Alger class cruiser (1891)

The Alger class were three protected cruisers with significant differences between them, with a greater armament and following the theories of the Jeune École they were intended as a long-range commerce raiders. Relatively large two-funneled cruisers with military masts, plough bows and tumblehome. Alger had an overhanging stern, not the Isly and Jean Bart. Laid down in Cherbourg, Brest and Rochefort in 1887, launched in 1889 and 1891 and completed in 1891-93, they carried a heavier armament as before: Four 6.4 in/28 model 1887, six 5.5 in/30, two 9-pdr, eight to twelve 3-pdr, eight to ten 1-pdr guns and five 14-in TTs. The main guns were in sponsons, like the secondary ones to the exception of a single poop 5.5 in gun. They were capable of 19.5 knots, good steamers. Alger was hulked in 1911, Jean Bart was wrecked on 11.2.1907 on the north African coast. She has been reboilered with Niclausse models in 1903 in order to reach 20 knots. Isly survived until 1914 but was discarded.

The cruiser Jean Bart

Development

Note that if some sources made the Jean Bart its own class, Conways place them in the same class altogether, as the “Alger class”. Since all three ships were very similar, this post will treaty them as a single class. The Jean Bart class comprised two protected cruisers built in the late 1880s and early 1890s, Jean Bart and Isly. They were ordered as part of program following the theories of the Jeune École, with Admiral Aube pushing for their adoption. This famous naval school of thoughts proposed a defensive fleet of cruisers and torpedo boats (and coastal armoured ships).

More in detail, French naval minister, Charles-Eugène Galiber, wrote specifications for a new commerce raiding cruiser in 1885. It was submitted on 12 June to the Conseil des Travaux (works council), and generally followed the pattern of an earlier master cruiser, Amiral Cécille (1888). The new design was to be slightly smaller and faster, with a revised armament. Instead of secondary battery, they would be limited to a few medium guns. The Conseil led Galiber to propose for a meeting on 15 July, approved, largely without changes, apart from increasing the displacement from 3,700 t (3,600 long tons) up to 4,100 t (4,000 long tons). Galiber took the revised specifications, forwarded them to various shipyards on 21 July, a request for proposals.

Eight shipyards answered the call in early 1886. The Conseil had a meeting on 2 March and accepted four proposals, for further refinement. On 31 July, two were formally accepted. The first came from naval architect Jules Thibaudier and it became Jean Bart. The second became Alger. They were approved at the same time, generally similar, and so in many publications referred to as the Alger class, but ended with significant differences. In between Admiral Théophile Aube replaced Galiber as naval minister, and he wanted a clearer departure from Sfax, Tage, and Amiral Cécille. His proposed budget called for six large cruisers, ten smaller but in 1886, this became three large cruisers, two medium cruisers, six small cruisers.

A second ship in the “Jean Bart class” was named Dupuy de Lôme until cancelled in November, in favor of another ship of the Alger class. On 1 March 1887 this was reserved again for another Jean Bart-class, with the name Isly. Like previous masted cruisers, they would have a three-mast barque sailing rig. However as the design progressed, on 4 May 1888, with the ships already in construction, Jules François Émile Krantz, new naval minister, deleted the rig for a pair of heavy military masts. The light armament was revised also under him, with light anti-torpedo boat gun carried by the masts. The Jean Bart class and Alger had follow-ups like the Guichen and Châteaurenault later, far more successful as commerce raiders.

This new class of cruisers was thus designed, intended to serve a long-range commerce raiders, attacking enemy merchant shipping (likely British). Their main battery comprised four 164 mm (6.5 in) guns, completed by six 138 mm (5.4 in) guns. Top speed was setup at 19-19.5 knots (36.1 km/h, 22.4 mph). They were built at Arsenal de Rochefort and Brest, and Alger at Arsenal de Cherbourg. After entering service, Isly joined the Northern Squadron. Jean Bart operated with the Mediterranean Squadron until 1895. She then joined the Northern Squadron. All three were started in 1887 and completed in 1891-92, so on average a construction time of 4-5 years. Isly after completion served in French Indochina, then Jean Bart in 1898.

