CHÂTEAURENAULT protected cruiser (1902)

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FRANCE

CRUISERS

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Châteaurenault			F C de la Méditerranée, La Seyne	5/1896	12.5.1898	9/1902	sunk 14.12.1917

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	7898
Displacement full, t
Length, m	135.0 wl
Breadth, m	17.0
Draught, m	7.39 max
No of shafts	3
Machinery	3 VTE, 14 Normand Sigaudy boilers
Power, h. p.	23000
Max speed, kts	24
Fuel, t	coal 2100
Endurance, nm(kts)	7500(12)
Armour, mm	Harvey; deck: 55 with 100mm slopes, casemates: 60 - 40, shields: 55, CT: 160
Armament	2 x 1 - 165/45 M1893, 6 x 1 - 139/45 M1893, 10 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 5 x 1 - 37/20 M1885
Complement	604

Project history

In essentials similar to the Guichen and with identical protection but of very different appearance. There were four equally spaced funnels, two masts, and a forecastle deck running from the slightly sloped stem to just short of the overhanging stern, the intention being to make disguise as an unknown liner relatively easy. The 165mm were fore and aft with the 139mm in upper deck casemates or sponsons. The Châteaurenault was considered a belter steamer than Guichen. Commissioning was delayed because of considerable vibration between 18 and 21kts. As result ship was returned to dockyard from October 1899 to September 1902.

Ship protection

The guns had 55mm protection and there was 160mm Harvey nickel on the CT with a 150mm tube. The armour deck rose from 1.4m below the water to 0.8m above amidships, and was here 55mm on the flat and 100mm on the slopes reduced to 40mm at the ends. There was a splinter deck 1.2m above the armour deck crown with a cofferdam berween them at the sides.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service