French brig Adèle

Adèle was a late 18th century, early 19th century French brig, privateer. The name is associated with two, possibly three, separate vessels. The Adèle was captured twice by the Royal Navy.

Construction
The first, or possibly second, Adèle was built in Mauritius and registered and owned by the firm of Merle, Cabot & Co. It was described as a "beautiful little vessel (….) recently fitted out at Nantz, well found, and invert respect qualified for the service she was intended to perform".

One version of the Adèle was armed with 12 guns (10 x 4 pounders, 2 x 6 pounders), but another with 10 guns (8 x 12-pounder carronades, 2 x 12-pounder long guns). In the latter case, the vessel was "pierced for eighteen guns".

History
On 12 November 1800, Adèle, under Nicolas Surcouf, was captured by the English brig-sloop HMS Albatross (1795). Adèle lost six killed and thirteen wounded during the engagement; on board the Albatross one marine and one seaman (from HMS Braave (1796)) were killed and six wounded (one of whom belonged to Braave and one to the HMS Centurion (1774)).

In 1803 the Adèle (the same as captured in 1800 or possibly another vessel) sailed from the Isle de France (now Mauritius) to Port Jackson, New Holland, under the command of Louis Ruault Coutance, a former naval officer (Lieutenant de vaisseau). Her cargo consisted of 4,000 gallons of rum, 430 gallons of Cape wine, together with 6,000 lbs of sugar, 40 casks of meat, 11 anchors, a case of jewellery and a considerable quantity of cloth.

On 5 December 1807, the Adèle was captured by HMS Russell. As reported by the Russell's Captain Caulfield, the Adèle was captured in the Indian Ocean, about 135 km off the coast of Burma (17.08333°N, 93.21667°W). The ship had sailed from the Isle de France (Mauritius) on the 14th of July, and carried "seven months water and provisions for one hundred and fifty men".