French ship Bien-Aimé (1769)

Bien-Aimé was a 74-gun ship of the French Navy.

Watercolour portrait of Bien-Aimé, by François Roux, commissioned by Willaumez
History
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameBien-Aimé
Ordered1769 or March 1770 [1]
BuilderLorient [1]
Laid downMarch 1768 [1]
Launched22 March 1769 [1]
In serviceNovember 1769 [1]
FateBroken up 1785
General characteristics
Class and typeBien-Aimé class ship of the line
Tons burthen1500 tonnes
Length55.2 metres
Beam14.1 metres
Draught6.9 metres
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament74 guns:

Construction edit

Bien-Aimé was built for the French East India Company, but the French Navy purchased her while under construction.[1]

Career edit

In 1777, Bien-Aimé was under Captain de Bougainville.[1] The next year, at the outbreak of the War of American Independence, she was part of the squadron under Admiral Lamotte-Picquet, and took part in the action of 2 May 1781.[1]

On 24 April 1781,Bien-Aimé departed Brest, under François Pierre Huon de Kermadec, in the squadron of Admiral Lamotte-Picquet, along with the 110-gun Invincible, the 74-gun Actif, and the 64-gun ships Alexandre, Hardi and Lion, and the frigates Sibylle and Néréide and cutters Chasseur and Levrette.[2]

Fate edit

Bien-Aimé was struck from the Navy lists in 1784, and broken up the year after.[1]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Roche (2005), p. 74, volume 1.
  2. ^ Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 372.

References edit

  • Lacour-Gayet, Georges (1910). La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI. Paris: Honoré Champion.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. p. 74. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.