HMS Arethusa ( 1759 ) The Aréthuse was a French frigate , launched in 1757 during the Seven Years ' War . She was subsequently captured by the Royal Navy and became the fifth - rate HMS " Arethusa " . French Service . " Aréthuse " was built at Le Havre for privateer warfare , as " Pélerine " . Soon after her launch , she was bought by the King , and commissioned as " Aréthuse " on 21 January 1758 . In June , under captain Vauquelin , she sailed through the British blockade of Louisbourg . She helped defend the place , and later departed , again forcing the blockade . On the 18th of May 1759 , she was in transit from Rochefort to Brest , under the command of the Marquis Vandrenil , when she was intercepted near Audierne Bay ( ) by three Royal Navy ships - HMS " Thames " , HMS " Venus " and HMS " Chatham " . She attempted to escape but after two hours , she lost her top - masts and was overtaken by her pursuers . The " Thames " and " Venus " engaged her with heavy fire , causing 60 casualties before she surrendered . Royal Navy Service . She entered service with the Royal Navy . For the rest of the war , she was in service in British home waters and was responsible for the capture of several French , privateer cutter s . In 1777 , a Scotsman James Aitken , widely known as John the Painter , was hanged from her mizzenmast for burning the Rope House at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard on 7 December 1776 , to aid the cause of American independence . The mast was struck from the ship and re - erected at the dockyard entrance so as many as possibly could watch the execution . On 17 June 1778 , she fought a famous duel against the French , 26 - gun frigate , " Belle Poule " . The " Belle - Poule " was on a reconnaissance mission , along with the 26 - gun frigate " Licorne " , the corvette " Hirondelle " and the smaller " Coureur " when she encountered a large British squadron that included the Arethusa at a point south of The Lizard . Admiral Keppel , commanding the British fleet ordered that the French ships be pursued . and returned to his flagship by any means . The " Licorne " did so , after being overhauled by two British ships . She subsequently tried to escape during the night , but surrendered after a brief combat with HMS " America " . Meanwhile , the " Arethusa " and the cutter " Alert " reached the " Belle Poule " , accompanied by the French cutter " Le Courier " . The captain of the " Belle Poule " refused the order to sale back to the British fleet . The British fired a warning shot across his ship bows , to which he responded with a full broadside This began a furious , two hour battle between the two ships that resulted in the deaths of the French second captain and 30 of the crew . But the " Arethusa " was crippled by the loss of a mast and had to withdraw , allowing the " Belle Poule " to escape . Meanwhile " Alert " captured " Le Courier " in a separate battle . This battle was the first between British and French naval forces during the American Revolutionary War and took place around three weeks before the formal declaration of war by France . Admiral Keppel himself was surprised by the reaction of the French captains as he only intended to speak with them , and then release their ships . The battle was widely celebrated in France as a victory , even inspiring a hair - style in court circles that included a model of the " Belle Poule " . It was also viewed as a victory in Britain and became the subject of a traditional Sea shanty , " The Saucy Arethusa " ( Roud # 12675 ) . The " Arethusa " is also the subject of a song on the Decemberists ' album Her Majesty the Decemberists . On 18 March 1779 , under captain Charles Holmes Everitt , the " Arethusa " engaged the French " Aigrette " , sustaining considerable damage in the fight . " Arethusa " was wrecked the next day off Ushant , at a point . It was apparently the fame which this " Arethusa " which induced the Royal Navy , during the following two centuries , to bestow the name on a further seven consecutive individual ships ( see HMS " Arethusa " ) and two consecutive classes of cruisers ( see " Arethusa " class cruiser ) .