French Navy - 1896 - Fleet Organization
The French coast was divided into five maritime divisions. These were further cut up into sub-divisions, at the head of which are placed administrators of the corps of clerks (Commissaires) corresponding in rank with that of post-captains. The question of replacing them with naval officers, which would appear to be a logical step and would certainly be done in time of war, had often been raised, but vested interests were respected in France without demur, even when they no longer satisfied the wants of the time.The stations of the sub-divisions were as follows :
Headquarters 1st Division Dunkerque and le Havre Cherbourg 2nd Division St. Servan Brest 3rd Division Nantes Lorient 4th Division Bordeaux Rochefort 5th Division Marseille Toulon
The Naval administration in Corsica was in the hands of a Post-Captain, who was the subordinate of the Prefet Maritime of Toulon. In Algeria and Tunis it was in the hands of a Rear-Admiral, who was under the orders of both the Governor-General of Algeria and the Resident-General of Tunis.
The ships in commission were divided between the home squadrons, the extra-European divisions, local stations, and special services. In addition, a certain number were employed for training and instruction, for the protection of fisheries, as transports, etc. The most important of these groups was the Active Mediterranean Squadron ; then came the Northern Squadron ; and lastly, the Reserve Mediterranean Squadron.
The Active Mediterranean Squadron was under the command of a Vice-Admiral, who must have previously commanded the Reserve Squadron for one year. The chief of the staff is a Rear-Admiral or Captain, who had under his orders four naval officers doing the duties of aides-de-camp, and also a fleet-engineer, a paymaster, a fleet-surgeon, and a chaplain. The four last named were directly responsible for the administration of the special departments to which they belonged. The aides-de-camp held themselves at the disposition of the Vice- Admiral in command. When at sea they kept watch, were responsible for the signals, and reported to the Admiral and the chief of the staff, through the medium of midshipmen attached to the staff, every incident which takes place. They had nothing to do with the navigation of the flagship, to which they belong. This vessel was commanded by a Captain, called the Flag-Captain. The other officers were a commander, six lieutenants, five sub-lieutenants, four engineers, an assistant paymaster, a surgeon, and a certain number of midshipmen.
The Active Mediterranean Squadron consisted, in theory, of 9 battleships, and 9 cruisers of various classes, besides 9 destroyers and torpedo-boats. These form three divisions : tlie first, commanded - by the Vice-Admiral, as Commander-in-Chief ; the two others by Bear- Admirals, who held these subordinate appointments for two years.
For 1896 the Squadron included the following vessels :
BATTLESHIPS: Amiral Baudin, Brennus, Courbet, Devastation, Formidable, Magenta, Marceau, Neptune, and Redoutable.
ARMORED CRUISERS : Bruix, Clianzy, Charner.
CRUISERS, 3rd Class ; Cosmao, Linois, Troude.
TORPEDO-CRUISERS : Faucon, Vautour, Wattignies.
TORPEDO-GUNBOATS: Cusabianca, Cossini, d'Iberville.
SEAGOING TORPEDO-BOATS: Ariel, Argonaute, Chevalier, Corsaire, Forban, and Mousqultaire.
The list of battleships was as final. The other vessels were subject to change, according to the general requirements of the naval service. For the manning of the Active Mediterranean Squadron, provision was made in the 1896 Estimates for 461 officers, and 8600 non-commissioned officers and seamen. The cost is estimated at £776,442. This Squadron was ready for active service throughout the year ; its naval base being Toulon. In the winter it cruised off the coast of Provence, and was constantly under exercise. As a rule, a division, sometimes the entire squadron, was sent to the Levant at this time of year. In summer, the ports of Corsica, Tunis, and Algeria, were visited, and occasionally the coasts of Spain. The Squadron then returned to Toulon, preparatory to the annual maneuvers, which were followed by an inspection by the Commander-in-Chief, previous to the transfer of the command to the Vice-Admiral of the Reserve Squadron.
The latter has under his command a force of much less importance than that just described, which should consist, in 1896, of only 4 battleships, 4 cruisers, and 2 torpedo gunboats, viz. :
BATTLESHIPS : Amiral Duperre, Trident, Caiman, and Terrible.
CRUISERS, 2nd Class : Isly and Suchet.
CRUISERS, 3rd Class : Forbin and Milan.
TOBPEDO-GUNBOATB: Leger and LeVrier.
SEAGOING TORPEDO-BOATS : Dragon and Temeraire.
The vessels composing the Squadron were only fully manned at the period of the annual maneuvers. During the rest of the year they had from one-half to two-thirds of their full complement. The base for the Reserve Squadron, as for the Active Squadron, was Toulon. In winter the ships cruised occasionally on the coast of Provence, and in summer in the western basin of the Mediterranean. At the time of the maneuvers the crews were completed to their full strength. The Squadron then formed part of the command of the Vice- Admiral of the Active Squadron, whereas at other times it is only under his general orders. The personnel of the Reserve Squadron consisted of 114 officers and 3148 noncommissioned officers and men. In the Estimates it figured for the sum of £273,700.
The Northern Squadron was under the command of a Vice-Admiral, whose staff was similar to that of the Permanent Mediterranean Squadron. It comprised two divisions, the first under the direct control of the Vice-Admiral, the second under that of a Rear-Admiral, and was subject to regulations framed on the same lines as those applied to the two Mediterranean Squadrons. During the six summer months the ships are fully manned, while during the remaining months the crews were reduced to a minimum.
The Squadron may be said to consist of the following :
BATTLESHIPS : Hoche, Bouvines, Treliouarf.
COAST-DEFENCE SHIPS : Jemmapes and Valmy.
