French frigate Surveillante ( 1778 ) Surveillante was an " Iphigénie " - class 32 - gun frigate of the French Navy . She took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War , where she became famous for her battle with HMS " Quebec " ; in 1783 , she brought the news that the war was over to America . She later took part in the French Revolutionary Wars , and was eventually scuttled during the Expédition d ' Irlande after sustaining severe damage in a storm . The wreck was found in 1979 and is now a memorial . Career . Early career . " Surveillante " was laid down in August 1777 in Lorient as the second frigate of the " Iphigénie " class , a series of 32 - gun frigates carrying 12 - pounders designed by Léon Guignace . She was launched on 26 March 1778 , and commissioned in May . The very same month , she was refitted as to upgrade her hull with copper sheathing , which was being gradually introduced in the French Navy . In June 1778 , " Surveillante " was part of a squadron of five French frigates that were seeking to retaliate against the British for their capture of three French vessels earlier that month , all before any declaration of war . On 24 June , off Ushant , the French encountered HMS " Folkestone " ( or " Folkestone " ) , an 8 - gun cutter . " Folkestone " then surrendered to " Surveillante " . The French took " Folkestone " into service under her existing name . After her refit , " Surveillante " took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War , capturing HMS " Spitfire " on 19 April 1779 . Battle against HMS " Quebec " . On 6 October 1779 , off Ushant , " Surveillante " , under captain Couédic de Kergoaler , met with the 32 - gun HMS " Quebec " , under Captain George Farmer . A furious , three - and - a - half - hour - long combat ensued . Both ships suffered heavy casualties and were completely dismasted . The battle ended when " Quebec " , firing through her own sails which covered her gunports , took fire and exploded . " Surveillante " , her hull leaking , had 30 killed and 85 wounded . Her boat rescued whatever British crew had survived , and British and French sailors then had to work together to keep her afloat . She returned to Brest the next day , and the British are said to have been treated as castaway s rather than prisoners of war . Numerous paintings and drawings of the battle were made , notably by Auguste - Louis Rossel de Cercy ( a key exhibit of the Musée de la Marine in Paris ) , by George Carter and by Robert Dodd . End of the American war of Independence . On 19 February 1781 , " Surveillante " , along with the 64 - gun " Éveillé " , her sister - ship " Gentille " and the cutter " Guèpe " , captured HMS " Romulus " in Chesapeake Bay . In June 1782 " Surveillante " captured the English merchant vessel " Rose " . She served as a cartel before being decommissioned at Morlaix in November 1784 . In September " Surveillante " and " Ariel " captured the merchant vessel " Grand Duc " off the coast of Spain . The French navy briefly took her into service before decommissioning , striking off and selling her for £t 72 , 489 at Brest in 1783 . In summer 1783 , along with the British frigate " Medea " , she sailed to America to announce the Peace of Paris that ended the war between France and Great Britain . In late 1793 , under Captain Tréhouart - Beaulieu , she ferried Rear - Admiral Joseph Cambis from New York to Lorient , as well as other passagers and despatches . Loss . During the French Revolutionary Wars , she captured the packet ship " Antelope " in 1794 . She then took part to the Expédition d ' Irlande in December 1796 . Badly damaged in the tempest and not seaworthy enough to return to France , she was scuttled in Bantry bay . Discovery of the wreck . After the 1979 Whiddy Island Disaster , the wreck of " Surveillante " was found in 23 metres of water . The wreck is now a memorial , and an 1 / 6 model of the ship is now on display at Bantry .