Jean Bart saw the Boxer. Isly was transferred to the North Atlantic station. Jean Bart was wrecked off Western Sahara in 1907, never refloated. Alger was deployed to French Indochina, back to France in 1897 and sent to the Mediterranean Squadron. She was placed in reserve in 1901, stricken in 1911, converted as a hulk, sold for BU in 1940. Isly was the last still active, albeit as a depot ship in 1909. She was sold for BU in 1914. These were short careers.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

Jean Bart sub-class

The Jean Bart was 107.7 m (353 ft 4 in) long at the waterline, 109.6 m (359 ft 7 in) long overall, with a beam of 13.3 m (43 ft 8 in), average draft of 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) to 6.4 m (21 ft) aft. She displaced 4,165 t (4,099 long tons; 4,591 short tons) at normal load, but at full load, the two cruisers coming from different yards diverged: 4,436 t (4,366 long tons, 4,890 short tons) for Jean Bart and 4,300 t (4,232 long tons, 4,740 short tons) for Isly.

Alger

Alger was sensibly different: She measured 105.6 m (346 ft 5 in) long at the waterline, 109 m (357 ft 7 in) long overall (about 60 cm difference), with a beam of 13.8 m (45 ft 3 in) at the waterline, 16.12 m (52 ft 11 in) over sponsons. Her average draft was 5.75 m (18 ft 10 in), up to 6.47 m (21 ft 3 in) aft. She displaced 4,123 t (4,058 long tons; 4,545 short tons) at normal load, then up to 4,356 t (4,287 long tons; 4,802 short tons) fully load.

They share the same general features though, as usual for the time, they featured a pronounced ram bow as well as a tumblehome shape, then a sloped and overhanging stern. The bow was strengthened enough to allow them to ram. There were minimal superstructure, a small conning tower and bridge forward, then two heavy military masts, with fighting tops for light guns and spotting trops. The crew range from 387 to 405 officers and ratings in her career, whereas Jean Bart and Isly had 331–405 officers and rating.

Powerplant

The three cruisers were powered by a relatively similar machinery, with the usual changes by naval years. They had all a pair of horizontal, 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines. Theh had two screw propellers, and Steam came from eight coal-burning fire-tube boilers that were ducted into two funnels. Alger had coal-burning Belleville-type water-tube boilers. The machinery was rated for 7,700 indicated horsepower (5,700 kW) for Jean Bart and 8,100 ihp (6,000 kW) for Isly, and 8,200 indicated horsepower (6,100 kW) for Alger, the most powerful of all three. Top speed was the same for all three, 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).

On speed trials however, Jean Bart managed only 18.41 knots (34.10 km/h; 21.19 mph), from 7,707 ihp (5,747 kW), Isly 18.28 knots (33.85 km/h; 21.04 mph) from 8,252 ihp (6,154 kW) and Alger was definitively the fastest and only one to outpace the others at 19.61 knots (36.32 km/h; 22.57 mph) from 7,928 ihp (5,912 kW). Coal storage in standard condition was limited to 750 t (740 long tons or 830 short tons) for Jean Bart, 880 t (870 long tons; 970 short tons) for Isly and 860t for Afger, then up to 940 t (930 long tons or 1,040 short tons) in case of war. The cruising radius at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) was then 7,014 nautical miles (12,990 km; 8,072 mi), with a normal endurance of 6000 nm at 10 knots. It was 6,440 nautical miles (11,930 km; 7,410 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) for Alger. In general, they were reputed good steamers, but the Belleville boilers really gave Alger the edge.

Protection

It was made of wrought iron and similar between the trhree ships:
-Main armor deck 40 mm (1.6 in) thick, layered on 10 mm (0.39 in), of normal hull plating, on a flat portion covering most of the lower hull, machinery and ammunition magazines, and it sloped downward to create some vertical protection just above to below the waterline increased to 90 mm (3.5 in).
It was tapered down to 85 mm (3.3 in) as it connected to the sides.
This slope was mounted on 10 mm hull plating, increased to 15 mm (0.59 in) due to the reduced thickness of the deck.
-Above the propulsion machinery spaces there was another layer of 8 mm (0.31 in) splinter deck to stop shell fragments from penetrating.
-The conning tower had 70 mm (2.8 in) iron plated walls and a 50 mm roof on Alger, 80 mm (3.1 in) on Jean Bart, 120 mm (4.7 in) for Isly.
-The main and secondary guns had 54 mm (2.1 in) thick gun shields on sponsons with 35 mm (1.4 in) chrome steel plating.
-Above the deck there was a 60 cm (24 in) wide cofferdam, heavily compartmentalized to control flooding.

