Marine Nationale (1887-80), Protected cruiser, 1890-1910 Suchet was a protected cruiser ordered under Admiral Théophile Aube of jeune ecole fame, Minister of Marine at the time. He favoured a cruisers-first fleet and defensive array of torpedo boats. As for cruisers, they needed to be of various types and Suchet repeated the same recipes as Davout. … Read more
France. Barbette Ironclad Amiral Duperre. Built 1877-82, service until 1905 After the first steel-built ironclads, the Devastation class, which were still central battery ironclads, the Marine Nationale returned to the “near-turret” concept after the Ocean class with a central battery sporting four upper heavy guns in open barbettes. But she was specifically designed as a … Read more
France. Central Battery Ironclad Colbert, Trident Built 1870-78, service until 1900 The Colbert class were a pair armored frigates and central battery ironclad of the French Navy built in 1870-78. They were improved Richelieu authorized by the 1867 naval program, reverting to a single shaft for 14 knots for a displacement of 8,800 tonnes, originally … Read more
Marine Nationale (1887-80), Protected cruiser, 1890-1910 Davout (After Napoleon’s Marshall) was a protected cruiser of completely new and modern type built between 1887 and 1890. It was ordered at the height of the “Jeune Ecole” influence over the Marine Nationale, under Admiral Théophile Aube as Minister of Marine. The latter preferred cruisers to battleships and … Read more
France. Central Battery Ironclad Built 1869-76, service until 1900 The French ironclad Richelieu was a wooden-hulled central battery ironclad started before the Franco-Prussian war and completed after a redesign in 1875. She was named after the 17th century statesman and Cardinal, designed by Dupuy de Lôme as an improved Ocean class, with her main guns … Read more
France 1877-1898, Central Battery Ironclad The French ironclad Friedland was originally an iron-hulled version of the Océan-class armoured frigates but she was much altered in her construction as a central battery ship. Named after the French victory at Friedland in 1807, she spent her career assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron, supporting the French occupation of … Read more
Marine Nationale (1888), Protected cruiser, 1889-1919 Amiral Cécille was the third protected cruiser built in France, with a blend of inspirations and features coming from Sfax and Tage. Like her shehad a dual role, commerce raider to attack merchant shipping in wartime, and colonial or station cruiser in peacetime. Since long range was required, she … Read more
Marine Nationale, Protected cruiser, 1889-1907 Tage was a protected cruiser, second one of the type entering service with the Marine Nationale. Her design was based on the previous Sfax, and like her, she had a dual role of commerce raider in wartime and station cruiser in colonies. To travel ling distances she had a barque … Read more
Marine Nationale Protected cruiser, 1887-1906 Sfax was the first Protected Cruiser of the French Marine Nationale, a topic opening a new cycle with 19 ships and classes to cover until the dreadnought age. She was a masted cruiser designed for stations in the French colonial Empire, bearing many of the trademarks of French constructions at … Read more
