Английская Википедия:French battleship Charles Martel
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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship class overviewШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsCharles Martel was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the French Navy built in the 1890s. Completed in 1897, she was a member of a group of five broadly similar battleships ordered as part of the French response to a major British naval construction program. The five ships were built to the same basic design parameters, though the individual architects were allowed to deviate from each other in other details. Like her half-sisters—Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, and Шаблон:Ship—she was armed with a main battery of two Шаблон:Convert guns and two Шаблон:Convert guns. The ship had a top speed of Шаблон:Convert.
Charles Martel spent her active career in the Escadre de la Méditerranée (Mediterranean Squadron) of the French fleet, first in the active squadron, and later in the Escadre de réserve (Reserve Squadron). She regularly participated in fleet maneuvers, and in the 1901 exercises, the submarine Шаблон:Ship hit her with a training torpedo. Charles Martel spent just five years in the active squadron, having been surpassed by more modern battleships during a period of rapid developments in naval technology. She spent the years 1902–1914 mostly in reserve, and the navy decommissioned the vessel in early 1914, hulking her and converting her into a barracks ship. After the outbreak of World War I in August, her guns were removed for use on the front and she briefly served as a prison ship. Charles Martel was condemned in 1919 and was sold for scrap the following year.
Design
In 1889, the British Royal Navy passed the Naval Defence Act that resulted in the construction of the eight Шаблон:Sclasss; this major expansion of naval power led the French government to pass its reply, the Statut Naval (Naval Law) of 1890. The law called for a total of twenty-four "cuirasses d'escadre" (squadron battleships) and a host of other vessels, including coastal defense battleships, cruisers, and torpedo boats. The first stage of the program was to be a group of four squadron battleships that were built to different designs but met the same basic characteristics, including armor, armament, and displacement. The naval high command issued the basic requirements on 24 December 1889; displacement would not exceed Шаблон:Convert, the primary armament was to consist of Шаблон:Convert and Шаблон:Convert guns, the belt armor should be Шаблон:Convert, and the ships should maintain a top speed of Шаблон:Convert. The secondary battery was to be either Шаблон:Convert or Шаблон:Convert caliber, with as many guns fitted as space would allow.Шаблон:Sfn
The basic design for the ships was based on the previous battleship Шаблон:Ship, but instead of mounting the main battery all on the centerline, the ships used the lozenge arrangement of the earlier Шаблон:Ship, which moved two of the main battery guns to single turrets on the wings.Шаблон:Sfn Five naval architects submitted designs to the high command; the design that became Charles Martel was prepared by Charles Ernest Huin, who had also designed the ironclad battleship Шаблон:Ship. Political considerations, namely parliamentary objections to increases in naval expenditures, led the designers to limit displacement to around Шаблон:Convert. Huin submitted his finalized proposal in line with these considerations on 12 August 1890, and it was accepted and ordered on 10 September. Though the program called for four ships to be built in the first year, five were ultimately ordered: Charles Martel, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, and Шаблон:Ship.Шаблон:Sfn
An earlier vessel, also named Charles Martel, had been laid down in 1884 and cancelled under the tenure of Admiral Théophile Aube. The vessel, along with a sister ship named Brennus, was a modified version of the Шаблон:Sclass ironclad battleships. After Aube's retirement in 1887, the plans for the ships were entirely redesigned, though the later pair of ships are sometimes conflated with the earlier, cancelled designs.Шаблон:Sfn This may be due to the fact that both of the ships named Brennus were built in the same shipyard, and material assembled for the first vessel was used in the construction of the second.Шаблон:Sfn The two pairs of ships were, nevertheless, distinct vessels.Шаблон:Sfn
The new Charles Martel and her half-sisters were disappointments in service; they generally suffered from stability problems, and Louis-Émile Bertin, the Director of Naval Construction in the late 1890s, referred to the ships as Шаблон:Lang (prone to capsizing). All five of the vessels compared poorly to their British counterparts, particularly their contemporaries of the Шаблон:Sclass. The ships suffered from a lack of uniformity of equipment, which made them hard to maintain in service, and their mixed gun batteries comprising several calibers made gunnery in combat conditions difficult, since shell splashes were hard to differentiate. Many of the problems that plagued the ships in service, particularly their stability and seakeeping, were a result of the limitation on their displacement.Шаблон:Sfn
