Career
The French Navy had lost 29 ships during the Seven Years' War, casualties being particularly high at the Battle of Lagos and the Battle of Quiberon Bay. To replace these losses, in 1761 the Duke of Choiseul launched subscriptions, called don des vaisseaux, whereby French individuals and organisations could donate the funds necessary to build and equip a warship to the Crown. 13 million livres were raised and 18 ships, including two three-deckers, were built and named after their patrons. The Marseillois was funded by the Chamber of commerce of Marseille, for 500,000 livres.
Marseillois was ordered on 16 January 1762, to be built in Toulon on a design by engineer Coulomb, and named the same day by Louis XV, following the request of her patrons. The Chamber of commerce of Marseille further requested that the ship be built in Marseille, but Coulomb determined that the harbour there was too shallow to launch of a 74-gun ship, and the order for Marseillois was eventually confirmed at Toulon. There, lack of timber in the shipyards, that were already busy building Languedoc, Zélé and Bourgogne, delayed the construction of Marseillois until 1764. Her building was directed by engineer Joseph-Véronique-Charles Chapelle.
She was launched on 16 July 1766, and completed quickly, decorated by sculptures carved by Pierre Audibert. After her completion, she was put in reserve, where she would remain for 11 years.
On 1 February 1778, Marseillois was hove down; her careening was completed two days later, and she was commissioned under Captain Louis-Armand de La Poype de Vertrieu.
Read more about this topic: French Ship Vengeur Du Peuple
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