French ship Bordelois explained

Bordelois was a 56-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She was funded by a don des vaisseaux donation from the city of Bordeaux, and built by engineer Léon Guignace on a design by Antoine Groignard. Complete too late to serve in the Seven Years' War, she was razéed into a frigate and used as an East Indiaman. She was rebuilt into a frigate to serve in the War of American Independence. Captured by HMS Romney, she was brought into British service as HMS Artois.

Career

Bordelois was commissioned in July 1763 under Captain Charles de Cornick-Duchène, arriving in Rochefort on 6 September after the end of the Seven Years' War.^[1] In 1768, she was razéed to a large frigate, while her spare timber was used to rebuild .

From 1776 to 1778, Bordelois was used as an East Indiaman, after which she became a hulk in Lorient.

In 1779, on the background of the Franco-American alliance, Bordelois was sold and razéed into a 40-gun frigate; her refitting having been financed by the States of Artois, she was renamed to États d'Artois . She entered drydock in June 1779, to be launched in January 1780 and commissioned in May 1780.

On 1 July 1780 Artois was captured by, and brought into British service as HMS Artois.She participated in the Battle of Dogger Bank. "Artois was the finest frigate then known; had 28 18-pounders on her main deck with in addition to her complement of guns, heavy carronades on the quarterdeck and forecastle; Manned by 300 men".^[2]

Notes and References

1. Book: Levot, Prosper. Biographie bretonne: recueil de notices sur tous les Bretons qui se sont fait un nom. Prosper Levot. 1852. Caudran. fr. 456. 1.
2. Book: Ross, Sir John . Memoirs of Admiral de Saumarez Vol 1.