Armament

164.7 mm/28 M1881

All three ships had the same armament, made of a main battery of four 164.7 mm (6.48 in) M1881 28-caliber in individual pivot mounts on the upper deck, in sponsons fore and aft, making for two guns per broadside, also in chase or retreat. No data, see the later M1893

138.6 mm/30 (5.46 in) M1881

Placed on individual pivot mounts on the upper deck under shields, with four sponsons between the main guns, one placed in an embrasure in the forecastle, the last in a swivel mount at the stern. The 138 mm guns could fire either solid cast iron, explosive AP (armor-piercing) 30 kg (66 lb). Muzzle velocity was 590 m/s (1,900 ft/s).

Light Guns: 65, 47, 37mm

To defend against torpedo boats, a powerful light armament was added, comprising on Alger two 65mm/50 M1891, eight 47mm/40 Hotchkiss M1885, and eight 5-tubes 37mm/20 Hotchkiss M1885.
Jean Bart and Isly had twelve 47mm/40 Hotchkiss M1885, and ten 37mm/20 M1885 Hotchkiss instead.

Torpedo Tubes:

All three ships had the same combination of five torpedo tubes of 350 mm, all above waterline, one at the bow and four in the beam.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	Normal 4,165 t, Full load: 4,436 t, see notes
Dimensions	109/109.6 m x 13.3 x 6.05 m (359 ft 7 in x 43 ft 8 in x 19 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts VTE engines, 8× boilers, 7,700 to 8,200 ihp (6,000 kW)
Speed	19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range	6,440-7,014 nmi (12,990 km; 8,072 mi) at 10 knots
Armament	4× 164.7 mm, 6× 138.6 mm, 2× 65 mm, 6× 47 mm, 8× 37 mm, 5× 356 mm TTs
Protection	Deck 40-90 mm (1.6-3.5 in), CT 80 mm (3.1 in), Shields 54 mm (2.1 in)
Crew	331–405

Modifications

1890s modifications

On 28 January 1891, even before entering active service for Jean Bart, new naval minister Édouard Barbey ordered the main battery M1881 guns replaced by the new M1891 QF gun. Being heavier, the sponsons would have had to have been strengthened, so it was cancelled and instead, Barbey accepted modified M1881 guns converted to quick firing. Work was delayed as she had sea trials, and only performed in 1893–1894. Isly was completed with these new guns.

Another issue on trials was found with the heavy military masts, causing excessive rolling, and changing the matacentric height. Also on trials it was discovered they suffered from excessive vibration at high speeds, so much so it was had to man gun positions in the fighting tops. Jean Bart had her masts shortened in 1897 down to the conning tower, made lighter as they were composite wood-and-steel pole masts above. Isly saw her removed for pole masts also that year. Jean Bart had her bow torpedo tubes removed, Isly both her bow tubes and stern tube.

As for Alger, in 1893, after she entered service, both her main and secondary batteries were upgraded to quick-firing, converted M1881 pattern guns (see above). Her military masts were replaced with light pole masts in 1897, her bow and stern torpedo tubes removed.

1900s modifications

boilers due to cost. Alger was modernized first in 1900, with two 65 mm M1888/50, ten 47 mm Hotchkiss guns and she had a pair of 65 mm field guns, and three 37 mm guns that could be mounted on swivels, for ship’s boats, making for a significant landing party. She had another refits in 1903 and 1906, with her last torpedo tubes removed, and in 1904, her excellent boilers were refurbished.

Jean Bart had a major overhaul and modernization between February 1903 and July 1905. She was re-boilered with twelve water-tube Niclausse boilers, like Alger. Trials were dsiappointing though, with a top speed of 17.03 knots (31.54 km/h; 19.60 mph), from 7,025 ihp (5,239 kW). Conway’s reports 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) from 10,000 indicated horsepower (7,500 kW) however. Her light armament still comprised two 65 mm guns, but ten 47 mm guns, four 37 mm guns. Isly underwent her own major refit in 1909, her light battery was standardized to twelve 47 mm guns.

