Ref.: MAMO-MV38
Le Coureur French lugger – 1776 (Sc. 1:54 L. 820 mm. H. 650 mm.) The lugger was a kind of ship widely used by the French pirates of the Revolution and of the Empire. She has undoubtedly a British origin. It is a type of ship equipped as a 'bragozzo' 'on a bigger scale', with 3 masts, a very long bowsprit, several jibs, topsails and some foretopsails. She was built by Denys de Dunkerque on a drawing approved at the end of 1775 and launched in 1776. The career of this ship was short because she was captured by the English on 1 7th June 1778 during a battle, remained famous, between the frigate La Belle Poule and the frigate Arethusa. On 17th June La Belle Poule cruises in the English Channel at the head of a division including the frigate La Licorne, the corvette I'Hirondelle and Le Coureur, After two hours' battle and a vain attempt of boarding, 6hot a dozen times at the water line, with 3 men dead and 7 mortally wounded, she surren ders. Prisoner in England, the Chevalier de Rosely, who had got the St. Lewis' cross,