French frigate Manche (1803)

The Manche was a 40-gun Hortense Class frigate of the French Navy.

She took part in operations at Île de France under Captain François-Désiré Breton.

Under Captain Jean Dornal de Guy, Manche captured the 16 gun brig-sloop HMS Seaflower (1782) on 27 September 1808 near Bengkulu.

On 26 April 1809, she departed Port-Napoléon in a squadron under Captain Hamelin, along with Créole and Vénus. The squadron managed to re-take Foulpointe in Madagascar, captured three prizes at the Action of 18 November 1809, and raided the British settlement at Tarapouly, in Sumatra.

In 1810, she took part in the Battle of Grand Port, contributing to the capture of HMS Iphigenia and the fort held by the British on Ile de France.

Fate
Manche was captured during the invasion of Île de France in 1810. She was broken up as she was unfit for Royal Navy service.

Sources and references

 * La Manche, frégate française : 1803-1810, Roger Lepelley, 1989
 * HAMELIN Emmanuel, amiral, baron (1768-1839)
 * Une mission à l'Isle de France