French frigate Descartes

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Lebreton engraving-26.jpg
History
Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svgFrance
NameDescartes
Namesake René Descartes
Laid down11 February 1840
Launched5 March 1844
ChristenedGomer
Decommissioned15 August 1867
RenamedDescartes in 1841
FateBroken up in 1867.
General characteristics
Displacement1,800  tonnes  
Length70.46 m (231 ft 2 in)
Beam13.40 m (44 ft 0 in)
Draught6.60 m (21 ft 8 in)
Propulsion
  • 1785 m² of sail
  • 540 shp steam engine
Armament20 guns
ArmourTimber

Descartes was a wooden-hulled paddle frigate of the French Navy. Laid down as Gomer, she was renamed Descartes in 1841 while still on the stocks.

Contents

Characteristics

The 540 hp engines of Descartes were made by Fijenoord. [1]

Service

Descartes at Sebastopol, during the first day's attack by the allied fleet and armies of France and England on 17 October 1854 Crimean War; a blazing battle in and around the harbour at S Wellcome V0015789.jpg
Descartes at Sebastopol, during the first day's attack by the allied fleet and armies of France and England on 17 October 1854

She took part in the Crimean War, and was used to ferry wounded from Italy.

On 17 October 1855, she took part in the Battle of Kinburn.

She was eventually broken up in Brest in July 1867.

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References

  1. "Rotterdam, 14 Julij". Algemeen Handelsblad. 16 July 1845.