The French ship Prudent was a 74‑gun ship of the line of the French Navy, built to the standard Téméraire‑class design.
Construction
- Laid down at the Lorient shipyard in 1794.
- Launched on 21 August 1795.
- Completed and entered service in early 1796.
Design and armament
- Length: approximately 55 m (180 ft) on the gundeck.
- Beam: about 14.9 m (49 ft).
- Armament (original configuration): 28 × 36 lb guns on the lower gun deck, 30 × 18 lb guns on the upper gun deck, and 16 smaller guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle.
Service history
- Assigned to the Atlantic fleet during the French Revolutionary Wars.
- Took part in routine convoy escort duties and blockades off the French Atlantic coast.
- In 1800, the ship was part of a squadron that attempted to break the British blockade of Brest, but did not engage in a major battle.
Fate
- The vessel was struck from the naval register in 1806 and broken up shortly thereafter.
Notes
- Information about the French ship Prudent is derived from French naval registers and contemporary ship‑building records.
- No significant combat actions involving Prudent have been documented in major historical sources.
