French Navy - 1896 - Ships
The list of completed Battleships includes the Amiral Baudin, 11,910 tons; Formidable, 12,165 tons; Amiral Duperro, 11,260 tons; Brennus, " 11,395 tons; Hoche, 10,997 tons; Marceau, 10,850 tons; Neptune, 10,980 tons; Magenta, 10,850 tons; Devastation, 10,705 tons; Courbet, 10,810 tons ; Eedoutable, 9437 tons ; Friedland, 8990 tons. These 12 battleships made a group of unequal value; but all were armed with quick-firing guns. Their hulls were of iron and steel, and when united in one fleet they would have a sea-speed of about 14 knots - with the exception of the Friedland which is rather slower. The fastest ship is the Brennus ; the Hoche, Marceau, Neptune, and Magenta, which can make 16 knots without forced draught, come next ; the remaining ships, which were of older construction, were slower.Four armor-clads with wooden hulls were still found in the list, viz.: the Eichelieu, Colbert, Trident, and Suffren. Their displacement ranges from 7800 to 9130 tons. One, the Trident, is in commission in the Reserve Mediterranean Squadron, but she was replaced in late 1896, and as it is intended to reduce the cost of her maintenance to a minimum, she, like the three others, was struck off the lists in the not very distant future.
There were 15 coast-defence ships, viz. : Terrible, 7879 tons ; Requin, 7820 tons ; Caiman, 7640 tons ; Indomptable, 7635 tons ; Bouvines and Trehouart, 6610 tons ; Jemmapes and Valmy, 6590 tons ; Furieux, 6020 tons ; Fulminant and Tonnerre, 5860 tons ; Tonnant, 5090 tons; Ternpete, 4870 tons; Vengeur, 4710 tons; Onondaga, 2593 tons. These tonnages were the result of a recent revision. The first four belong to the same group, and had for a long time figured in the squadrons side by side with battleships proper. It was proposed to refit them, and to replace their 42-centimeter guns by weapons of smaller calibre. The Bouvines and Trehouart had only just been commissioned ; they were really small battleships rather than coast-defence ships. The Jemmapes and Valmy were sister ships; they are modified and improved Furieux. The Furieux, Fulminant, and Tonnerre were true coast-defence ships ; they were sea-keeping to the same extent as other vessels of the class, and have fairly good speed. On the other hand, the Tempete, Vengeur, and Onondaga, were slow ships which would only be risked in exceptional circumstances at sea, but which would, ueverthelees, be useful for coast defence. In France, as in other countries, the construction of armor-clads of moderate tonnage for the special duties of coast defence appeared to have been abandoned.
The whole group of cruiser battleships [Cuirasses decroisiere] was practically condemned. It included six ships, viz. : the Bayard, Duguesclin, Turenne, Vauban, Triomphante, and Victorieuse. Their displacement ranges from 4670 to 6010 tons. The Bayard alone was in commission. The Triomphaute was laid up at Saigon. All had wooden or composite hulls, and were to be shortly struck off the list.
Five armored cruisers were in commission, 'viz. : the Dupuy de Lome, 6406 tons ; the Latouche-Treville, Charner, and Chanzy 4750 tons. The Dupuy de Lome had a completely armored side ; the others had only a belt at the water-line. The first named exceeded 20 knots on her trials, the others steamed rather over 18 knots. The Latouche-Treville was remarkable for the fact that her guns were all worked by electricity.
France possessed eight armoured gunboats, the water-lines of which are protected by armor, and which carried one gun of large caliber. They were, like other vessels of a similar type, very moderate sea-boats. They may be divided into two classes according to their tonnage. The first-class comprises the Acheron, Cocyte, Phlegeton, and Styx, of 1715 to 1795 tons ; the second-class, the Flanime, Fusee, Grenade, and Mitraille, of 1090 to 1140 tons. The Styx was in reserve at Saigon. These vessels were of moderate speed, and would be utilised for coast defence.
