounder

1778Broadside Weight = 576 French Livre (621.6192 lbs 281.952 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck28 French 36-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle12 French 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1778578 NNF-1774

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by PC Coker on Saturday 27th of May 2023 02:00

Does anyone know of any period illustrations and plans of the L'Indien/South Carolina other than those in the Souvenirs de Marine?

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:19	Jon Miller	Robert BaylisBritish Naval Sailor Service 1790-1795
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:17	Jon Miller	French Privateer brig 'La Cantabré' (1798) (14) 1798-1798 French 14 Gun Privateer Brig
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:16	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Cambrian' (1797) (40) 1797-1828 British 40 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:12	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Kingfisher' (1782) (18) 1782-1798 British 18 Gun Unrated Sloop
Sunday 14th of June 2026 18:29	Jon Miller	French Privateer 'La Résolue' (1798) (18) 1798-1798 French 18 Gun Privateer Unknown

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