Royal Society of Arts including Cheere and William Hogarth, or were involved in small-scale private art academies, such as the St Martin's Lane Academy. Although Cheere's attempt failed, the eventual charter, called an 'Instrument', used to establish the Royal Academy of Arts over a decade later was almost identical to that drawn up by Cheere and the RSA in 1755. The RSA also hosted the first "exhibition of contemporary art" in 1760. Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds were among those who exhibited at this first exhibition, and were subsequently founder members of The Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. The Society was a pioneer
Fleche (1768) Fleche (1768) Fleche was a French corvette built by Louis-Hilarion Chapelle (cadet) and launched at Toulon in 1768. The British captured her at the Fall of Bastia in May 1794 and commissioned her into the Royal Navy under her existing name. She observed the naval battle of Hyères Islands, but then wrecked in 1795. "Fleche" was a French corvette built by Louis-Hilarion Chapelle (cadet) and launched at Toulon on 19 October 1768. In the early 1790s she was stationed at Smyrna. In April 1790, while under the command of "major de vaisseau" "chevalier" de Lestang-Parade, she sailed on a mission