To these must be added : 4 Wooden Battleships; 6 Wooden cruising Battleships (cuiraitrt de croisiere); and 2 Wooden Coast-Defence Ships. The fighting value of these 12 last ships is very doubtful. They would be struck off the lists in very few years' time.
The French Navy List included a large number of cruisers, among which were many wooden ships which might conveniently be eliminated, Taken in the order of tonnage the first and second-class cruisers of recent construction and available for service, were the Tage, 7589 tons ; Duquesne, 6000 tons; Tourville, 5580 tons; Cecille, 5935 tons; Sfax, 4634 tons; Isly, 4475 tons; Alger, 4380 tons; Jean-Bart, 4109 tons ; Chasseloup-Laubat, 3758 tons ; Friant, 3740 tons ; Duguay-Trouin, 3593 tons ; Suchet, 3330 tons ; Davout, 3020 tons ; making a total of 13 vessels. Of these the Duquesne, the Tourville, and the Duguay-Trouin, built twenty years ago, were composite vessels, with few watertight compartments, and therefore no longer fulfilled the requirements of modern cruisers ; but the first two had a trial speed of 17 knots, and had recently been thoroughly repaired. The others are of a later type, are armed with quick-firing guns, have armored decks, and a speed of 17 to 20 knots. The list of cruisers was completed by the four wooden vessels, Dubourdieu, Naiade, Are'thuse, and Iphigenie, stationed abroad or employed on special service.
Of the 25 third-class cruisers still on the list, only 8 need be mentioned, viz. : the Linois, 2345 tons ; Cosmao, Troude, and Lalande, 1920 tons; Coetlogon and Surcouf, 1930 tons; Forbin, 1820 tons, and Milan, 1730 tons. The Milan might also be classed among the sloops. The radius of action of the seven first-named vessels - which are of modern type - is very limited. In foreign waters French cruisers of the third-class are still numerous ; but they are wooden vessels which would gradually disappear from the Navy List.
There were 5 torpedo-cruisers, viz. : the Wattiguies, 1310 tons ; Torpedo- Condor, Faucon, and Vautour, 1240 tons ; and Epervier, 1230 tons ; all of the most recent type. They had a high speed, and were useful as scouts and torpedo-boat destroyers. The 12 vessels of the torpedo-gunboat class, include the Cassini, Torpedo 944 tons ; d'Iberville, 925 tons ; Leger and Levrier, 440 tons ; Dragonne, 410 tons ; Lance, 402 tons ; Bombe, Couleuvrine and Dague, 395 tons ; Fleche, 380 tons ; St. Barbe and Salve 320 tons. The Cassini and d'Iberville were of the latest type, the Leger and Levrier were of recent construction, while the remaining eight were built some twelve years ago. All had a high speed, the Cassini and d'Iberville steaming more than 21 knots.
The torpedo-flotilla included the following classes : seagoing, first, second, and third-class torpedo-boats, vedette-boats, and submarine boats. The seagoing torpedo-boats, 33 in- number, were of 106 to 150 tons. The Forban, 136 tons, built by M. Normand, had a trial speed of 31 knots, for a consumption of 2 tons 12 cwt. of coal per hour. Speeds of 25 to 26 knots, being at least 2 knots in excess of the contract speed, had been attained by the seagoing torpedo-boats of most recent construction. There are 65 first-class torpedo-boats, most of them of 80 tons. While the seagoing torpedo-boats were more especially intended for service with the fleet, the first-class torpedo-boats were to be used for local defence. In addition to these, there were 82 second- class torpedo-boats nearly all of 54 tons. No further vessels of this class had been built during the last few years. The list is completed by 40 third-class torpedo-boats and 6 vedette-boats, of obsolete types.
