French corvette Diligente (1801)
Introduction '''''Diligente''''' was a 20-gun corvette of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. Built at Brest on private plans by Pierre Ozanne, she was particularly fast. The French Navy adopted the design and copied the plans as late as 1848.Originally armed with 6-pounder guns, she was later rearmed with heavier carronades. She continued in service, off and on, until she was struck in 1854.
Service history ===French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars===''Diligente'' took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806 in Leissègues' squadron, culminating in the Battle of San Domingo.The frigates , , and ''Diligente'' captured and burned the American vessel ''Lark'', Moore, master, which was sailing from Philadelphia to Jamaica.In August 1808 ''Diligente'', captained by Commander Jean-François Lemaresquier, with the corvettes  and ''Espiègle'', sailed from France with supplies for the island of Martinique. British ships chased the group through the Bay of Biscay and captured ''Sylphe'' and ''Espiègle''. ''Diligente'' escaped, only to encounter the British sloop , under Commander (later to be Admiral) Charles Napier, off Antigua. During a hard-fought action lasting three hours, ''Recruit''s mainmast fell, putting her somewhat at ''Diligente''s mercy. However, a lucky shot ignited ''Diligente''s ammunition store, causing some damage. ''Diligente'' withdrew and later Lemaresquier justified his action on the grounds that other British naval vessels were approaching, which they were not, and the weight of ''Recruit''s broadside, which was heavier.On 3 October, ''Diligente'' sank the Mexican brig ''Juliana''. Then on 12 November she returned to Lorient. Here she served from 1811 to 1812 as a school ship. On 12 March she was in the harbour at Brest. On 2 December 1812, she accidentally collided with  in the Roads of Toulon.She may have cruised in the Channel as  reported that on 20 December 1813 she had retaken and sent in the brig ''Racehorse'', from Newfoundland for Teignmouth, that the French corvette ''Diligente'' had captured. In 1814 ''Diligente'' was paid off.===Bourbon Restoration===After the Bourbon Restoration, ''Diligente'' underwent refitting at Brest between 22 August 1820 and 4 January 1821.She was recommissioned with 18-pounder carronades and was reclassified as a corvette aviso (sloop corvette). Then on 21 April she left Brest for the Antilles, Guiana and Newfoundland. By 30 August 1822 she was in the Antilles again.On 2 November 1822 ''Diligente'' left Rochefort for Brazil, not returning to Brest until 27 December 1826.Around 1825 or so she was off the coast of Chile where she took a privateer that had fired a broadside at her.In 1827 ''Diligente'' was again decommissioned for refitting. Then in 1828 she was in the Eastern Mediterranean.===July Monarchy===Under Commandant Garibou ''Diligente'' took part in the expedition to the mouth of the Tagus River where a French squadron fought the Battle of the Tagus on 11 July 1831.The French vessels fought their way past the Portuguese forts guarding the mouth of the river and sailed up to Lisbon. There they forced the Portuguese king Dom Miguel to accede to French demands, among them that he recognize the July Monarchy. The French also seized all the military and commercial vessels they could find as reparations.Then in 1835–36 ''Diligente'' was on the Livorno station. On 30 January 1836, she was driven ashore and severely damaged at Livorno. On 26 October 1840 she left Toulon for Alexandria, Egypt. She visited Smyrna in March 1841.Lastly, she was present at Athens during the 3 September 1843 Revolution.===Fate===''Diligente'' was struck off on 11 October 1854.
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