Ship Type Menu.Converted screw ships of the line (2nd class, launched 1852-54)
AUSTERLITZ (launched 1852)
FLEURUS class (launched 1853-54)
ULM (launched 1854)
PRINCE JEROME class (launched 1853-54)
AUSTERLITZ converted screw ship of the line (2nd class)Displacement: | 4467t |
Dimensions: | 230ft 9in wl, 231ft 8in deck x 55ft 1in ext x 25ft 2in. Depth 23ft 9in |
Same, meters: | 70.32, 70.62 x 16.80 x 7.67. 7.23m |
Machinery: | 500nhp (Indret). Direct, 10.2kts. Coal 378t |
Hull material: | Wood |
Armament: | (1853) GD 30-30p No.1, 2-22cm No.1 shell; UD 30-30p No.2, 2-22cm No.2 shell; SD 4-30p No.1, 16-16cm shell, 2-22cm No.1 shell. (1856) GD 18-36p, 16-22cm No.1 shell; UD 32-30p No.2; SD 2-16cm rifles, 20-16cm shell. |
Complement: | 883 |
Name | Conversion | Started | Launched | Commiss. | Fate |
AUSTERLITZ | Cherbourg | 1850 | 15.9.52 | 1.5.53 | Stk. 22.7.72 |
Class. This conversion had its origins in an order from the minister on 9.12.46 to Rochefort and Indret to draft plans for putting 540nhp screw machinery in
Turenne, under construction at Rochefort. Specifications for the conversion decided upon in 6.47 called for reducing provisions and spares from 6 to 2 months, water from 4 to 1 month, ballast from 320 to 70 tons, and rig from that of a 100-gun ship to that of a 90-gunner. The 930 tons thus made available were to accomodate the most powerful engine possible (650nhp) and 8 days of coal. In 11.47
Ulm was substituted for
Turenne and in 5.49
Austerlitz was substituted for
Ulm. Corrard, at Cherbourg, then began drafting the detailed plans and discovered that the specified changes made only 810 tons available. He recommended lengthening the ship, but in 12.49 the ministry decided instead to reduce the size of the engines, already a tenth built, to 500nhp. Corrard was not notified of this decision until 10.50, and his final plans were approved in 1.51.
Disposal. Austerlitz became boys' training ship at Brest in 1875 (replacing
Invincible) and was BU 1895.
FLEURUS class
converted screw ships of the line (2nd class)Displacement: | 4509t (Navarin 4562t) |
Dimensions: | (Fleurus) 203ft 8in wl, 205ft 1in deck x 55ft 9in ext x 25ft 7in mean, (Navarin) 203ft 5in wl x 55ft 5in ext x 25ft 4in mean, 27ft 0in max. |
Same, meters: | (Fleurus) 62.07, 62.50 x 16.98 x 7.80m, (Navarin) 62.00 x 16.88 x 7.72, 8.23m |
Machinery: | 650nhp (Schneider) |
Hull material: | Wood |
Armament: | (Fleurus 1855) GD 24-30p No.1, 8-22cm No.1 shell; UD 28-30p No.2, 6-22cm No.2 shell; SD 22-30p No.3, 2-16cm rifles. |
Complement: | 883 |
Name | Conversion | Started | Launched | Commiss. | Fate |
FLEURUS | Toulon | 1853 | 2.12.53 | 1.7.54 | Stk. 17.8.69 |
NAVARIN | Toulon | 1853 | 26.7.54 | 17.10.54 | Stk. 13.7.86 |
Class. These were two of seven ships designated in mid-1852 for conversion along the lines of
Charlemagne and
Austerlitz. These seven conversions were prompted by the successful trials of
Charlemagne and the burgeoning program of the British, who had reportedly already completed or ordered conversions of 10 ships of the line, 8 frigates, and 2 corvettes. The designs for the conversions packed 650nhp engines and their coal into the ships by various means including reduction of the rig and a corresponding reduction in ballast. These and the other converted 100-gunners received the rig of sail 90-gun ships (
Suffren, etc.). Unlike most other French screw conversions, these seven did not have a hoisting screw. Engines for all seven ships were ordered in July-August 1852.
