French ship Ça Ira ( 1781 ) The Couronne was a 80 - gun ship of the line of the French Navy . Career . " Couronne " was built at Brest , having been started in May 1781 and launched in August that year . She probably was built from the salvaged remains of her predecessor , " Couronne " , which had been accidentally burnt at the dockyard in April 1781 . She had a refit at Toulon in 1784 . French Revolution . In 1792 she was renamed Ça Ira , in reference to the revolutionary anthem " Ah ! ça ira " . On 14 March 1795 , she took part in the Battle of Genoa under Captain Coudé , in which a French squadron , under Admiral Pierre Martin , was pursued off Alassio by a superior British fleet consisting of 15 ships of the line under Lord Hotham . During the chase , around 9 : 00 , " Ça Ira " ran afoul of " Victoire " , losing her fore and main topmasts and falling back of the French squadron . The frigate HMS " Inconstant " under Captain Thomas Fremantle caught up and engaged " Ça Ira " ; " Vestale " came to help , fired distant broadsides at " Inconstant " and took " Ça Ira " in tow . " Ça Ira " began a heavy fire on " Inconstant " which forced her to retreat . At 10 : 45 , under Captain Horatio Nelson caught up and opened fire , shortly aided by ; the artillery duel continued for four hours until French ships came to support " Ça Ira " , compelling " Agamemnon " to retreat . During the night , " Vestale " was relieved by the 74 - gun " Censeur " in towing the now dismasted " Ça Ira " . In the morning , the British fleet had come in windward ; caught up and engaged the two French ships , which battered her for 1 hour and 15 minutes , leaving her severely damaged , in distress , and eventually to be towed away from the action . came to reinforce " Captain " , and had her rigging also severely damaged . The British fire had also reduced " Ça Ira " and " Censeur " to an almost helpless state . The main of the French fleet attempted to come to the rescue of her rear again and seize the opportunity of the battered state of the British vanguard , but the lack of wind , incompetent French gunnery , and opposition by HMS " Illustrious " and HMS " Courageux " prevented any effective action . Only the " Duquesne " intervened , and had to retreat after she sustained damage and casualties . " Ça Ira " and " Censeur " tried to fight but due to a false manoeuvre " Ça Ira " collided with " Censeur " ; her rigging fell on " Censeur " , stranding both ships . As a favourable wind built up , the French squadron retreated , leaving " Censeur " and " Ça Ira " without hope of rescue . Men from " Agamemnon " boarded " Ça Ira " and captured her . Reduced to hulks , the French ships eventually struck . They were taken into Spezia Bay . Late career . " Ça Ira " was commissioned in the Royal Navy , but in too battered a state to serve , she was used as a hospital hulk in Saint - Florent . " Ça Ira " was destroyed on 11 April 1796 in an accidental fire ; boats from other ships attempted to aid , but as the fire became out of control , " Ça Ira " was evacuated and brought away from the anchorage . She drifted and ran aground half a mile to the northward of the citadel and burnt to the water line . An inquiry subsequently concluded that the fire had been accidentally put on by a " bottle of combustible matter improperly kept in the carpenters cabin " , and acquitted the officers from blame . Archaeological discovery . In 1988 , a 19th - century map was discovered , allowing the discovery of the wreck the following year , and its subsequent excavation . From 1990 to 1995 , underwater archaeological survey was undertaken by " Tech Sub " , a non - profit organisation .