NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Dévastation			Arsenal de Cherbourg	5.9.1854	17.4.1855	5/1855	stricken 5.1871
Tonnante			Arsenal de Brest	5.9.1854	17.3.1855	4/1855	stricken 8.1871
Lave			Arsenal de Lorient	20.8.1854	26.5.1855	6/1855	stricken 5.1871
Foudroyante			Arsenal de Lorient	20.8.1854	2.6.1855	9/1855	stricken 11.1871
Congrève			Arsenal de Rochefort	4.9.1854	1.6.1855	8/1855	stricken 5.1867

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	1604
Displacement full, t
Length, m	53.0
Breadth, m	13.6
Draught, m	2.80
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 2-cyl HSE, 6 boilers
Power, h. p.	317
Max speed, kts	3.7
Fuel, t	coal 100
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armour, mm	wrought iron; belt: 110, battery: 100
Armament	16 x 1 - 194/16 50pdr SBML, 2 x 1 - 138/8 18pdr or 121/8 12pdr SBML carronades
Complement	282

Project history

Wooden-hulled armoured floating batteries built for attack Russian coastal fortifications during Crimean War. Originally they were three-masted barquentine-rigged with 140m² sails on removable masts, later reduced to 39². Manoeuvrability was provided by three rudders.

Ship protection

Sides were protected by 110mm iron at wl, battery had 100mm armour.

Modernizations

1859, Foudroyante: - 12 x 1 - 194/16, 2 x 1 - 138/8; + 12 x 1 - 163/13 shell SBML, 1 x 1 - 121/11 bronze shell SBML

1866, Dévastation: as TS was armed with 2 x 1 - 240/18 M1864-66 MLR, 1 x 1 - 223/12 shell SBML, 6 x 1 - 194/19 M1864-66 MLR, 3 x 1 - 165/18 M-1864-66 MLR

1870, Foudroyante: - 4 x 1 - 194/16, 12 x 1 - 163/13, 1 x 1 - 121/11; + 10 x 1 - 165/18 M1864 MLR, 2 x 1 - 139/19 M1864 MLR

Naval service

No significant events.