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  • Surveillante-class frigate
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  • The Surveillante Class was a type of sixty-gun frigate of the French Navy, designed in 1823 by Mathurin-François Boucher. One of the main innovations with respect to previous design was the disappearance of the gangways, which provided a flush deck capable of harbouring a complete second battery. With the standardisation on the 30-pounder calibre for all naval ordnance that occurred in the 1820s, this design allowed for a frigate throwing a 900-pound broadside, thrice the firepower of the 40-gun Pallas class that constituted the majority of the frigate forces during the Empire, and comparable to that of a 74-gun.
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Ship caption
  • Model showing characteristics and original painting scheme of Belle Poule.
Ship image
  • 300
abstract
  • The Surveillante Class was a type of sixty-gun frigate of the French Navy, designed in 1823 by Mathurin-François Boucher. One of the main innovations with respect to previous design was the disappearance of the gangways, which provided a flush deck capable of harbouring a complete second battery. With the standardisation on the 30-pounder calibre for all naval ordnance that occurred in the 1820s, this design allowed for a frigate throwing a 900-pound broadside, thrice the firepower of the 40-gun Pallas class that constituted the majority of the frigate forces during the Empire, and comparable to that of a 74-gun. By far the best-known ship of the class is the Belle Poule, which achieved fame when she transported the ashes of Napoléon back to France; for this occasion, she was painted all black, a colour scheme that she retained later in her career, but which is uncharacteristic of the ships of this type. * Surveillante Builder: Lorient Begun: Launched: 29 September 1825 Completed: Fate: deleted 22 August 1844. * Belle Gabrielle Builder: Cherbourg Begun: Launched: 28 June 1828 Completed: Fate: renamed Indépendante 9 August 1830, deleted 24 October 1860. * Melpomène Builder: Cherbourg Begun: Launched: 28 July 1828 Completed: Fate: deleted 20 March 1845. * Herminie Builder: Lorient Begun: Launched: 25 August 1828 Completed: Fate: wrecked off Bermuda 3 December 1838. * Belle Poule Builder: Cherbourg Begun: Launched: 26 March 1834 Completed: Fate: deleted 19 March 1861. * Sémillante Builder: Lorient Begun: Launched: 6 February 1841 Completed: Fate: wrecked 16 February 1855 off Bonifacio. * Andromaque Builder: Lorient Begun: Launched: 8 March 1841 Completed: Fate: deleted 17 August 1869. * Forte Builder: Cherbourg Begun: Launched: 16 September 1841 Completed: Fate: deleted 23 October 1883. * Pallas Builder: Lorient Begun: Launched: 15 August 1860 Completed: Fate: deleted 23 October 1883