French ship Protée (1772)
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Plans of the ship
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| History | |
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 France |
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| Name: | Protée |
| Launched: | 1772 |
| Captured: | 24 February 1780, by Royal Navy |
 United Kingdom |
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| Name: | Prothee |
| Acquired: | 24 February 1780 |
| Fate: | Broken up, 1815 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type: | Artésien class |
| Tons burthen: | 1480 tons (1503.7 tonnes) |
| Length: | 164 ft 1 in (50.01 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: | 64 guns of various weights of shot |
Protée was an Artésien class 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, launched in 1772.[1]
Career
On 16 February 1780, Protée departed Lorient with Ajax, Éléphant and Charmante, escorting a convoy bound for India,[2] with troops and ammunition.[3] Protée, under Captain Duchilleau de Laroche was the flagship of the convoy.[3]
On 23 February, off Spain, the convoy met Rodney's fleet; Duchilleau ordered Ajax to double back with most of the convoy, while he would lure the British by continuing on the same bearing with Charmante and the smallest ships of the convoy. The British fleet chased Protée while Ajax escaped with the convoy; seeing the ships under his protection out of harm's way around 1 in the morning, Duchilleau tried to effect his own escape, but Protée caught the wind, breaking her tops and mizzen, allowing HMS Resolution, under Lord Robert Manners, to catch on around 2 o'clock, soon joined by the 74-gun HMS Bedford and HMS Marlborough. Hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, Protée struck while Charmante returned to Lorient,[3] arriving there on 3 March.[4] Three merchantmen were also captured. Court-martialled for the loss of his ship, Duchilleau was honourably acquitted.[3]
Protée was commissioned in the Royal Navy as the third rate HMS Prothee. She was converted to serve as a prison ship in 1799, and broken up in 1815. Eight of her small cannons were purchased by John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland and are currently at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire. The cannon are still fired on special occasions, such as weddings and the Duke's birthday.
Notes
References
- Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
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