Sail frigates (1st class, 60 guns, launched 1825-47)

SURVEILLANTE class (launched 1825-41)
IPHIGENIE (launched 1827)
TERPSICHORE (launched 1827)
DIDON class (launched 1828-47)
URANIE (launched 1832)


SURVEILLANTE class sail frigates (1st class, 60)

Displacement:  2558t
Dimensions: 177ft 2in wl, 178ft 6in deck x 46ft 3in mld, 47ft 7in ext x 20ft 10in mean, 21ft 7in max.
Same, meters: 54.00, 54.40 x 14.10, 14.50 x 6.34, 6.59m
Masts: Main 66ft 7in x 3ft 1in; Fore 59ft 9in x 2ft 11in; Mizzen 52ft 0in x 2ft 0in
Armament: (Surveillante and Melpomène) GD 30-30p No.1; SD 28-30p carr., 2-18p or 12p. (Belle Poule, c1842) GD 26-30p No.1, 4-22cm No.1 shell; SD 24-30p carr., 6-16cm shell. (Forte and Andromaque, 1852-54) As Belle Poule but SD 26-30p carr., 4-16cm shell.
Complement: 513

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
SURVEILLANTE Lorient 12.9.23 29.7.25 25.8.25 Stk. 22.8.44
BELLE GABRIELLE Cherbourg 1824 28.6.28 1.8.28 Stk. 24.10.60
MELPOMENE Cherbourg 1825 28.7.28 1.3.30 Stk. 20.3.45
HERMINIE Lorient 1825 25.8.28 1.7.29 Lost 3.12.38
BELLE POULE Cherbourg 1.4.28 26.3.34 6.6.39 Stk. 19.3.61
SEMILLANTE Lorient 29.5.27 6.2.41 22.3.54 Lost 15.2.55
ANDROMAQUE Lorient 29.5.27 8.3.41 1.4.54 Stk. 17.8.69
FORTE Cherbourg 3.6.29 16.9.41 20.2.52 Stk. 6.1.68
PALLAS Lorient 3.6.48 -- -- Steam 1860

Class. In 1822 the ministry held a competition among the naval constructors in the ports to produce plans for a new type of 60-gun frigate. In 2.23 Boucher completed the plans for Surveillante, in which he introduced some new techniques for stiffening the frames of long frigate hulls. Herminie was built on the same plans modified in 11.25 with a different stern. The designed height of battery of this class and its successors was 6ft 7in (2.00m) at load draft. Belle Gabrielle was renamed Indépendante 9.8.30.

Disposals. Surveillante was BU at Brest 1845. Indépendante ex Belle Gabrielle became a hulk, was renamed Ecurie before 1865 and was BU 1894. Melpomène became a sheer hulk at Toulon, was renamed Travailleuse 1867 and was BU 1878. Herminie was wrecked at Bermuda. Belle Poule became a powder hulk, was renamed Poudrière before 1865 and was BU 1888. Sémillante was wrecked in a storm in the Strait of Bonifacio. Andromaque replaced ex-Melpomène as a sheer hulk and was BU 1905. Forte became a coal and water hulk at Cherbourg, moved to Rochefort as a mooring hulk in 1876, and was BU 1894.



IPHIGENIE sail frigate (1st class, 60)

Displacement:  2676t
Dimensions: 176ft 11in wl x 46ft 4in mld x 20ft 6in mean
Same, meters: 53.92 x 14.13 x 6.26m
Masts: As Surveillante
Armament: (1827) GD 30-30p No.1; SD 28-30p carr., 2-18p
Complement: 513

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
IPHIGENIE Toulon 8.24 3.5.27 28.9.27 Stk. 1.7.72

Class. In 1823 the Maritime Prefect at Toulon recommended building frigates on the lines of a successful 74-gun ship, César, which he argued would be far superior to the 58-gun frigates of the Marie Thérèse type then under construction. One such ship was built on plans completed by Delamorinière in 7.24. Iphigénie served as gunnery training ship at Toulon in 1844-50 with 50 guns and with masts and spars removed from her predecessor, the 2nd class frigate Vénus.

Disposal. Iphigénie became a hulk, was renamed Druide 1877, and was BU 1888.



TERPSICHORE sail frigate (1st class, 60)

Displacement:  ?
Dimensions: 177ft 2in wl x 46ft 1in mld
Same, meters: 54.00 x 14.05m
Masts: As Surveillante
Armament: (1828) GD 30-30p No.1; SD 28-30p carr., 2-18p
Complement: 513

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
TERPSICHORE Brest 26.7.24 12.5.27 20.3.28 Stk. 6.2.39

Class. Plans for this standard 60-gun frigate were completed by Moreau in 8.23 and approved in 5.24.

Disposal. Terpsichore was BU at Brest 1839.



DIDON class sail frigates (1st class, 60)

Displacement:  2497t
Dimensions: 177ft 2in wl, 178ft 6in deck x 46ft 3in mld, 47ft 7in ext x 20ft 10in mean, 22ft 1in max. Depth 19ft 4in
Same, meters: 54.00, 54.40 x 14.10, 14.50 x 6.34, 6.72m. 5.89m
Masts: As Surveillante. Sail area 3157 sq.yd.
Armament: (Dryade and Didon, c1828) GD 30-30p No.1; SD 26-30p carr., 4-18p (Dryade c1835: 28-30p carr., 2-18p)
Complement: 513

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
DRYADE Rochefort 18.10.24 12.7.28 16.8.28 Stk. 9.5.38
DIDON Toulon 3.25 15.7.28 1.8.28 Stk. 28.3.67
RENOMMEE Rochefort 8.7.26 28.7.47 -- Steam 1858
SEMIRAMIS Rochefort 6.7.29 -- -- Steam 1861
GUERRIERE Brest 8.6.48 -- -- Steam 1860

Class. Plans for this class of standard 60-gun frigates were completed by Leroux in 8.24. Dryade was renamed Caroline 12.7.28 and reverted to Dryade 9.8.30.

Disposal. Didon was BU 1867.



URANIE sail frigate (1st class, 60)

Displacement:  2560t
Dimensions: 177ft 2in wl, 178ft 10in deck x 46ft 3in mld, 47ft 8in ext x 20ft 6in mean, 20ft 11in max.
Same, meters: 54.00, 54.52 x 14.10, 14.52 x 6.24, 6.37m
Masts: As Surveillante. Sail area 3102 sq.yd.
Armament: (1840) GD 28-30p No.1, 2-22cm shell; SD 26-30p carr., 4-16cm shell. (1851, training ship) GD 24-30p No.1, 2-30p No.2, 2-22cm shell; SD 18-30p carr., 2 or 4-16cm shell
Complement: 513

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
URANIE Toulon 9.26 28.7.32 20.10.40 Stk. 31.12.64

Class. Plans for this standard 60-gun frigate were completed by Barrallier in 4.26. Uranie relieved Minerve and served as gunnery training ship at Toulon 1851-55.

Disposal. Uranie became a headquarters hulk and repair ship at Toulon and was BU 1883.