Escadre d'évolution

An Escadre d'évolution (French, literally "Evolution squadron") is a squadron of warships of the French Navy cruising in peacetime for the purpose of training their crew and student officers.^[1]^[2]

History

The French Navy started organising Escadre d'évolution early in its existence. During the 17th century, Tourville conducted such exercises. ^[2]

The practice fell in disuse due to an era of wars and lack of credits. During the reign of Louis XVI, the Navy restored the practice under Duchaffault and Orvilliers.^[2] In 1772, Orvilliers was cruising off the shores of France for several weeks, with his flag on the 64-gun Alexandre.^[3]^[4] Duchaffault captained the 50-gun Fier,^[5] and the frigate Aurore was also part of the squadron.^[6] Minister Sartine then instituted such cruises as yearly events.^[4]

In 1775, Guichen was conducting his own exercises from Brest^[7]^[8] with a 12-ship division comprising four frigates, five corvettes, a lugger and two cutters, and 1885 men, with his flag on the 36-gun frigate Terpsichore.^[4] On 8 September 1775, Guichen's training squadron appeared on the horizon and was in port a mere two hours later; the event shook Sartine, who remarked that the defences of Brest could never be manned in such a short time, and thus had to be reinforced and maintained at a constant state of readiness, even in peacetime.^[9]

In 1776, Sartine increased the strength of the Escadre d'évolution to 17 ships, including three ships of the line, seven frigates, five corvettes and two cutters.^[10] It was organising in three divisions, each under a Chef d'Escadre with his flag on a ship of the line: Du Chaffault, holding exercises from Brest^[11] with his flag on the 74-gun Zodiaque; Abon, on the 64-gun Provence; and Chartres, on the 64-gun Solitaire. From 10 May, the squadron conducted a four-month cruise between Ushant and Cape Finisterre, and with 3,705 men — fewer than in wartime, but noticeably more than the normal peacetime complement.^[12] The frigate Diligente, under Lieutenant Amblimont, took part in the exercises.^[13]

Training at sea resumed after the War of American Independence and the related Anglo-French War that ended in 1783. Notably, when Louis XVI visited Cherbourg naval base in April 1786 to mark the completion of a sea wall, the Escadre d'évolution held a naval review and naumachia under Chef d'Escadre Albert de Rions, with his flag on the 74-gun Patriote.^[14]

Louis XVI visiting Cherbourg in 1786, by Louis-Philippe Crépin

The French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars removed the opportunity to conduct training cruises for a whole era again. In the 1840s, the practice was reintroduced under the impulsion of such officers as Lalande.^[15]