Friant class Protected Cruiser (1893)

The Friant class were three protected cruisers (Friant, Bugeaud, and Chasseloup-Laubat), ordered as part of a naval construction program targeting Italy and Germany to remedy a French chronic deficiency in cruisers revealed in training by the 1880s. The Friant-class were designed as fleet scouts for the French colonial empire. Their service was split at first, Chasseloup-Laubaut in the Northern Squadron, Bugeaud in the Mediterranean, later flagship of the Levant Division (1898), seeing the Cretan Revolt. All three cruisers were reunified to be sent in East Asia, in response to the Boxer Uprising in China by 1901. They stayed there until the mid-1900s. Bugeaud was sold for scrap in 1907. Chasseloup-Laubat became a storage hulk in 1911. Friant remained in active service until August 1914, and started operations with cruiser squadrons looking for German commerce raiders, then patrolled off the German colony of Kamerun. Chasseloup-Laubat became a distilling ship at Corfu, Friant ended the war as a repair ship, sold for scrap in 1920,, and Chasseloup-Laubat foundered in 1926 in French Mauritania.

Design of the class

Design Development

In the late 1880s, the Regia Marina accelerated construction of its fleet, and its most modern ironclads, the Duilio and Italia classes were now in a fast squadron trained for offensive operations. The French press was alarmed and the Politicians in turn created a Budget Committee in the French Chamber of Deputies. They came out with the “two-power standard” in 1888. This stressed the French fleet would be enlarged to face both the Italian and German fleets, main continental rivals, a bit like Britain itself built a Navy to face both France and Russia combined. This came to nothing, as the Jeune École doctrine prevailing at the time, still wanted nothing else but squadrons of torpedo boats for defense instead of an expensive fleet of ironclads. And since it was cheap indeed, this gained a lot of support in the Chamber of Deputies. However in 1889 was a war scare with Italy, and again, the medias pressed the Navy to strengthen the fleet. The event was a visit of a German squadron of four ironclads to Italy. This clearly showed that a combined Italo-German fleet could outnumber the French. Training in France the same year showed the slower French fleet cold not prevent the Italians raiding the French coast at will. This was partly due to the lack of cruisers and associated doctrine, to scout ahead.

On 22 November 1890, the Superior Naval Council authorized a program aimied at regaining parity with the central powers, and numerical superiority. This was very ambitious, and planned for twenty-four new battleships, seventy cruisers, not only for local waters but also cover the entire French colonial empire. The Friant class were the first protected cruisers authorized under that program. On 28 March 1890, naval minister Édouard Barbey requested a design for them, and started with what existed already, the cruiser Davout from Delphin Albert Lhomme, supervisor of construction at Toulon. Barbey wanted the cruiser to be larger, in order to include many improvements like its range, armament, and better protection. In the first area, 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots in normal conditions was expected, an armament of six 164.7 mm (6.48 in) guns, and a top speed obtained from new water-tube boilers instead of traditional fire-tube boilers for 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), also under normal conditions, up to 19 knots (34.3 to 35.2 km/h; 21.3 to 21.9 mph) under forced draft, on a displacement of c3,600 t (3,500 long tons; 4,000 short tons). Lhomme, to this design, added four 100 mm (3.9 in) guns.

On 21 August, Lhomme submitted his final technical proposal to Barbey, which forwarded it to the Conseil des Travaux six days later for a final review. The meeting on 28 October led to a full approval, provided significant revisions would be made. On 17 November, Barbey ditched the planned 164.7 mm M1881/84 for the M1891 for their longer barrel and shields. Being heavier, this force reducing topweight. Friant like Chasseloup-Laubat were ordered in late 1890, Bugeaud, in early 1891. The last two laid down in June 1891. Friant was the first launched in April 1893 at Brest, Bugeaud in August at Chjerbouyrg and Chasseloup-Laubat in April like Friant, also at Cherbourg, all expected to be completed in 1895.

However before completion, a government fell, a new one was elected, and the new naval minister, Auguste Alfred Lefèvre, decided on 12 March 1894 to cut down the original military masts at last for their upper portion, replaced by pole masts, fighting tops retained. However the latter were removed in turn, still to improve stability, by next navam minister Gustave Besnard on 16 February 1895. In the end, the military masts were removed altogether, 66 t (65 long tons; 73 short tons) of ballast was added. Also cancelled were the originally planned torpedo tubes to be located in the stern and broadside, leaving only the bow tubes.

