Officieuse was a storeship launched on 3 August 1776. The French Royal Navy lent her to the Compagnie de Guyane in September. She completed four voyages for the Compagnie, before wrecking on the fifth.Demerliac (1996), p.206, #2074. January to July 1777: Le Havre, Tenerife, Gorée, Juda, Île du Prince (possibly Prince Edward Island, Cap-Français, Le Havre July 1778 to 1779: Rochefort, Lorient, Gorée, Groix, Guyanne, Rochefort August 1779 to end-1779: Rochefort to Senegal and return March 1780 to November: Rochefort to Guyane and return
During this last voyage she captured the British merchant vessel Arlequin (probably Harlequin), off Cayenne. However, in 1781 the British recaptured her.Demerliac (1996), p.207, #2091. The captor was possibly , which captured the brig Harlequin on 7 December 1781.
In June 1781, Officeuse left Bordeaux for Senegal. In November she wrecked while crossing the bar at Casamance to escape , under Captain Thomas Shirley. Shirley reported that Officeuse was supposed to be worth £30,000.
Citations
References Demerliac, Alain (1996) La Marine De Louis XVI: Nomenclature Des Navires Français De 1774 À 1792. (Nice: Éditions OMEGA).