The Magicienne class was a class of twelve fifth rate 32-gun frigates of the French Navy, each with a main battery of 26 × 12-pounder long guns, and with 6 × 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle. They were designed by Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb.
Magicienne Builder: Toulon Ordered: 7 February 1777 Begun: March 1777 Launched: 1 August 1778 Completed: October 1778 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy off Boston on 2 July 1781 and commissioned.
Précieuse Builder: Toulon Ordered: 7 February 1777 Begun: March (or August?) 1777 Launched: 22 August 1778 Completed: November 1778 Fate: out of service in January 1804; broken up in July 1816.
Sérieuse Builder: Toulon Ordered: 28 August 1778 Begun: March 1779 Launched: 28 August 1779 Completed: October 1779 Fate: sunk at the Battle of the Nile on 1 August 1798
Lutine Builder: Toulon Ordered: 23 October 1778 Begun: March 1779 Launched: 11 September 1779 Completed: November 1779 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy in August 1793 and commissioned before being wrecked on 9 October 1799; her ship's bell was salvaged and still hangs in Lloyd's of London.
Vestale Builder: Toulon Ordered: 20 April 1780 Begun: May 1780 Launched: 14 October 1780 Completed: February 1781 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy off Bordeaux on 19 August 1799.
Alceste Builder: Toulon Ordered: 20 April 1780 Begun: May 1780 Launched: 28 October 1780 Completed: February 1781 Fate: captured on 29 August 1793 by the Royal Navy at Toulon, but retaken by the French Boudeuse on 8 June 1794, then captured again on 18 June 1799.
Iris Builder: Toulon Ordered: Begun: May 1781 Launched: 29 October 1781 Completed: March 1782 Fate: captured in August 1793 by the Royal Navy at Toulon, but burnt on 18 December 1793 during the evacuation.
Réunion Builder: Toulon Ordered: Begun: February 1785 Launched: 23 February 1786 Completed: January 1787 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy off Cherbourg on 18 October 1793 and commissioned.
Modeste Builder: Toulon Ordered: Begun: February 1785 Launched: 18 March 1786 Completed: January 1787 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy at Genoa on 7 October 1793 and commissioned.
Sensible Builder: Toulon Ordered: 23 January 1786 Begun: February 1786 Launched: 29 August 1787 Completed: March 1788 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy off Malta on 28 June 1798 and commissioned.
Topaze Builder: Toulon Ordered: 14 March 1789 Begun: August 1789 Launched: 26 September 1790 Completed: February 1791 Fate: captured by the Royal Navy at Toulon on 29 August 1793 and commissioned.
Artémise Builder: Toulon Ordered: Begun: end 1791 Launched: 25 September 1794 Completed: November 1794 Fate: sunk at the Battle of the Nile on 2 August 1798
References
Winfield, Rif and Roberts, Stephen (2015), French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786-1861: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. . Winfield, Rif (2008) British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. .
External links