French frigate Surveillante (1802)

Surveillante
History
France
Name	Surveillante
Builder	Les Frères Crucy (Basse-Indre)
Laid down	July 1801
Launched	29 May 1802
Acquired	December 1802
Captured	30 November 1803
Fate	Surrendered to the Royal Navy
United Kingdom
Name	Surveillante[1]
Acquired	30 November 1803
Decommissioned	1814
Fate	Broken up 14 August 1814
General characteristics
Class and type	Virginie-class frigate
Length	47.4 m (156 ft) (126-11.25 ft-ins)
Beam	11.9 m (39 ft)
Draught	5.5 m (18 ft)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	28 18-pounder upper deck cannon, 12 32-pounder quarterdeck carronades, 2 9-pounder bow chasers & 2 32-pounder forecastle carronades[2]
Armour	Timber

Surveillante entered service as a 40-gun Virginie-class frigate of the French Navy. She was surrendered to the British in 1803, after which she served in the Royal Navy, classed under the British system as a 38-gun vessel, until 1814 when she was decommissioned. HMS Surveillante had a long and active career under two successful and distinguished commanders, from the Baltic to the northwestern coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, and was present at the Battle of Copenhagen (1807) and throughout the Peninsula War. Her record as a taker of prizes is notable for its success, particularly towards the end of her career.