French ship Magnifique (1750)

History
France
Name: Magnifique
Builder: Toulon
Laid down: 1750
Fate: 1782, Grounded on sandbar off Lovells Island, Boston, MA, USA
General characteristics
Class and type: Magnifique class ship of the line
Displacement: 1500 tonnes
Length: 53.6 m (176 ft)
Beam: 14 m (46 ft)
Draught: 6.6 m (22 ft)
Propulsion: Sail
Complement: 678 men
Armament: 74 guns
Armour: Timber

The Magnifique was the lead ship of the 3-ship Magnifique class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.

On 15 August 1782, the Magnifique crashed along the rocky shore of Lovells Island, in Boston Harbor, MA, USA. She was rumoured to have been carrying "long-lost treasure."[1] According to a US National Park Service Guide, the submerged vessel is still visible from N 42° 19.902’ W 070° 55.818’ during periods of calm.[2]

On 3 September 1782 the Continental Congress decided to present the ship of the line America to King Louis XVI of France to replace Magnifique. The gift was to symbolize the new nation's appreciation for France's service to and sacrifices in behalf of the cause of the American patriots.[3]

Sources and references

  1. ↑ Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area Island Facts: Lovells Island, nps.gov
  2. ↑ Boston Harbor Islands Island Cache Program, Site 6: The Outer Islands, nps.gov
  3. ↑ "America". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 9 March 2011.

Coordinates: 42°19′54″N 70°55′49″W / 42.33167°N 70.93028°W / 42.33167; -70.93028


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