French Ship Ça Ira (1781)

The ''Couronne'' was an 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.

Career

''Couronne'' was built at Brest, having been started in May 1781 and launched in August that year. She probably was built from the salvaged remains of her predecessor, ''Couronne'', which had been accidentally burnt at the dockyard in April 1781.
She had a refit at Toulon in 1784.la fin du ''Ca-Ira''
par Pierre Villié, directeur de fouille

French Revolution

In 1792 she was renamed ''Ça Ira'', in reference to the revolutionary anthem ''Ah! ça ira''.

On 14 March 1795, she took part in the Battle of Genoa under Captain Coudé, in which a French squadron, under Admiral Pierre Martin, was pursued off Alassio by a superior British fleet consisting of 15 ships of the line under Lord Hotham. During the chase, around 9:00, ''Ça Ira'' ran afoul of ''Victoire'', losing her fore and main topmasts and falling back of the French squadron. The frigate HMS ''Inconstant'' under Captain Thomas Fremantle caught up and engaged ''Ça Ira''; ''Vestale'' came to help, fired distant broadsides at ''Inconstant'' and took ''Ça Ira'' in tow. ''Ça Ira'' began a heavy fire on ''Inconstant'' which forced her to retreat. At 10:45, under Captain Horatio Nelson caught up and opened fire, shortly aided by ; the artillery duel continued for four hours until French ships came to support ''Ça Ira'', compelling ''Agamemnon'' to retreat.

During the night, ''Vestale'' was relieved by the 74-gun ''Censeur'' in towing the now dismasted ''Ça Ira''. In the morning, the British fleet had come in windward; caught up and engaged the two French ships, which battered her for 1 hour and 15 minutes, leaving her severely damaged, in distress, and eventually to be towed away from the action. came to reinforce ''Captain'', and had her rigging also severely damaged. The British fire had also reduced ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' to an almost helpless state. The main of the French fleet attempted to come to the rescue of her rear again and seize the opportunity of the battered state of the British vanguard, but the lack of wind, incompetent French gunnery, and opposition by HMS ''Illustrious'' and HMS ''Courageux'' prevented any effective action. Only the ''Duquesne'' intervened, and had to retreat after she sustained damage and casualties. ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' tried to fight but due to a false manoeuvre ''Ça Ira'' collided with ''Censeur''; her rigging fell on ''Censeur'', stranding both ships. As a favourable wind built up, the French squadron retreated, leaving ''Censeur'' and ''Ça Ira'' without hope of rescue. Men from ''Agamemnon'' boarded ''Ça Ira'' and captured her. Reduced to hulks, the French ships eventually struck. They were taken into Spezia Bay.

Late career

''Ça Ira'' was commissioned in the Royal Navy, but in too battered a state to serve, she was used as a hospital hulk in Saint-Florent.

''Ça Ira'' was destroyed on 11 April 1796 in an accidental fire; boats from other ships attempted to aid, but as the fire became out of control, ''Ça Ira'' was evacuated and brought away from the anchorage. She drifted and ran aground half a mile to the northward of the citadel and burnt to the water line. An inquiry subsequently concluded that the fire had been accidentally put on by a "bottle of combustible matter improperly kept in the carpenters cabin", and acquitted the officers from blame.le ''Ca-Ira'' dans les archives anglaises
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Archaeological discovery

In 1988, a 19th-century map was discovered, allowing the discovery of the wreck the following year, and its subsequent excavation. From 1990 to 1995, underwater archaeological survey was undertaken by ''Tech Sub'', a non-profit organisation.

Sources and references

External links

Book review in INA Quarterly (Institut of Nautical Archaeology)

La bataille du cap Noli

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ca Ira
Saint-Esprit-class ships of the line
1781 ships
Shipwrecks of Corsica
Maritime incidents in 1796
Captured ships

ja:クーローヌ (戦列艦)