César-class ship of the line

The César class or Zélé class included two 74-gun ships of the line designed by Joseph Coulomb. They were a development of his earlier 74-gun ship, the Zélé of 1763.

• César

Builder: Toulon

Ordered: 10 March 1767

Launched: 3 August 1768

Fate: Captured and burnt by the British at the Battle of the Saintes, 12 April 1782

• Destin

Builder: Toulon

Ordered: 7 February 1770

Launched: 21 October 1777

Fate: Captured by the British at Toulon in August 1793, and burnt by them there in December 1793

Class overview
Name	César
Builders	Toulon Dockyard
Operators	French Navy
Completed	2
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Tonnage	1,500 tons
Displacement	2,900 tons
Length	157½ French feet[1]
Beam	43½ French feet
Draught	20 French feet 8 inches
Depth of hold	29¾ French feet
Decks	2 gun decks
Propulsion	Sail
Complement	715 (later 734), + 6/12 officers
Armament	74 guns: Lower gundeck: 28 × 36-pounder long guns Upper gundeck: 30 × 24-pounder long guns Forecastle and Quarter deck: 6 × 8-pounder long guns
Armour	Timber
Notes	Ships in class include: César, Destin