Design and description
The Magenta class was designed by naval architect Henri Dupuy de Lôme as a reply to the low height of the Gloire-class ironclad's gun ports which impaired their ability to work their guns in heavy seas. He gave the Magentas an upper spar deck which would allow them to work those guns in all weathers and caused them to be rated as ironclad ships of the line by the French Navy. [2] [3] They were considered to be good seaboats, although they were not very maneuverable. [1]
Magenta was 88.6 meters (290 ft 8 in) long, but her sister ship Solférino was 85.51 m (280 ft 7 in) long. They had a beam of 17.34 meters (56 ft 11 in) and a draft of 8.44 meters (27 ft 8 in). Magenta displaced 6,965 metric tons (6,855 long tons ) while Solférino displaced 6,796 t (6,689 long tons). [2] They were equipped with a metal-reinforced, spur-shaped ram. [1] The ironclads had a crew of 674 officers and enlisted men. [2]
The Magenta-class ships had a single two-cylinder horizontal-return connecting-rod compound steam engine that drove the propeller shaft, [3] using steam provided by eight boilers [Note 1] . [2] [4] The engine was rated at 1,000 nominal horsepower or 3,450 metric horsepower (2,540 kW ) and was intended to give the ships a speed in excess of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). [1] During their sea trials, Solférino [3] achieved a speed of 12.88 knots (23.85 km/h; 14.82 mph) from 4,012 metric horsepower (2,951 kW). [2] The Magenta class carried enough coal to allow them to steam for 1,840 nautical miles (3,410 km; 2,120 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). [4] They were originally fitted with a three-masted barquentine rig that had a sail area of 1,711 square meters (18,420 sq ft), but they were re-rigged as barques with 1,960 m2 (21,100 sq ft) in 1864–1865. [3] [4]
Armament and protection
The main battery of the Magenta class consisted of sixteen 194-millimeter (7.6 in) Modèle 1858–60 smoothbore muzzle-loading guns, thirty-four 164.7-millimeter (6.5 in) Modèle 1858–60 rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns and a pair of 225-millimeter (8.9 in) RML howitzers on two gun decks. All of the 194 mm guns and ten of the 164.7 mm guns were mounted on the lower gun deck on the broadside. The remaining 164.7 mm guns and the 225 mm howitzers were positioned on the upper gun deck; the former on the broadside, but the latter were placed on pivot mounts as chase guns fore and aft. [2] [3] [4] [5] In the late 1860s all of the guns on the lower gun deck were removed and their armament was changed to four 240-millimeter (9.4 in) RMLs and eight 194 mm smoothbores, two each of the latter fore and aft as chase guns on the upper gun deck. Their final armament consisted of ten 240 mm Modèle 1864–66 guns and four 194 mm guns as chase guns fore and aft. [2] [3]
The Magentas had a full-length waterline belt that consisted of wrought-iron plates 120 mm (4.7 in) thick. Above the belt both gun decks were protected with 109 mm (4.3 in) of armor, but the ends of the ships were unprotected. [1]
Solférino was the second and last ship of the Magenta-class of broadside ironclads built for the French Navy in the early 1860s.
The French ironclad Colbert was the lead ship of the Colbert-class ironclads that were built for the French Navy in the 1870s. The ship was the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron for most of her career. She took part in the French conquest of Tunisia, notably shelling and landing troops in Sfax on 15–16 July 1881. Colbert was paid off in 1895 and condemned in 1900. The ship was finally sold for scrap in 1909.
The Colbert class were a pair of armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1870s. The ships served as the flagships of the commander and deputy commander of the Mediterranean Squadron for most of their careers. The sister ships took part in the French conquest of Tunisia, notably shelling and landing troops in Sfax in 1881. They were relegated to second-line roles in 1894–95 before being condemned in 1900. The ships were finally sold for scrap in 1909.
Magenta was the lead ship of her class of two broadside ironclads built for the French Navy in the early 1860s. She served as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron.
The French ironclad Invincible was the second of the three wooden-hulled Gloire-class ironclads built for the French Navy in 1858–1862. The ships of the Gloire class were classified as armoured frigates because they only had a single gun deck and their traditional disposition of guns arrayed along the length of the hull also meant that they were broadside ironclads. Invincible had an uneventful career and was deployed in North American waters during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. The unseasoned timber of her hull rotted quickly and she was condemned in 1872 and scrapped in 1876.
