French corvette Var (1806)

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Var and HMS Chichester.

Var

History
France
Name:	Var
Namesake:	Var
Ordered:	26 March 1805
Builder:	La Ciotat
Laid down:	July 1805
Launched:	8 September 1806
Captured:	February 1809
United Kingdom
Name:	Chichester
Acquired:	February 1809 by capture
Fate:	Wrecked May 1811
General characteristics
Tons burthen:	777 (bm)
Length:	140 ft 10 in (42.93 m) (overall) 118 ft 10 in (36.22 m)
Beam:
Draught:	Ship hod depth=
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	French service:200 British service:88
Armament:	French service:22 x 9-pounder guns + 4 x 24-pounder carronades British service:Upper deck - 14 x 6-pounder guns; QD - 4 x 4-pounder guns
Armour:	Timber

The Var was a ship of the French Navy, launched in 1806. Though pierced for 32 guns, she was armed en flûte and served as a storeship until the British captured her in 1809. She became the transport HMS Chichester, and was wrecked in 1811.

Var was built to a design Pierre-Alexandre Forfait, though Jacques-Noël Sanė modified it.

Career

On the morning of 14 February 1809, HMS Belle Poule, under the command of Captain James Brisbane, was about 12 leagues north of Corfu when she sighted a suspicious sail. Belle Poule gave chase and caught up with Var the next morning, finding her anchored under the guns of the fortresses guarding valona. The fortresses did not come to Var's assistance so after a few broadsides from Belle Poule she struck. Var was under the command capitaine de frégate Paulin, who was sailing her from Corfu to Brindisi. The British suffered no casualties; Brisbane could not assess French casualties as most of Var's officers and men escaped ashore after she struck. (A court martial on 16 April 1814 acquitted Paulin of blame for the loss of his ship.)

Var was sent to Woolwich for fitting as a storeship, which took from 21 January to 23 March 1810. She was brought into British service as Chichester.

Loss

On 2 May 1811, as she sailed under Master William Kirby, she was wrecked in Madras roads with the loss of two crew men. The violent gale also claimed the frigate Dover, several merchant vessels, and some 70 small craft.

Citations and references

Citations

References