General characteristics and machinery
Charles Martel was Шаблон:Convert long between perpendiculars and Шаблон:Convert long overall. The ship had a beam of Шаблон:Convert, a forward draft of Шаблон:Convert and a draft of Шаблон:Cvt at the stern. She displaced Шаблон:Convert at normal load and Шаблон:Cvt at full load. Charles MartelШаблон:'s hull was subdivided by 13 transverse bulkheads into 14 watertight compartments and she was fitted with a ram bow.Шаблон:Sfn Her forecastle gave her a high freeboard forward, but her quarterdeck was cut down to the main deck level aft. Her hull was given a marked tumblehome to give the 27 cm guns wide fields of fire. Like earlier Huin designs, Charles Martel had a very tall superstructure; she was equipped with two heavy military masts, with a tall flying deck between them. In service, the tall superstructure made her top-heavy, though her high freeboard made her very seaworthy.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn She normally had a crew of 651 officers and enlisted men, which increased to 751 when serving as a flagship.Шаблон:Sfn
Charles Martel had two vertical, three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines manufactured by Schneider-Creusot;Шаблон:Sfn each engine drove a single three-bladed, Шаблон:Cvt screw using steam supplied by twenty-four Lagrafel d'Allest water-tube boilers at a maximum pressure of Шаблон:Convert. The boilers were divided into four boiler rooms and were ducted into two funnels. Her engines were rated at Шаблон:Convert, which was intended to give the ship a speed of Шаблон:Convert normally and up to Шаблон:Convert using forced draft. During her sea trials on 5 May 1897, Charles Martel reached a speed of Шаблон:Convert from Шаблон:Convert. The ship could carry a maximum of Шаблон:Convert of coal, which gave her a range of Шаблон:Convert at a speed of Шаблон:Convert. Her 83-volt electrical power was provided by four 600-ampere dynamos.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament
Charles MartelШаблон:'s main armament consisted of two 45-caliber Canon de 305 mm Modèle 1887 guns in two single-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. The hydraulically worked turrets had a range of elevation of -5° to +15°. They fired Шаблон:Convert cast-iron projectiles at the rate of one round per minute. They had a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert which gave a range of Шаблон:Convert at maximum elevation.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
The ship's intermediate armament consisted of a pair of 45-caliber [[Canon de 274 modèle 1887/1893|Canon de Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1887 gun]]s in single-gun wing turrets amidships on each side and sponsoned out over the tumblehome of the ship's sides. Their turrets had the same range of elevation as the main battery. The guns had the same rate of fire and muzzle velocity as the larger guns, but their cast-iron shells only weighed Шаблон:Cvt and their maximum range was slightly less at Шаблон:Cvt.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Her secondary armament consisted of eight 45-caliber [[Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1893 naval gun|Canon de Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1888-91 gun]]s which were mounted in single-gun turrets at the corners of the superstructure. The turrets had an elevation range of from -5° to +15°. The guns could fire their Шаблон:Cvt shells at a rate of fire of four rounds per minute. They had a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Cvt and a range of Шаблон:Cvt.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Defense against torpedo boats was provided by six quick-firing (QF) 50-caliber [[Canon de 65 mm Modèle 1891|Canon de Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1891]] guns, a dozen 40-caliber [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|QF Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1885 guns]], and five 20-caliber [[Hotchkiss gun#Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon|QF Шаблон:Cvt revolving cannon]], all in unprotected single mounts on the superstructure and in platforms on the military masts. The 65 mm guns had a rate of fire of eight rounds per minute and a range of Шаблон:Cvt while 47 mm guns could fire nine to fifteen rounds per minute to a range of Шаблон:Cvt. The five-barrel 37 mm revolving guns had a rate of fire of twenty to twenty-five rounds per minute and a range of Шаблон:Cvt. While conducting her sea trials in 1896, two of Charles MartelШаблон:'s 65 mm and all of her 37 mm guns were replaced by four additional 47 mm guns.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Her armament suite was rounded out by four Шаблон:Convert torpedo tubes, two of which were submerged in the ship's hull, one on each broadside, with the other two on single rotating mounts abaft the forward 138 mm turrets; each mount could traverse an arc from 30° to 110° off the centerline. Charles Martel was initially equipped with Modèle 1892 torpedoes that had a Шаблон:Convert warhead and a range of Шаблон:Cvt at a speed of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Armor