Alger was ordered on 14 February 1887 from Arsenal de Cherbourg. She was laid down on November 1887 and launched on 24 November 1889. She was commissioned in 1892. She started her sea trials in early 1892, full-power tests in May, secondary tests completed in June. She was then placed in reserve for alterations, like the modernization of her main and secondary guns. She remained out of service until 1893 and was commissioned on 17 April for active service. Sources diverged about if she was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron or, for the contemporary journal and Naval Annual to the Northern Squadron, with the ironclads Requin and Victorieuse, coastal defense ship Furieux, protected cruiser Surcouf. She was present for the summer fleet maneuvers of July, 9-16 1894 and took on supplies in Toulon. She was part of a mock blockade and scouting operations, western Mediterranean, concluded on 3 August.

Alger was sent with Isly on a cruise to French Indochina from October 1895. She remained on station in the Far East in 1896, returned to France in February 1897. Back home, she was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron for annual maneuvers in July. She had a first refit in Toulon, was deactivated and placed in the reserve in January 1901. She then had additional refits. Thomas Brassey in Naval Annual listed her in fleet maneuvers of 1906 from 6 July, and concentrated the Northern and Mediterranean Squadrons in Algiers. Maneuvers went to the western Mediterranean. She alternated between ports in French North Africa and Toulon as well as Marseille until 4 August. John Jordan and Philippe Caresse saw her reactivated in 1905 and she was sent to the Far East with the armored cruisers Bruix and Dupetit-Thouars as well as the protected cruiser Guichen.

The Naval Annual also list her in the Far East by 1907 alongside D’Entrecasteaux, Bruix, Chanzy, Descartes and Catinat. She patrolled the East Indies and Pacific and remained until 1908 with D’Entrecasteaux and Bruix. She was decommissioned on 12 October 1910, struck on 23 November 1911, placed on sale in Rochefort and became a hulk in Rochefort by 1914. Next she moved to Lorient, used as a hulk from 1920 to 1939 and sold for BU in 1940.

Jean Bart was ordered on 18 September 1886, contracts for the machinery on 19 November with Indret. She was listed in January 1887, laid down in September 1887, launched on 24 October 1889 and completed on 5 March 1891 at the Arsenal de Rochefort, Rochefort. She had her sea trials on 5 March 1891 with tests approved on 8 October. She sailed for Toulon, for Mediterranean trials until 5 March 1892, then in full commission, assigned to the reserve squadron and main French battle fleet in Toulon.

By early 1893, she visited the US with the unprotected cruiser Aréthuse and aviso Hussard. She was there for the international Columbian Naval Review, off New York on 27 April 1893. When back she had a major refit from May 1893 to February 1894. She was by 1893 in the active component with modern ironclads as well as the Dupuy de Lome, Amiral Cécille, Cosmao, Troude, and Lalande, and same next year. She was also present in the annual training exercises to test the effectiveness of the French coastal defense system. She was in exercises on 15-29 July and on the 18th, she collided with the TB Grondeur. Grondeur hed her bow muched and she had to be returned to port for repairs. It showed also the coastal defense system in the Channel was to be perfected.

In 1895, she was transferred to the Northern Squadron and commissionned for 4 months, with the coastal defense ship Furieux, ironclads Requin, Victorieuse, Suffren, armored cruiser Latouche-Tréville, protected cruisers Coëtlogon and Surcouf. In 1896 she ended in the 2nd category reserve with older coastal defense ships as well as ironclads and other cruisers, still mobilizable in case of a major war. In 1897 she was refitted, with the replacement of her military masts with pole masts, both for weight and less visibility. Her light guns were relocated and she obtained electric search lights on platforms on these pole masts.

With the Boxer Uprising in China by 1898, Jean Bart was mobilized and sailed there, with the Indochina squadron comprising the Bayard, cruisers Descartes and Pascal, and Duguay-Trouin. She was still there by early 1901, as well as eight other cruisers. In May 1903, Jean Bart was recalled to France, reduced to reserve in Lorient where she was modernized (see above: boilers and armaments) from February 1903 and 20 July 1905. She had sea trials in October and by 11 February 1907, she sailed to Spanish Sahara, near Cape Blanc, but while in heavy fog she ran over an uncharted reef. The crew jettisoned all htey could to try to lighten up and free her. Eventually this was for nought. The captain ordered an evacuation as ominous creaking were heard, and her hull broke in half on 23 February, with the last of her crew still aboard the wreck until 2 April to organized the end of the stripping.

