French frigate Vénus (1806)

Capture of HMS Ceylon
History
France
Name	Vénus
Namesake	Venus
Ordered	26 March 1805
Builder	Le Havre
Laid down	April 1805
Launched	5 July 1806
In service	August 1808
Captured	18 September 1810
United Kingdom
Name	Nereide
Fate	Broken up in 1816
General characteristics
Type	Frigate
Tons burthen	1148 bm
Length	46 metres (151 ft)
Beam	12 metres (39 ft)
Draught	7 metres (23 ft)
Complement	330 men
Armament	40 guns: Battery: 28 × 18-pounder long guns Quarterdeck and forecastle: 12 × 8-pounder long guns
Armour	Timber

The Vénus was a Junon-class frigate of the French Navy. She was captured in 1810 by the Royal Navy, and taken into British service as HMS Nereide. She was broken up in 1816.

On 10 November 1808, she departed Cherbourg, bound for Île de France, where she served as Rear-Adm Hamelin's flagship, leading a squadron also comprising the frigate Manche and the sloop Créole.

On the 29 and 30 December 1808, she captured and destroyed the East Indiamen Hiran and Albion. On 4 November 1809, she captured the East Indiaman Lady Bentick and the American merchantman Samson.

She was central in the action of 18 November 1809, where the squadron captured three armed East Indiamen, including Windham.

From 20 to 26 August 1810, Vénus took a minor part in the Battle of Grand Port.

On 17–18 September 1810, along with the privateer corvette Victor, Vénus captured the 40-gun HMS Ceylon, losing her fore-mast and her topgallant masts in the process. The next day, a British squadron composed of HMS Boadicea, HMS Otter and the brig HMS Staunch captured Vénus and recaptured Ceylon. Victor managed to escape.

Vénus was brought into British service as HMS Nereide, in honour of the defence of HMS Nereide at Grand Port. She subsequently took part in the blockade and surrender of Île de France.

She was broken up in 1816.

• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671–1870. p. 459. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.