Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

Central Battery and Barbette Ironclad Battleship Redoutable pictured on the ways on launch day at Arsenal de Lorient on September 18th 1876.

Lead Ship, Broadside Ironclad Magenta pictured under construction at Arsenal de Brest c1860. Her and sister Solférino were the only Ironclad two-deckers ever built, and the first Ironclads to feature a naval ram. The main battery of the Magenta Class consisted of sixteen 7.6 inch Modèle 1858–60 smoothbore muzzle-loading guns, thirty-four 6.5 inch Modèle 1858–60 rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns and a pair of 8.9 inch RML howitzers on two gun decks. All of the 194 mm guns and ten of the 164.7 mm guns were mounted on the lower gun deck on the broadside. The remaining 164.7 mm guns and the 225 mm howitzers were positioned on the upper gun deck; the former on the broadside, but the latter were placed on pivot mounts as chase guns fore and aft. In the late 1860s all of the guns on the lower gun deck were removed and their armament was changed to four 9.4 inch RMLs and eight 194 mm smoothbores, two each of the latter fore and aft as chase guns on the upper gun deck. Their final armament consisted of ten 240 mm Modèle 1864–66 guns and four 194 mm guns as chase guns fore and aft. The Magentas had a full-length waterline belt that consisted of wrought-iron plates 4.7 inch thick. Above the belt both gun decks were protected with 4.3 inch of armour, but the ends of the ships were unprotected.

The 'French Grand Hotel', Battleship Hoche pictured at Toulon c 1899.

Ironclad Barbette Ship Formidable pictured at Toulouse c1895.

One of four 13.4inch/18 calibre central casemate main armament guns pictured of French Ironclad Dévastation in 1891.

Ironclad Battleship Dévastation pictured in drydock at Toulon on October 15th 1892.

French and Russian warships at anchor at Saigon circa the late 1880's. The ships include, from left to right: the French Station Ship at Saigon, the former Battleship Loire (ex-Hoche), which was at Saigon during 1886-1897; a French River Gunboat (in the foreground); the Russian Armoured Cruiser Pamiat Azova (1888-1919); an unidentified Russian Armoured Cruiser, probably the Vladimir Monomakh (1881-1905); a Russian Gunboat, probably the Korietz (1886-1904), in the distant background; Russian Gunboat Mandjour (1886-1922); and a French paddle Aviso, either the Pluvier (1881-1898) or the Alouette (1882-1910). Note that the French ships are dressed for some unidentified celebration.

Marceau Class Ironclad Barbette Ship Neptune pictured on sea trials in 1892..Laid down at Arsenal de Brest in 1882, launched on May 7th 1887 and completed in July 1892.. Her main armament consisted of four 13.4 inch Modèle 1881, 28-calibre guns mounted in individual barbette mounts, one forward and one aft, both on the centerline, and two amidships in wing mounts. These guns were supported by a secondary battery of sixteen 5.4 inch 30-cal. guns, all carried in individual pivot mounts in an unarmoured gun battery in the hull, eight guns per broadside. For defense against torpedo boats, she carried an extensive battery of light guns, three 65 mm 2.6 inch guns, nine 1.9 inch 3-pounder guns, eight to twelve 1.5 inch 1-pounder five-barrel Hotchkiss revolving cannon; four to seven 65 mm guns, nine to twelve 47 mm guns, and eight 37 mm guns; Five 15 inch torpedo tubes. She was struck from the naval register c1913, and was sold to ship breakers and dismantled.

Marceau Class, Ironclad Barbette Battleship Magenta pictured showing off one of her forward mounted open barbette,13.4 inch Modèle 1881/28-calibre main armament guns c 1895.

Central Battery, Ironclad Barbette Battleship Redoutable pictured at Toulon in 1894, post her major reconstruction refit.