French ship Roland (1771)
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 Plans of the sister-ship Protée | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Roland |
| Ordered | 29 January 1770[1] |
| Builder | Brest [1] |
| Laid down | 22 January 1770 [1] |
| Launched | 14 February 1771 [1] |
| Commissioned | September 1771 [1] |
| Decommissioned | 28 February 1779 [1] |
| Fate | Destroyed by fire 28 February 1779 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Artésien-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1480 bm |
| Length | 50.2 metres |
| Beam | 13.2 metres |
| Depth of hold | 6.4 metres |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
|
Roland was an Artésien-class 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, launched in 1771.
Career
[edit]From 1773 to 1775, Roland was the flagship of the Second voyage of Kerguelen. After it returned, its leader, Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec, was court-martialled in Brest on 15 May 1775 by a council of war presided over by Vice-Admiral Anne Antoine, Comte d'Aché for transporting 200 slaves on Roland from Madagascar to sell in French colonies in defiance of Louis XV, who had issued regulations ordering French Navy officers not to trade in slaves. At the court-martial, his defence lawyer minimised Kerguelen's slave-trading activities by stating that it was only "Eight or nine negroes that the pilot’s assistant bought on Kerguelen’s behalf". Although several other naval officers, many of whom were stationed at Rochefort, had traded in slaves, he was found guilty on 25 May 1776 and sentenced to six years imprisonment.[3] Roland took part in the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778 under Gilart de Larchantel.[4]
Fate
[edit]Roland was destroyed in an accidental fire in Brest on 22 February 1779, along with the nearby frigate Zéphyr.[1]
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Roche (2005), p. 385.
- ^ Roche (2005), p. 189.
- ^ Juges, Esclaves et Négriers en Basse-Bretagne
- ^ Troude (1867), p. 7.
References
[edit]- Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778-1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
- Lacour-Gayet, Georges (1905). La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI. Paris: Honoré Champion. OCLC 763372623.
- Monaque, Rémi (2000). Les aventures de Louis-René de Latouche-Tréville, compagnon de La Fayette et commandant de l'Hermione (in French). Paris: SPM. ISBN 9782901952343. OCLC 491636125.
- Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922. (1671-1870)
- Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 2. Challamel ainé.