Capture of the L'Invention

The above Engraving is an accurate representation of l'Invention captured by the Immortalité, Captain Hotham, off Cape Ortegal, on the 27th of July, 1801; she belonged to Bordeaux, carried twenty-four long six-pounders, two twelve-pounders, and 220 men. Independent of her being as fine a ship of her class as ever was seen for war, she is a great curiosity, being fitted with four masts, at nearly equal distances from each other; the first main-mast taken from forward is the largest, the fore-mast and the second main-mast are nearly of a height, and the mizen-mast is the shortest of the whole; she has four top-gallant-yards rigged aloft, is a great length, having thirteen ports on each side on a flush deck, and carries her guns very high from the water; she is a firm well equipped ship, and her outfit as a privateer must have been very expensive, as she is finished in a stile superior to ships of her description; she had been launched only three weeks, was on her first cruise, had been eight days at sea, and made no captures; she is within two feet of the length of the Immortalité.

Naval Chronicle Vol. 7 (1802), pp 1.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius

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