NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Argonaute			A C de la Loire, Nantes	1892	11.10.1893	1894	sold 1911
Tourmente			A C de la Loire, Nantes	1892	12.9.1893	1894	sold 1910

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	113
Displacement full, t	129
Length, m	42.9 wl
Breadth, m	4.51
Draught, m	1.72
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 VTE, 2 du Temple boilers
Power, h. p.	2000
Max speed, kts	23.5
Fuel, t	coal
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	2 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 1 - 380 TT (bow), 1 x 1 - 380 TT
Complement	27

Project history

Ordered on 31.8.1892, these boats were based on Normand's Avant-Garde and not Loire's unsuccessful Corsaire design. They had a better hull-form than the latter but suffered from delicate boilers, and generally were judged less successful than the Averne class. With two rudders they handled well, and were reasonable seaboats although prone to sharp and uncomfortable rolling. They made around 24kts on trials.

Modernizations

1896-1898, both: were reboilered

Naval service

No significant events.