Fleurus and
Navarin were converted on plans requested from Dupuy de Lôme in 9.52 and approved in 12.52. Both retained their original square sterns as an economy measure.
Navarin was converted to a sail transport in 1873 and carried convicts to New Caledonia between 1876 and 1885.
Disposals. On 21.5.67 the engines of
Fleurus were ordered removed and the ship was reclassified as a sail transport. She was sent to Saigon in 1867 to replace
Duperré as a barracks hulk and was sold there in 1877.
Navarin became a barracks hulk for the torpedo school at Brest and headquarters ship for the Défense mobile there. She was sold in 1908.
ULM converted screw ship of the line (2nd class)Displacement: | 4493 |
Dimensions: | 204ft 5in wl, 205ft 1in deck x 56ft 0in ext x 25ft 1in mean, 26ft 11in max. |
Same, meters: | 62.30, 62.50 x 17.06 x 7.65, 8.20m |
Machinery: | 650nhp (Indret). 10.38kts. Coal 500t |
Hull material: | Wood |
Armament: | (1855) GD 16-36p, 16-22cm No.1 shell; UD 16-30p No.2, 16-22cm No.2 shell; SD 2-50p, 16-30p No.4 |
Complement: | 883 |
Name | Conversion | Started | Launched | Commiss. | Fate |
ULM | Rochefort | 1853 | 13.5.54 | 6.11.54 | Stk. 25.11.67 |
Class. Ulm was one of the seven ships designated for conversion in mid-1852. Conversion plans by Sabattier were approved in 4.53. Like most other conversions, she was fitted with a round stern copied from the sail
Inflexible.
Disposal. Ulm became a coal hulk at Brest and was BU 1890.
PRINCE JEROME class
converted screw ships of the line (2nd class)Displacement: | 4505t |
Dimensions: | 206ft 3in deck x 55ft 10in ext x 25ft 0in mean, 26ft 5in max. |
Same, meters: | 62.87 x 17.01 x 7.62, 8.04m |
Machinery: | 650nhp (Schneider). Coal 548t |
Hull material: | Wood |
Armament: | (Wagram 1855) GD 28-30p No.1, 4-22cm No.1 shell; UD 28-30p No.2, 4-22cm No.2 shell; SD 4-30p No.1, 14-30p No.4. (Prince Jérôme 1858) GD 24-30p No.1, 8-22cm No.1 shell; UD 26-30p No.2, 6-22cm No.2 shell; SD 4-30p No.1, 14-30p No.4. |
Complement: | 883 |
Name | Conversion | Started | Launched | Commiss. | Fate |
PRINCE JEROME | Lorient | 1853 | 2.12.53 | 1.9.54 | Stk. 13.7.86 |
WAGRAM | Lorient | 1853 | 12.6.54 | 16.1.55 | Stk. 22.7.67 |
Class. These two ships were among the seven designated for conversion in mid-1852. Plans by Masson were completed in 4.53. Their beam included a sheathing about 20cm thick. The sail area of
Prince Jérôme was 3223 sq.yd.
Prince Jérôme, originally
Annibal, was renamed on 24.5.54.
Prince Jérôme was renamed
Hoche 19.9.70, became the sail transport
Loire 28.11.72, and transported convicts to New Caledonia between 1873 and 1885.
Disposals. Loire ex
Prince Jérôme replaced the frigate
Atalante as headquarters hulk at Saigon in 1887, was replaced by the station battleship
Triomphante in 1895, and was BU 1897.
Wagram was stricken for use in trials with mines and torpedoes by the Commission on Underwater Defenses.
Copyright © Stephen S. Roberts 2004-2015.