Ship Type Menu.
Converted screw ships of the line (3rd class, launched 1856-59)

BRESLAW class (launched 1856)
DONAWERTH class (launched 1857)
DUGUESCLIN class (launched 1858-59)
FONTENOY (launched 1858)


BRESLAW class converted screw ships of the line (3rd class)

Displacement: 4289t
Dimensions:204ft 5in wl, 208ft 6in deck x 53ft 5in ext x 25ft 6in mean, 27ft 8in max.
Same, meters:62.30, 63.54 x 16.28 x 7.78, 8.44m
Machinery:500nhp (Brest). 2 cylinders, return connecting rod. Coal 430t
Hull material:Wood
Armament:(Both, 1859) GD 16-36p, 14-22p No.1 shell; UD 30-30p No.2; SD 2-16cm rifles, 12-30p No.4, 6-30p carr.
Complement:814

Name          Conversion Started  Launched Commiss. Fate         
BRESLAWBrest1856185624.3.58Stk. 22.7.72
TILSITTBrest9.2.561856 1.1.60Stk. 22.7.72

Class. On 19.10.54 the minister included these two ships in a list of conversions to be undertaken in 1855, and in 11.54 he ordered Brest to build engines for them. Gervaize's plans for the machinery was approved in 1.55 and his plans for the hull conversions were approved in 1.56.

Disposals. Breslaw became a powder hulk at Brest and was BU 1887. The engines of Tilsitt were removed in 1872 and she was sent from Brest to Saigon in 1877 to replace Fleurus as a barracks hulk. She was sold there in 1887.



DONAWERTH class converted screw ships of the line (3rd class)

Displacement: 4231t
Dimensions:198ft 6in deck x 53ft 5in ext x 24ft 11in mean, 26ft 11in max.
Same, meters:60.50 x 16.28 x 7.60, 8.20m
Machinery:450nhp (Mazeline). 2 cylinders, return connecting rod, trials (St. Louis) 1411ihp = 9.86kts, (Donawerth) 1175ihp, 9kts. Coal 330t (Donawerth 380t)
Hull material:Wood
Armament:(Both, 1859) GD 16-36p, 14-22cm No.1 shell; UD 30-30p No.2; SD 2-16cm rifles, 18-30p carr. (St. Louis 1879, training ship) GD 4-24cm M1870, 2-19cm M1870; SD 2-27cm M1870, 2-19cm M1870, 5-16cm M1864-6 and M1870, 4-14cm M1870, 4-10cm M1870/5 (all BLR)
Complement:814

Name          Conversion Started  Launched Commiss. Fate         
DONAWERTHCherbourg5.5.5627.3.571.1.58Stk. 13.4.80
SAINT LOUISCherbourg25.4.572.11.571.4.58Stk. 26.11.94

Class. These two were proposed for conversion in 1855 but were deferred when plans to build two battleship engines at Cherbourg were not carried out. They were among 8 battleships for which machinery was ordered in May-July 1856. Conversion plans by Corrard were approved in 8.56. The start dates above are the dates the ships were hauled out (St. Louis followed Donawerth on the ways). Donawerth was renamed Jean Bart 20.9.68 and served as seagoing training ship based at Brest until 1873. St.Louis was razeed and became an annex to the gunnery training ship at Toulon in 1879, replacing the floating battery Arrogante. She was renamed Cacique in 1893.

Disposals. Jean Bart, ex Donawerth, became reserve headquarters hulk at Brest, was renamed Cyclope in 1886, and was BU 1897. Cacique ex St.Louis was BU 1895.



DUGUESCLIN class converted screw ships of the line (3rd class)

Displacement: 4230t
Dimensions:204ft 5in wl, 208ft 6in deck x 53ft 5in ext x 24ft 10in mean, 27ft 0in max.
Same, meters:62.30, 63.55 x 16.28 x 7.58, 8.23m
Machinery:450nhp (Mazeline). 2 cylinders, return connecting rod, 11.2 kts. Coal 280t
Hull material:Wood
Armament:(Bayard 1861) GD 30-16cm rifles; UD 30-30p No.2; SD 4-16cm rifles, 12-16cm shell
Complement:814

Name          Conversion Started  Launched Commiss. Fate         
DUGUESCLINBrest185818581.8.59Lost 14.12.59
BAYARDCherbourg9.58185911.60Stk. 20.6.72

Class. These ships were among 8 battleships for which machinery was ordered in May-July 1856. Conversion plans by Guieysse were approved in 10.57. Both were to be converted at Cherbourg, but Brest had already begun work on Duguesclin and was allowed to complete it.

Disposals. Duguesclin ran aground on trials in the Brest roadstead and on 3 January 1860 was ordered scrapped in place. Her engines were salvaged and installed in Jean Bart. Bayard became a hulk at Cherbourg, was renamed Triton 3.8.76, and was BU 1879.



FONTENOY converted screw ship of the line (3rd class)

Displacement: 4051t
Dimensions:204ft 4in wl, 204ft 11in deck x 53ft 5in ext x 24ft 7in mean
Same, meters:62.27, 62.46 x 16.28 x 7.50m
Machinery:450nhp (Toulon). 2 cylinders, return connecting rod, trials 1343ihp = 10.52kts. Coal 428t
Hull material:Wood
Armament:GD 16-36p, 14-22cm No.1 shell; UD 30-30p No.2; SD 2-16cm rifles, 18-30p carr.
Complement:814

Name          Conversion Started  Launched Commiss. Fate         
FONTENOYToulon18572.12.581.6.59Stk. 10.2.92

Class. On 19.10.54 the minister included this ship in a list of conversions to be undertaken in 1855. At that time, it was intended to order 500nhp engines for her from Cavé. This was not done, and in 2.56 Dupuy de Lôme was asked to design engines for her similar to those in Souverain and Algésiras. De Coppier's conversion plans were approved in 3.56. Fontenoy became a sail transport in 1878 and carried convicts to New Caledonia between 1882 and 1886.

Disposal. On 11.5.94 Fontenoy was designated to relieve Austerlitz as boys' training hulk at Brest. At the same time she replaced Bretagne (ex Ville de Bordeaux) and assumed the name Bretagne. She became Fontenoy again in 1910 when she was replaced by the transport Mytho and was BU 1911.

Copyright © Stephen S. Roberts 2004-2015.