French corvette Torche (1795)
Torche was a French naval "Etna"-class ship-sloop launched in 1795. She participated in the action of 19 July 1805, with the Royal Navy capturing her one-month later, in August. She was taken into service as HMS "Torch" but never commissioned and was broken up in 1811. Career and capture. From 2 June 1795, "Torche" served at Honfleur under Lieutenant Péronne. On 9 February 1803, "Torche", under Lieutenant Dehen the elder, departed Camaret, bound to Le Havre and Dunkirk. From there, she ferried troops to Santo Domingo, and transported general Pierre Quantin on her journey  back to Cadiz, where she arrived on 27 November 1803. On 19 July 1805 "Torche", which was under the command of lieutenant Nicolas-Philippe Dehen, was part of a squadron of four vessels under François-André Baudin, that three days after they had left Martinique captured HMS "Blanche" off Puerto Rico. "Torche"s companions were the 40-gun French frigate "Topaze", the 22-gun corvette "Départment des Landes", and the 16-gun brig "Faune". On 14 August, the 74-gun, third rate was in the Channel Fleet when she saw a sail to eastward and three sail to westward. The lone  sail was "Faune", which trailed behind her squadron and had lost contact with it. "Goliath" sailed east, meeting up with and assisting her in chasing and capturing "Faune", which struck when the much more powerful "Goliath" came in range. "Faune" had on board as prisoners 22 men from "Blanche". The three remaining ships proceeded, but on the 16th, "Torche" was lagging behind and in danger of behind caught by "Goliath", which had been joined by HMS "Raisonnable". Deeming that waiting for "Torche" entailed accepting battle against the overwhelming British forces, Baudin ordered his squadron to take whatever actions were necessary  for their security; this allowed "Topaze" and "Départment des Landes" to escape. "Goliath" caught up with "Torche", which struck after a few shots from "Goliath". "Torche" was carrying 52 men from the crew of "Blanche". However, "Topaze" and "Départment-des-Landes" escaped. Fate. The Royal Navy took "Torche" into service as HMS "Torch". The Navy placed her in ordinary and there is no record of her ever being commissioned. She was broken up in 1811.