HMS Artois (1794)

Design of HMS Artois
History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Artois
Ordered	28 March 1793
Cost	£20,757[1]
Laid down	March 1793
Launched	3 January 1794
Commissioned	December 1793
Fate	Wrecked off Île de Ré, 31 July 1797
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Artois-class fifth-rate frigate
Tons burthen	9965⁄94 (bm)
Length	146 ft 3 in (44.6 m) (gundeck) 121 ft 9+3⁄4 in (37.1 m) (keel)
Beam	39 ft 2+1⁄2 in (12 m)
Draught	10 ft (3 m) (forwards) 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) (aft)
Depth of hold	13 ft 9 in (4.2 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Complement	270
Armament	Gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns QD: 2 × 9-pounder guns + 12 × 32-pounder carronades Fc: 2 × 9-pounder guns + 2 × 32-pounder carronades

HMS Artois was a fifth-rate Artois-class frigate of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir John Henslow and launched in 1794 at Rotherhithe as the lead ship of her class. She served for the majority of her career in the English Channel under the command of Edmund Nagle in the squadrons of Edward Pellew and John Borlase Warren, notably taking part in the action of 21 October 1794 where she captured the 44-gun frigate La Révolutionnaire almost singlehandedly. She participated in a number of other actions and events including the attempted invasion of France in 1795. Artois continued to serve actively on the coast of France in blockade and patrolling roles, taking a large number of ships as prizes, until she was wrecked with no loss of life off Île de Ré on 31 July 1797 while attempting to reconnoitre the harbour of La Rochelle.