The French ironclad Normandie was the third and last of the three wooden-hulled Gloire-class ironclads built for the French Navy in 1858–62. The ships of the Gloire class were classified as armoured frigates because they only had a single gun deck and their traditional disposition of guns arrayed along the length of the hull also meant that they were broadside ironclads. Normandie was the first ironclad to cross the Atlantic in support of the French intervention in Mexico in 1862. Although the ship was active during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, she saw no action. The unseasoned timber of her hull rotted quickly; she was condemned in 1871 and subsequently scrapped.
The French ironclad Trident was the second and last ship of the Colbert-class ironclads that were built for the French Navy in the 1870s. The ship was the flagship of the deputy commander of the Mediterranean Squadron for most of her career. She took part in the French occupation of Tunisia, notably shelling and landing troops in Sfax in 1881. Trident was reclassified as a training ship in 1894 and condemned in 1900, before she was finally sold for scrap in 1909.
The French ironclad Belliqueuse was a wooden-hulled, armored corvette, built for the French Navy in the 1860s and designed as a cheap ironclad. She was the first French ironclad to sail around the world, which she did between December 1867 and May 1869. She spent the bulk of her career in the Pacific before returning to Toulon, where she was used as a target in 1886.
The Provence-class ironclads consisted of 10 ironclad frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Only one of the sister ships was built with an wrought iron hull; the others were built in wood. By 1865 they were armed with eleven 194-millimeter (7.6 in) guns and played a minor role in the 1870–1871 Franco-Prussian War. The ships began to be disposed of in the early 1880s, although several lingered on in subsidiary roles for another decade before they followed their sisters to the scrap yard.
The French ironclad Provence was the lead ship of her class of 10 armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1865, she spent the bulk of her career with the Mediterranean Squadron, often serving as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia. Provence was decommissioned after the war, but was reactivated in late 1875.
The Gloire-class ironclads were a group of three wooden-hulled armored frigates built for the French Navy in the late 1850s and early 1860s. Gloire, the lead ship of the class, was the first ocean-going ironclad warship to be built by any country. The ships of the Gloire class were classified as armoured frigates because they only had a single gun deck and their traditional disposition of guns arrayed along the length of the hull also meant that they were broadside ironclads.
The French ironclad Savoie was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1865, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron, often serving as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia. Savoie was reduced to reserve after the war, but was reactivated in 1872 and assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. The ship was decommissioned in 1879 and was used for testing in 1883. Savoie was stricken in 1888 and was scrapped the following year.
The French ironclad Héroïne was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. She was the only ship of the class to be built with an iron hull. Completed in 1865, the ship was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron, sometimes serving as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia and a Prussian commerce raider in a neutral Spanish port. Héroïne was decommissioned after the war, but was reactivated in 1876 and was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron.
The French ironclad Flandre was one of ten Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy in the 1860s. Commissioned in 1865, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron and sometimes served as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia. Flandre was decommissioned after the war and remained in reserve for the next decade and a half. The ship was disarmed in 1884 and was scrapped three years later.
The French ironclad Magnanime was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1865, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron, but was soon transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron, often serving as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia. Magananime was reduced to reserve after the war, but was reactivated in 1875 and assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. The ship was decommissioned in 1878 and was stricken from the navy list in 1882. She was scrapped in 1885.
The French ironclad Surveillante was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1867, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron. The ironclad played a minor role as a flagship in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the Baltic and North Sea coasts of Prussia. Surveillante was decommissioned after the war, but was reactivated in 1876. She was transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron the following year.
The French ironclad Valeureuse was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1867, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron, but was soon transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron, often serving as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia and later a Prussian commerce raider in a neutral Spanish port. Valeureuse was reduced to reserve after the war, but was reactivated in 1875 and assigned to the Northern Squadron. The ship was decommissioned two years later and was stricken in 1886. She was scrapped in 1888.
The French ironclad Gauloise was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1867, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron and usually served as a flagship. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the Baltic and North Sea coasts of Prussia.
The French ironclad Guyenne was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1867, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the Baltic and North Sea coasts of Prussia. Guyenne was decommissioned after the war, but was reactivated in 1877. She was transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron later that year and then to the Eastern Mediterranean the following year. The ship was reduced to reserve in 1879, stricken from the naval register three years later and was scrapped in 1887.
The French ironclad Revanche was one of 10 Provence-class armored frigates built for the French Navy during the 1860s. Commissioned in 1867, she was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron. The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia. Revanche was placed in reserve after the war, but was reactivated in 1875, sometimes serving as a flagship. Assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron, she suffered a boiler explosion in 1877 that required extensive repairs and did not return to service until late 1878. The ship was decommissioned in 1883 and served in second-line duties, including service as a guard ship in 1892–1893, until she was stricken in early 1893 and subsequently scrapped.
French Navy 