The torpedo-boats, both commissioned and in reserve, were for the most part stationed at the chief naval ports ; but there were also small groups of such vessels at Dunkirk, in Corsica, Algeria, and Tunis. Six were held in reserve at Saigon. At the naval ports they were attached to a ship of larger tonnage. Those in commission put to sea frequently. The remainder were kept in good condition, and get up steam periodically to test the condition of their engines and boilers. The distribution of the boats was settled by the Minister of Marine. According to the Appendix to the Estimates, 2 first-class and 2 second-class torpedo-boats were to be stationed at Dunkirk, 4 of each class at Cherbourg, 2 of the first-class, 4 of the second, and 2 of the third-class at Brest, and so on. This arrangement was, however, subject to necessary variation. During the annual maneuvers a certain number of boats are drawn from the reserve for a period of training, which lasts about one month.
At each of the naval ports the submarine defence was under the control of a Captain. Another officer commands the torpedo-flotilla, and is subordinate to the first. At Dunkirk, a commander, who at the same time commanded an armoured gunboat, was the commanding officer of the torpedo-flotilla. In Corsica and Algeria the torpedo-boats were under the direct control of the Captain and Eear-Admiral, who respectively commanded the naval forces in these waters.
There were under construction in France, 2 seagoing torpedo-boats, one of 120, the other of 129 tons, and both of 25 knots speed, and 6 first-class torpedo-boats, of 85 tons displacement, and 23 knots speed. In addition, the last 6 of the 8 portable torpedo-boats, ordered for the torpedo depot ship, La Foudre, was to be completed in 1896. One of these, built by Messrs. Yarrow, attained a very high rate of speed on her trials. Unfortunately, however, the aluminium used on her construction rapidly deteriorated, and after a few months in the waters of Cherbourg harbour, so to speak, perished. The further use of this metal for the remaining boats was therefore abandoned. It was thought possible that this failure may have been due to the fact that the metal used was not chemically pure. A new vessel of the Forban class, probably of smaller displacement, to be called the Cyclone, was shortly to be commenced. All the French torpedo-boats at present being built, will be fitted with Du Temple or Normand multitubular boilers.
The submarine boats, Submarine Gymnote and Gustave-Zede, were recently completed ; and the Morse, in construction at Cherbourg. In each, the motive power was electricity from batteries of accumulators.
The battleship included in the Estimates for 1896 was not be commenced until the end of the year. The number of torpedo-boats to be put in hand in 1896 was not fixed by the Estimates, and depended upon the resources at the disposal of the Admiralty arising from delay in the completion of other work. It was apparent from the number of vessels which made their trials in 1896, that the ships to be commissioned in the course of the year, would include 2 battleships, 1 armoured, 2 second-class and 1 third-class cruiser, the torpedo depot ship, 1 torpedo-cruiser, 1 torpedo-gunboat, 1 gunboat and 1 submarine boat. In 1897, the vessels to be commissioned included 2 battleships, 5 second-class cruisers and 1 third-class cruiser. The steam trials of French ships always occupied a considerable time, owing to the care with which the machinery is' tested, and especially so now, owing to the experiments being made with the new water-tube boilers in order to ascertain their strength and the way of using them to the best advantage. Nearly all the ships building are fitted with water- tube boilers. They were armed with guns of high initial velocity, and very little wood is used in their construction or fittings.
The list of the French Navy contained, besides wooden battleships and cruisers, which it is unnecessary to dwell upon, a number of vessels serving on foreign stations or in the French colonies, which had no military value. In fact they may be regarded as part of the impedimenta of a colonial power. They included some 30 inferior wooden sloops, 13 transports, which are fitted with an armament, and can carry several hundred tons of cargo ; and 14 gunboats, the majority being of composite construction. There were besides a certain number of transports requiring thorough repair to render them serviceable. One of these, La Gironde, is a fleet-transport which had several times taken part in the annual maneuvers. The others are used either as hospital-ships or cargo-boats. There was an increasing tendency to make use of vessels of the merchant service for those services as transports formerly performed by the Navy itself. That each service should stick to its proper work is logical ; but these vessels formed an excellent school of navigation and of seamanship, both for officers and men.
Finally, some twenty small vessels were employed on the French coasts for the protection and regulation of the fisheries, duties devolving upon the Navy in connection with the Inscription Maritime.
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