French frigate Néréide (1779)

Capture of Néréide by HMS Phoebe, on 20 December 1797, Thomas Whitcombe, 1816, in the National Maritime Museum
History
France
NameNéréide
NamesakeNereid
BuilderSaint Malo, constructeur: Geoffroy, to plans by Sané
Laid downOctober 1778
Launched31 May 1779
CommissionedAugust 1779
Captured20 December 1797
Great Britain
NameNereide
Acquired20 December 1797
Honours and
awards
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "1 May Boat Service 1810"
Captured23 August 1810
France
NameNéréide
AcquiredCaptured 23 August 1810
Captured3 December 1810
FateSold 1 March 1816
General characteristics
Class & typeSibylle-class frigate
Displacement1,082 tonneaux
Tons burthen
  • 600 port tonneaux
  • 8922294 (Builder's Old Measurement)
Length
  • 43.91 m (144.1 ft) (overall)
  • 39.14 m (128.4 ft) (keel)
Beam11.21 m (36.8 ft)
Draught5.36 m (17.6 ft) (laden)
PropulsionSail
ComplementFrench service: 290 British service: 254
Armament
  • French service:
  • Gun deck: 26 × 12-pounder guns
  • Spar deck: 6 × 6-pounder guns
  • British service:
  • Upper deck: 26 × 12-pounder guns
  • QD: 12 × 24-pounder carronades
  • Fc: 4 × 24-pounder carronades

Néréide was a Sibylle-class, 32-gun, copper-hulled frigate of the French Navy. On 22 December 1797 HMS Phoebe captured her and she was taken into British service as HMS Nereide. The French recaptured her at the Battle of Grand Port, only to lose her again when the British captured Isle de France in 1810. She was in such a poor condition that the British laid her up before selling her to be broken up in 1816.