Salvage rights for Jean Bart were sold to Blandy Brothers, Las Palmas. Jean Bart was stricken on 13 April. That was a sad, ateful yeart for the Marine Nationale, that also lost the cruiser Chanzy off China and and Iéna after a powder charge explosion. Her captain was courts-martialled, convicted of “negligent ship handling”, and lost commands for three years. Scrapping on situ went on until March 1914.

Dupuy de Lôme was initially planned as a second Jean Bart class, she was attributed to the Arsenal de Brest, but cancelled. Her name went to the first French armoured cruiser.

Isly was laid down on 3 July 1887, she was launched on 22 June 1891 and commissioned 25 October 1892. Arsenal de Brest, Brest. In sea trials she managed only 18.5 knots on forced draft, but this was in poor weather, so the commission estimated she lost half a knot, and thus that she met her 19 knots requirement. Trials lasted for a year. She was placed in full commission on 20 September 1893 and ten days later, sailed to Cherbourg, joining the Escadre du Nord. Assigned to the Reserve Division, Northern Squadron, with the ironclad Suffren, Tonnerre and Fulminant. She had 1894 annual training exercises, testing in depht the French coastal defense system. She departed on 15 July for operations until 29 July. Isly joined Alger to French Indochina in 1895, meeting there Duguay-Trouin, Forfait, Beautemps-Beaupré. Her Far East service ended in 1896. In 1897 she was back to the Far East with the cruiser Descartes, joining Bayard and the scout cruiser Éclaireur.

Isly then returned to France in 1899, assigned to the North Atlantic station, Brest, on 15 March. She was laid up in 1900, and had an overhaul, with the replacement of her original decks with linoleum upon steel plating, among others (see above). She was recommissioned on 8 April and surveyed the fisheries in the Atlantic, assigned to the Naval Division, Atlantic, with the protected cruisers Suchet and Amiral Cécille. She later escorted with the transport vessel Manche on the French fishing grounds off Newfoundland over six months. In 1901 she was decommissioned for a major overhaul, with new water-tube boilers installed.

In 1908, the Naval Division, Atlantic, fusioned with the Northern Squadron, Isly being transferred there when recommissioned on 1 January 1901 at Lorient. There were eight armored cruisers, four protected cruisers in this new unit. Isly sailed to French Morocco with the armored cruiser Kléber and in 1909, she was converted into a depot ship for destroyers. She remained into that duty until decommissioned on 13 March 1911. Stricken from the register on 23 November she was conveted as a depot ship for torpedo boats in Lorient, capitalizing on her former transformations, from late 1911 to 1913. She was then sold and purchased on 11 April 1914 by Willer Peterson of Copenhagen in Denmark, BU. None of these cruisers, completed in 1891-92, saw action in WW1, but they are classed in that section as ships of the 1890s were launched up to that point.

Sources/Read More

Books

Barry, E. B. (1895). “The Naval Manoeuvres of 1894”. A Monthly Review of Military and Naval Affairs.
Brassey, Thomas A. (1893). “Chapter III-IV: Relative Strength”. Naval Annual. Portsmouth: J. Griffin & Co.
Campbell, N. J. M. (1979). “France”. Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860–1905.
Dorn, E. J. & Drake, J. C. (July 1894). “Notes on Ships and Torpedo Boats”. Notes on the Year’s Naval Progress. XIII. USNI
Fisher, Edward C., ed. (1969). “157/67 French Protected Cruiser Isly”. Warship International. VI (3).
Garbett, H., ed. (May 1901). “Naval Notes: France”. Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. XVI (279). J. J. Keliher & Co.
Leyland, John (1901). “Chapter IV: Comparative Strength”. Naval Annual. Portsmouth: J. Griffin & Co.
“Naval Notes: France”. Journal, Royal United Service Institution. XLIII (254). J. J. Keliher & Co.
Roberts, Stephen (2021). French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914. Barnsley: Seaforth.
Ropp, Theodore (1987). Roberts, Stephen S. (ed.). The Development of a Modern Navy 1871–1904. NIP
Stanglini, Ruggero; Cosentino, Michele (2022). Ships, Strategy, and Operations 1870–1918. Barnsley, Seaforth Publishing.

Links

navypedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
wikimedia commons jean bart
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