The stamp is designed after a painting made by Ambroise-Louis Garneray and is now in the National Museum of the Palace of Versailles and shows us the passing of the brig Le ZÉPHIR on the left of the Le INCONSTANT.
Le ZÉPHIR built as a wooden brig rigged vessel for a private owner after a design of Jean Marguerite Tupinier as a privateer. Where built is not known.
17 June 1813 acquired by the Empire Français Navy.
In the French navy she was one of the Sylphe-class.
This class was designed by Sané and was similar to an earlier class designed by Pestel, of which none survived in 1816. They measured 95ft 8in x 27ft 7in mld (29.16 x 8.42m). French 16-gun brigs were designed for 6pdr long guns, but these were replaced well before 1815 with 24pdr carronades.
Armed with 16 – 24pdr, carronades
28 February 1815 When Napoleon left Elba for France the last dangerous encounter was at 6 p.m., when emerging from the mist, a brig appears which sails towards the INCONSTANT and will pass at a short distance of the INCONSTANT.
Everyone at their post on the INCONSTANT, lie down on the deck and hide behind the bulwark. The ports are once again raised just in case. It is the ZÉPHIR recognizes Captain Taillade with the telescope, second to Chautard's new Captain of the INCONSTANT. Taillade knows the captain of this vessel well, it is a comrade who commands Le ZÉPHIR, Captain Andrieux who has moved to the royalist side.
The 2 captains greet each other and say a few words to each other in passing "We're going to Livorno" said Andrieux, "and we're going to Genoa" said Taillade. "How's the Emperor (some say: Papa)? Napoleon was lying like most of the crew behind the bulwark next to Taillade. He takes the megaphone and responds by shouting "wonderfully". The Zephyr has passed and disappears into the darkness of the mist.
02 May 1823 ZÉPHIR was wrecked near Cape Palos on the Spanish south coast.
Source Internet various websites
1972 Ras Al Khaima 2R sg?, scott?