French corvette Lawriston (1778)

Lawriston was a 22-gun corvette of the French Navy.

History
French Royal Navy EnsignFrance
NameLawriston
BuilderRangoon [2]
Launched1778 [1]
Captured16 February 1782 [1]
General characteristics
Class and typeCorvette
Tons burthen1000 tons [2]
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament22 guns [1]

Career edit

Originally a ship of the French East India Company, Lawriston was brought into service in the French Navy.[1] She took part in the Siege of Pondicherry in 1778.

She was returned to merchant service in June 1781 at Île de France but again requisitioned in December 1781.[2]

HMS Isis[3] captured her on 16 February 1782,[1] during the prelude of the Battle of Sadras. Lawriston was carrying a large part of the field artillery for the French army in the Indian Ocean, as well as two companies of the Légion de Lauzun. Her captain had decided to pray on small merchantmen, and failed to escape in time when the British appeared.[4]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Roche, vol.1, p.276
  2. ^ a b c Demerliac (1996), p.151, #1297
  3. ^ Cunat, p.110
  4. ^ Cunat, p.121

References edit

  • Cunat, Charles (1852). Histoire du Bailli de Suffren. Rennes: A. Marteville et Lefas. pp. 447.
  • Demerliac, Alain (2004). La Marine de Louis XVI: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1774 à 1792 (in French). Éditions Ancre. ISBN 2-906381-23-3.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671 - 1870. p. 276. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.