Friant and Chasseloup-Laubat, completed earlier in April-May 1895 and Bugeaud in May 1896 were fitted with different types of water-tube boilers to compare performance, but in the end they all were a disappointment, none could match Davout in speed despite greater horsepower. The problem was poor combustion in the boilers. The worst were the Niclausse boilers on Friant. If their hull form were drived from Davout, they were also criticized for their poor bow lines, causing to trim down when cruising at high speed and plough a lot. Weights happened to be poorly distributed along their length and this resulted overall in poor handling.

Hull and general design

Profile and Plan Chasseloup Laubat

The Friant class measured 94 m (308 ft 5 in) long between perpendiculars, 97.05 m (318 ft 5 in) at the waterline, 97.5 m (319 ft 11 in) overall. The beam was 13.24 m (43 ft 5 in) at the waterline, for an average draft of 5.84 m (19 ft 2 in), down to 6.41 m (21.0 ft) aft at normal load. Displacement was 3,771 t (3,711 long tons; 4,157 short tons) as contracted. The hull had the French traditional ram bow, yet not reinforced for ramming, and typical tumblehome or “pear-shaped” hull showing a reduced upper deck. They had a forecastle deck extending for almost the entire length and short quarterdeck aft, plus a sloped stern making for almost a symmetrical profile if not for the position of the funnel.

The superstructure was limited to a main conning tower and bridge forward. There was a secondary conning tower aft. The original plan was for heavy military masts with fighting tops, but expected stability problems saw them replaced gradually by lighter pole masts with spotting tops. Their crew amounted to 331-339 officers and enlisted men and they carried eight service boats, mostly under davits.

Powerplant

The Friant class had two 3-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines. Each drove a shaft and 2-bladed screw propeller. Steam was provided by twenty coal-burning, water-tube boilers. Friant had Niclausse types, Chasseloup-Laubat had Lagrafel d’Allest types, and Bugeaud had twenty-four Belleville boilers. The boiler rooms were separated but all exhausts were ducted into three funnels. These were rated to produce 9,000 indicated horsepower (6,700 kW). Top speed as contracted was 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph). On sea trials, this was exceeded by forcing heating, between 18.77 and 18.95 knots (34.76 and 35.10 km/h; 21.60 and 21.81 mph) based on 9,623 to 9,811 ihp (7,176 to 7,316 kW).

As for range, based on 600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons) of coal at normal, meacetime load, and up to 740 t (730 long tons; 820 short tons) in wartime, this equated to 3,550 nautical miles (6,570 km; 4,090 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) as calculated. Friant was reevaluated able to cross 5,818 nmi (10,775 km; 6,695 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) with her maximum coal capacity. For steering they had a single rudder and to reduce roll, only Chasseloup-Laubat was fitted with bilge keels.

Protection

It was as usual the last important factor in their design, just sufficient for the standards of the time as protected cruisers, with a turtle back innder main armoured deck, as that curved armor deck was 30 mm (1.2 in) on the flat section, increased to 80 mm (3.1 in) on sloped sides, creating almost a vertical protection. Above this deck was a Bertin-style cofferdam, filled with cellulose to contain flooding from damage below the waterline. Just below the main protective deck was a thin splinter deck over the the propulsion machinery spaces if shell fragments went through. The forward conning tower had 75 mm (3 in) walls. The aft one was probably thinner. Gun shields were 50 mm (2 in) thick for the main guns.

Armament

Main battery: 6x 164mm/45 M1891

It was composed of six 164 mm/45 (6.5 in) placed in individual pivot mounts on the forecastle (1), sponsons abreast the conning tower (2), sponsons forward of the aft conning tower (2), and on the stern (1). These could fire a number of different shells:
-Solid 45 kg (99 lb) cast iron AP
-Explosive/armor-piercing (HAP) 54.2 kg (119 lb)
-Semi-armor-piercing (SAP) 52.6 kg (116 lb).
Muzzle velocity varied from 770 to 800 m/s (2,500 to 2,600 ft/s).
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Secondary battery:4x 100mm/45 M1891

That secondary battery was limited to four 100 mm (3.9 in) Modèle 1891 guns, installed on pivot mounts on platforms over each conning tower fore and aft, either side. They fired either a 14 kg (31 lb) cast iron shell of a 16 kg (35 lb) AP shell, with a muzzle velocity of 710-740 m/s (2,300 to 2,400 ft/s). Like the 164 mm they had gun shields.

