French frigate Sérieuse (1779)

History
France
Name: Sérieuse
Namesake: "serious"
Ordered: 28 August 1778
Builder: Toulon
Laid down: March 1779
Launched: 28 August 1779
Commissioned: October 1779
Fate: Destroyed 1 or 2 August 1798 Battle of the Nile to avoid capture
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Magicienne-class frigate
Displacement: 1,100 tons (French)
Tons burthen: 600 (French; "port tonnage")
Length:
  • 44.12 m (144.8 ft) (overall)
  • 38.66 m (126.8 ft) (keel)
Beam: 11.21 m (36.8 ft)
Draught: 5.2 m (17 ft) (laden(
Complement: 265-285
Armament:
Armour: Timber

The Sérieuse was a Magicienne class frigate of the French Navy, launched in 1779.

Career

In 1781, Sérieuse ferried soldiers after the Invasion of Minorca.

She was at Toulon when the British captured the city. When they left, on 18 December 1793, they attempted to burn her.[2] However, the French managed to extinguish the fire and save the ship.

On 9 June 1794, Sérieuse captured HMS Speedy off Nice.

In 1798, she took part in the Expedition of Egypt, and in the Battle of the Nile. She attempted to reinforce the crew of Tonnant by sending 150 men of her own crew. The next night, 1 August 1798 HMS Orion sank Sérieuse. Alternatively, on 2 August, her crew scuttled her to prevent the British capturing her.

Citations and references

Citations
  1. Wifield and Roberts (2015), p.125.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 13613. p. 45. 17 January 1794.
References
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