NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Sfax			Arsenal de Brest	3/1882	29.5.1884	6/1887	stricken 1906

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	4561
Displacement full, t
Length, m	91.6 wl
Breadth, m	15.0
Draught, m	7.67 max
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 HC, 12 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	6500
Max speed, kts	16.7
Fuel, t	coal 980
Endurance, nm(kts)	5000(10)
Armour, mm	steel; deck: 60, CT: 25
Armament	6 x 1 - 165/28 M1881, 10 x 1 - 139/30 M1884, 2 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 10 x 5 - 37/20 M1885, 5 - 350 TT (aw, 1 bow, 4 beam)
Complement	486

Project history

The first French protected cruiser, the Sfax was a two-funnelled ship with a ram bow and an overhanging stern. There was a forecastle and poop and she was rigged as a barque with 1990m2 of sail. The 165mm guns were at upper deck level with two in embrasured ports forward and the others in sponsons amidships and aft, while the 139mm were on the main deck amidships between the sponsons. The hull plating was wrought iron with steel frames and the Sfax was sheathed and coppered.

Ship protection

The armour deck was 0.6-0.9m below water and was 60mm thick in four layers of steel. There was a cofferdam and early form of cellular layer between the armour and main decks, and there was 25mm on the CT located on the bridge abaft the forefunnel.

Modernizations

1890s: mainmast and all sails were removed; - 6 x 5 - 37/20, 3 - 350 TT (1 bow, 2 beam); + 4 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 6 x 1 - 37/20 M1885

Naval service

No significant events.