French ship Pélican (1693)
The Pélican sinks following the Battle of Hudson's Bay | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pélican |
| Builder | Félix Arnaud, Bayonne |
| Laid down | April 1692 |
| Launched | January 1693 |
| Commissioned | May 1693 |
| Fate | Sank after the Battle of Hudson's Bay 1697 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Ship of the line (Vaisseau du troisième rang) |
| Tons burthen | 500 tons |
| Length | 118 feet (36 m) |
| Beam | 32.5-foot (9.9 m) |
| Depth of hold | 12.5-foot (3.8 m) |
| Sail plan | Three masts |
| Armament | 50 cannons, comprising 22 x 12pdrs, 20 x 8pdrs and 8 x 4pdrs |
The Pélican was a French warship from the late 17th century. Built in Bayonne, France, the original Pélican was launched in January 1693. A 500-ton ship fitted with 50 guns and commanded by Captain Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, she ran aground on the shores of Hudson Bay a few days after a heroic battle in 1697, badly damaged by the encounter and by a fierce storm. In five short months the ship's place in history had been assured, as the victor in the greatest naval battle in the history of New France.