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Magicienne-class frigate

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.MagicienneBuilder: 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.PrécieuseBuilder: Toulon Ordered: 7 February 1777 Begun: March 1777 Launched: 22 August 1778 Completed: November 1778 Fate: out of service in January 1804; broken up in July 1816.SérieuseBuilder: 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 1798LutineBuilder: 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.VestaleBuilder: 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.AlcesteBuilder: 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.IrisBuilder: 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.RéunionBuilder: 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.ModesteBuilder: 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.SensibleBuilder: 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.TopazeBuilder: 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.ArtémiseBuilder: Toulon Ordered: Begun: end 1791 Launched: 25 September 1794 Completed: November 1794 Fate: sunk at the Battle of the Nile on 2 August 1798

Last revised
Jun 6, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
539 w
Citations
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Class overview
NameMagicienne
BuildersToulon
Operators
Planned12
Completed12
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Displacement1,100 tonneaux
Tons burthen600 port tonneaux
Length44.2 m (145 ft 0 in)
Beam11.2 m (36 ft 9 in)
Draught5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Armament

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.

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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

References

External links