French corvette Subtile (1777)

History
France
Name	Subtile
Builder	Rochefort.
Laid down	May 1777 [1]
Launched	7 November 1777 [1]
Fate	Hulked 1789
General characteristics
Displacement	320 tonnes [1]
Length	35.7 metres [1]
Beam	9.1 metres [1]
Draught	4.7 metres [1]
Propulsion	Sail
Armament	20 to 26 guns
Armour	Timber

Subtile was a 24-gun corvette of the French Navy

Career

From 1777 to 1778, she was under Lieutenant Bidé de Maurville.^[2]

During the War of American Independence, Subtile served in the Indian Ocean in a squadron under Rear-Admiral Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves.^[3] Lieutenant Périer de Salvert was in command from 13 September 1780 to 1 November.^[4]

On 9 February 1782, Estienne d'Orves died and Suffren assumed command of the squadron. He re-appointed his captains and gave Tromelin de La Nuguy command of Subtile.^[5]

She took part in the Battle of Negapatam under Huon de Kermadec on 6 July 1782.^{[6][7] [Note 1]}

In the year 1787, she sailed for a cruise to China with Résolution (under Bruni d'Entrecasteaux), arriving on 7 February 1787, two days after Lapérouse had left. ^[8]

In November 1788, she was decommissioned in Toulon and became a hulk in 1789. ^[8]

Notes

1. Cunat appears to have misread Kermadec's name as "Kermadie".^[6]

Citations

1. Roche (2005), p. 424.
2. "Hippolyte Bernard BIDÉ de MAURVILLE". Officiers et anciens élèves. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
3. Cunat (1852), p. 180.
4. "Périer de Salvert" (PDF). Académie de Marine. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
5. Cunat (1852), p. 103.
6. Cunat (1852), p. 169.
7. Cunat (1852), p. 145.
8. Roche (2005), p. 386.

References

• Cunat, Charles (1852). Histoire du Bailli de Suffren. Rennes: A. Marteville et Lefas. pp. 447.
• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours, 1671 - 1870. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. pp. 325–6. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.