CRUISERS (Armored) : Dupuy de Lome.
CRUISERS 2nd Class : Bugeaud, Chaaseloup-Laubat, and Friant.
CRUISERS 3rd Class : Coetlogon.
TORPEDO-GUNBOATs: Cassitu, Lance, and Salve.
SEAGOING TORPEDO-BOATS : Archer, Dauphin, and Lancier.
The first 5 vessels of the above list, forming what may be called the nucleus of the Squadron, had not the homogeneity of the group of ironclads of the active Mediterranean Squadron. The personnel of the entire Squadron included 239 officers, and3412 non-commissioned officers and seamen. For the year 1896 the sum apportioned to it in the Estimates is £350,354.
The three home Squadrons, and the torpedo-flotilla constitute the bulk of the force which would be at the disposal of the French Naval authorities immediately on the outbreak of hostilities. Next would come a certain number of ships of the reserve, which could be quickly fitted out and commissioned. Included in the second category of the reserve are the following ships :
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BATTLESHIP: Friedland.
CRUISING BATTLESHIPS : Duguesclin, Turenne, Yanban, Triomphante (at Saigon).
COAST-DEFENCE SHIPS : Eequin, Indomptable, Fulminant, Furieux, Tonnerrc, TempSte, Vengeur, Onondaga.
ARMORED GUNBOATS : 6.
CRUISERS, 1st Class : Tage, Duquesne, Tourville, Jean-Bart.
CRUISERS, 2nd Class : Davont.
CRUISERS, 3rd Class : Lalande, Surcouf.
TORPEDO-CRUISER : Condor.
TORPEDO-GUNBOATS : 2.
The torpedo-boats of every class were in reserve; only a few are unavailable. The ships had their commanders, several officers and the nucleus of a crew told off. As a matter of fact, those having a fighting value and of modern construction have their munitions on board, as well as their captains, some officers, and skeleton crews told off. On the receipt of the order to mobiliso, they would be ready to go to sea in a few days.
The French Navy maintained five foreign divisions, of which two were commanded by Rear-Admirals, and the remainder by captains. The Rear- Admirals had attached to their personal staff, a flag- captain, a lieutenant, and a sub-lieutenant. Each captain of a division commanded his own ship, and had a lieutenant, called a divisional adjutant, as aide-de-camp. The five foreign divisions were those of the Atlantic, the Pacific, the extreme East, Cochin-China and the Indian Ocean.
The Atlantic Division, commanded by a Rear- Admiral, consisted of 3 cruisers and a sloop, none of which were of the latest types. Its field of action included the east coast of North and South America, the West Indies, and the West Coast of Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to Morocco. One of its duties during 1896 was to take part in watching the Newfoundland fisheries, conjointly with 2 small vessels which sailed from France in the spring.
The Pacific Division, commanded by a Captain, had for its sphere the Islands of the Pacific, and the western coasts of the two Americas. It consiste of 2 cruisers and a transport-sloop, not of recent construction.
The extreme East Division, commanded by a Rear-Admiral, operates in Chinese and Japanese waters, and comprised an armored- cruiser, the Bayard ; 2 second-class fast cruisers, the Alger and Isly ; 1 third-class cruiser, 1 sloop, and 2 gunboats. Omitting the Bayard, which was of moderate value, the only vessels of modern type were the Alger and the Isly.
The Cochin-China Division is under the command of a Captain, who has a residence at Saigon, and directed the Naval Arsenal at that place. Its duties included the guarding of the rivers of Cochin-China and the Mekong. The exploration of the great Indo-Chinese river was conducted by the officers of this division. They ascended rapids previously considered impracticable in the small river gunboats. One sloop, 2 gunboats, and several river gunboats, formed the nucleus of this Division. These vessels cruised on the coasts of Cochin-China and in the Gulf of Siam. One was stationed at Bangkok. Six torpedo-boats, an old disarmed ironclad, an armored gunboat in reserve, and several sea and river gunboats were held in readiness at Saigon.
The Indian Ocean Division, commanded by a Captain, consisted of 2 third-class cruisers, 2 sloops, and 2 gunboats. It always remained in Madagascar waters, where it was reinforced by several small vessels during the recent war. About a dozen stern-wheel gunboats, of light draught, employed on the Betsiboka, and having no military value, were also attached to this division.
The vessels attached to colonial stations are of less importance than those forming part of the Naval Divisions. They were as a rule sloops of small tonnage, under the orders of the Governors of the Colonies, and performing local service. The French Admiralty, in conjunction with the Minister for the Colonies, was taking steps towards the gradual diminution of the number of these vessels. Five were employed on the West Coast of Africa, 2 at the Society Islands, 1 at Guiana, and 1 at New Caledonia. Five river gunboats and a sloop are stationed at Tonquin. It is, however, unnecessary to refer more particularly to these small vessels, which may be regarded as the rubbish of the Navy. They are simply a source of expense, while offering few advantages in the way of training to their crews.
The most powerful ships were attached to the home Squadrons, and an important and well-organised reserve of armored coast-defence vessels, cruisers, torpedo-destroyers, and torpedo-boats, exists, and could be readily prepared for active service, thanks in great measure to the resource which France possessed in the Inscription Maritime. The extra European divisions were composed of ships of moderate power, with one or two exceptions, built of wood. The protection of the fisheries in Newfoundland and Iceland was also carried out by vessels of an obsolete type. Several swift vessels of composite struction were building for service with the Naval Divisions, appear, however, that the French Parliament is disinclined to allocate money for ships for foreign waters. It refused to do so in 1896, whereas the credits required for the home were granted.
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