Light battery:

The artillery above was rounded up by a close-range array of quick-firing guns:
-Four 47 mm (1.9 in) 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns in pairs in the forward and aft CT on the upper deck
-Eleven 37 mm (1.5 in) 1-pounder guns in individual mounts, distributed around the ships, atop the main guns sponsons and higher in the superstructure.

Torpedo Tubes:

The initial torpedo tubes array was one at the stern two for each broadside underwater, plus two at the bow, but they were cancelled before completion and the ships were left with just two 350 mm (14 in) above water, fixed tubes on either side.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	3,771 t (3,711 long tons; 4,157 short tons)
Dimensions	97.5 x 11.62 x 4.65m (319 ft 11 in x 43 ft 5 in x 19 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts TE steam engines, 20-24 water-tube boilers 9,000 ihp (6,700 kW)
Speed	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Armament	6× 164 mm, 4× 100 mm, 4× 47 mm, 11× 37 mm, 2× 350 mm TTs
Protection	Deck 51 to 80 mm (1.2 to 3.1 in), CT 75 mm (3 in), Gun shields 50mm (2-in)
Crew	331

Career

Friant was ordered in 1890 and laid down on 8 December 1891 at Arsenal de Brest, launched on 17 April 1893 and completed in April 1895. Stability problems delayed her completion. Her original masts were removed and four 47 mm guns to regain stability. She was commissioned for sea trials on 25 June 1894, in full commission on 15 May 1895, assigned to the Northern Squadron, taking part in the annual fleet maneuvers from 1 July. This consisted notably of a blockade of Rochefort and Cherbourg, until 23 July. She was assigned to the Northern Squadron with the ironclad Hoche, four coastal defense ships, armored cruiser Dupuy de Lôme, her sister Chasseloup-Laubat, and the Forbin class Coëtlogon. Training maneuvers with the rest of the squadron happened on 6-26 July 1896 with the defence forces of Brest, Rochefort, Cherbourg, and Lorient, divided into three divisions.

Friant was in the 1st with Hoche, Amiral-Tréhouart, and the aviso Lance, defending. In 1897, the cruiser force now comprised Friant, Dupuy de Lôme, Bruix, and Epervier. Combined manoeuvers happened in July. Suchet led the squadron to intercept Bouvines from Cherbourg to Brest on 15-16 July but the defending squadron was unable to intercept Bouvines before she reached Brest. They moved to Quiberon Bay for another round on 18-21 July this time against Sfax and Tage (“coming from the Mediterranean”). Friant and the Squadron successfully intercepted and “defeated” them. Same in 1898, apart Pothuau replaced Bruix and Surcouf replaced Epervier. On 28 March 1898 Friant collided with the TB Ariel, the latter sinking. Friant was transferred to the training squadron with Amiral Charner and Davout in 1899.

Friant and her sister ships were sent together to East Asia by January 1901 due to the Boxer Uprising in China in 1900. Six other cruisers were assigned to the station already. She remained in these waters in 1902 but was struck by a typhoon on 8 August 1902 while in Nagasaki. In the mid-1904-05 she was back to France. She was reboilered in 1907. In August 1914, she was assigned to the Atlantique Division with the cruisers Condé and Descartes. She was sent in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Labrador, Canada in July in August, and was recalled tp the fleet as the war broke out, assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron (Marseillaise, Amiral Aube, Jeanne d’Arc, Gloire, Gueydon, and Dupetit-Thouars). She was based in Brest and with Lavoisier, other cruisers arrived like Kléber and Desaix, Châteaurenault, D’Estrées, Lavoisier, and Guichen, rounded up by auxiliary cruisers. She patrolled the English Channel with four British cruisers.

Until 1915, she was dispersed to French Morocco, starting in September 1914, joining Bruix and Amiral Charner, Cosmao and Cassard (Division du Maroc). They patrolled for German arms shipments to Spain and Spanish Morocco and the sea lanes off northwestern Africa, protecting merchant shipping from German commerce raiders, escorting convoys, patrolling anchorages as far as the Canary Islands against marauding U-boats. She operated off Oran, and when cruiser were transferred elsewhere by March 1915 she remained with Cassard, and Cosmao. The allied campaign in western Africa needed backup and the French sent Friant in the Gulf of Guinea, relieved by Surcouf. On 29 July 1917, Friant was decommissioned at Lorient. She was converted as a depot ship for submarines on 6 December. On 20 June 1918 she was sent to Mudros, then Corfu for the 3rd Submarine Flotilla. Next she was used as a distilling ship until decommissioned in July 1919, struck on 21 June 1920, then towed to Italy to be broken up in 1922.

