NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Names	Builders	Completed	Losses	Transfers	Discarding
N°29; 30 N° 56-59	Thornycroft, Chiswick, UK: N°29, 30, 58, 59 F C de la Méditerranée, La Seyne: N°56, 57	1879: N°29, 30 1881: N°58, 59 1882: N°56, 57	none	none	1897-1904: N°29, 30, 57-59 1910: N°56

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	N°29, 30, 58, 59: 9 N°56, 57: 11
Displacement full, t
Length, m	18.3
Breadth, m	2.28
Draught, m	0.58
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 CR, 1 locomotive boiler
Power, h. p.
Max speed, kts	12
Fuel, t	coal
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	N°29, 30, 58, 59: 2 - 350 TC N°56, 57: 1 - 350 TT (bow)
Complement	12

Project history

The first pair were ordered 1.4.1878, 58 and 59 on 16.8.1880 and the remainder on 15.2.1881. 56 and 57 were built to a modified design at La Seyne, and had a ram bow; they proved to be a full 2kts slower on trials than the straight-stemmed Thornycroft boats (14.6kts as opposed to 16.2-16.9kts). The French-built boats were fitted with two 'impulse-tubes' which fired the torpedo using an explosive charge whereas the others had the usual torpedo 'frame' dropping gear.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

They spent most of their careers aboard the TB transport Japon and later aboard the cruiser-like La Foudre until replaced by the specially-built 'alphabetical' TBs. They were stricken or sold between 1897 and 1904, although 56 survived until 1910.