Bugeaud was ordered from Arsenal de Cherbourg, laid down in June 1891, launched on 29 August 1893 and was the last completed on May 1896 but commissioned for sea trials on 25 March. Initial testing showed she needed improved ventilation. Trials in Aprils saw her eraching 19 knots, the best in class. She was in full commission on 24 June 1896, last of her class, sent to the Mediterranean Squadron on 8 July and taking part in fleet maneuvers, with the 1st Division with Amiral Charner and the torpedo cruisers Wattignies and D’Iberville. She was sent to the Levant Division in 1897 (Syria-Lebanon) but engine issues prompted her back to Toulon for repairs, relieved by Suchet. She was in the Mediterranean Squadron in 1897-98 and deployed to the coast of Ottoman Syria, relieving Amiral Charner (Levant Division), reinforced by the Vautour, Faucon, and Condor under Vice Admiral Édouard Pottier.

She was part of the International Squadron of the Cretan Revolt, leading even the line shen carrying Prince George of Greece and Denmark to Crete as the new High Commissioner, part of negotiations. The International Squadron was disbanded afterwards. Next, she was deployed to East Asia in February 1900, joined by her sisters in January 1901 to face the Boxer Uprising, and remained in these waters in 1902. By 1903, the local division was reduced to the armored cruiser Montcalm, protected cruisers Châteaurenault and Pascal. She had an overhaul in Saigon over six months but remained in poor condition in 1904, limited to 16 knots. She was sent home in 1905, decommissioned at Rochefort on 26 October, struck on 9 April 1906, sold for BU to Frank Rijsdijk’ Scheepssloperij, Dordrecht, and towed to Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht.

Chasseloup-Laubat was laid down in June 1891 at Cherbourg Arsenal, but launcher earlier (17 April 1893) than her sister Bugeaud, ordered later. She was completed in 1895, commissioned for trials on 15 September 1894, fully commissioned on 25 June 1895. She took part in the Northern Squadron’s that annual manoeuver in July between a simulated amphibious assault in Quiberon Bay, and blockade of Rochefort and Cherbourg. In 1896 she remained in the Northern Squadron with Dupuy de Lôme, Coëtlogon and her sister (see above for Friant). So she took part in 1896 and 1898, likely 1899 manoeuvers, but she was deployed to East Asia in January 1901 due to the Boxer Uprising, remaining until 1902, back to France. She took part in 1903-1906 annual manoeuvers and in 1907, was sent in the United States with Victor Hugo and Kléber from Lorient on 8 May for Jamestown, for the internaitonal Exposition. On 20 May she visited New York City and back to Jamestown on 31 May where for President Theodore Roosevelt’s naval review on 10 June and back to France.

In 1908, she was in the 3rd Division, Northern Squadron, with Descartes and Kléber. She was drydocked for inspection. There, shipyard workers found hull badly weakened. She was placed in reserve on 1 January 1909, then decommissioned on 22 February 1910, struck on 20 February 1911. Her story could have ended there, but he hull still floated, so after beiong patched up, stripped, she was still found many uses over the year: School ships for boiler room crews, schoolship for divers (February 1912 to 1914), replacing Milan.

During World War I, she was converted into a water distilling ship, in support the Gallipoli campaign (troops needed fresh water fast). She was recommissioned on 16 June 1915, then towed to Mudros by the transport SS Vinh Long, on 29 July. After the campaign ended, Chasseloup-Laubat, keeping her name, was towed to the main French fleet anchorage at Corfu and stayed there from January 1917 to January 1919. Next she was sent to Port Etienne (French colony) for the same role in May 1919. Budgetary reasons had the Ministry of the Navy selling her after decommission to the French fishery “Société Industrielle de la Grande Pêche” in 1921. She became a floating warehouse, a cistern for drinking water to the Canary Islands and later sunk in 1926, first such ship the bay of Nouadhibou, Mauritania.

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Books

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Links

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