Charles MartelШаблон:'s armor weighed Шаблон:Cvt, 38.5% of the ship's displacement, and was constructed from a mix of nickel steel and compound armor plates that were manufactured by Schneider-Creusot. The waterline belt extended the full length of the ship and it had an average height of Шаблон:Cvt, although it reduced to Шаблон:Cvt aft. The belt had a maximum thickness of 450 mm amidships where it protected the ammunition magazines and propulsion machinery spaces and reduced to Шаблон:Cvt forward and Шаблон:Cvt aft. To save weight, the belt was tapered to a thickness at its bottom edge of Шаблон:Cvt amidships and Шаблон:Cvt at the ends of the ship.Шаблон:Sfn Above the belt was a Шаблон:Cvt thick strake of armor that created a highly-subdivided cofferdam to reduce the risk of flooding from battle damage. Coal storage bunkers were placed behind the upper side armor to increase its strength.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
The faces and sides of the main and intermediate turrets were protected by armor plates Шаблон:Cvt in thickness and they had Шаблон:Cvt roofs. Their barbettes had Шаблон:Cvt of nickel-steel armor. The secondary turrets had 100 mm sides and Шаблон:Cvt roofs. The conning tower had walls Шаблон:Cvt thick and its communications tube was protected by Шаблон:Cvt of armor. The curved armored deck was 70 mm on the flat and 100 mm on its slope.Шаблон:Sfn
Service history
Active career
Charles Martel was laid down on 1 August 1891 by the Arsenal de Brest and launched on 29 August 1893.Шаблон:Sfn After completing fitting-out work, she was commissioned for her trials on 10 January 1896. In October they were interrupted so that the battleship could participate in a naval review in Cherbourg with President Félix Faure and Tsar Nicholas II. While conducting torpedo trials on 21 December, Charles Martel struck an uncharted rock that bent a propeller blade and slightly damaged the hull. Repairs were completed on 1 February 1897 and she was fully commissioned into the French Navy on 20 February.Шаблон:Sfn She was delayed in completing her sea trials, as her boiler tubes had to be replaced with a safer, weld-less design, following an accident aboard Jauréguiberry with the same type of tubes. Following her commissioning for service, she was assigned to the Escadre de la Méditerranée.Шаблон:Sfn While working up on 5 March, her rudder servomotor briefly declutched and the ship drifted onto a rock; damage was minimal and she began her voyage to Toulon three days later.Шаблон:Sfn On 6 August she became the flagship of Шаблон:Lang (Rear Admiral) Paul Dieulouard and took part in fleet maneuvers off Golfe-Juan and Les Salins d'Hyères the following month. Gunnery training revealed problems with some of the guns failing to return to battery that were rectified in October–November.Шаблон:Sfn
During a gunnery exercise on 29 March 1898,Шаблон:Sfn Charles Martel, together with her half-sisters Carnot, Jauréguiberry, and the older battleships Brennus and Шаблон:Ship, sank the aviso Шаблон:Ship. Faure came aboard Charles Martel to observe a training exercise on 14–16 April and the ship visited Corsica between 21 and 31 May. She participated in the annual fleet maneuvers beginning on 8 July and made port visits in French North Africa before returning to Toulon on 30 July. The ship was assigned to the Шаблон:Lang (Second Battleship Division) of the Escadre de la Méditerranée in mid-September and Шаблон:Lang Germain Roustan hoisted his flag aboard, replacing Dieulouard, on 25 September. As tensions rose during the Fashoda Incident with Great Britain, the fleet mobilized on 18 October and sortied to Les Salins d'Hyères. It stood down on 5 November and Charles Martel was docked for maintenance from 11 to 24 November.Шаблон:Sfn
In February and March 1899, the squadron visited French Mediterranean ports and Barcelona, Spain. After repairs in Toulon in September, the ship joined the squadron in a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean that lasted from 11 October to 21 December. She was docked for maintenance in January 1900Шаблон:Sfn and then joined the battleships Brennus, Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, Bouvet, and Jauréguiberry and four protected cruisers for maneuvers off Golfe-Juan, including night-firing training on 6 March. Over the course of April, the ships visited numerous French ports along the Mediterranean coast, and on 31 May the fleet steamed to Corsica for a visit that lasted until 8 June. During the fleet maneuvers held that June, Charles Martel led Group II, which included four cruisers and a pair of destroyers, under Roustan's command. The exercises included a blockade of Group III's battleships by Group II. The Escadre de la Méditerranée then rendezvoused with the Шаблон:Lang (Northern Squadron) off the coast of Portugal before proceeding to Quiberon Bay for joint maneuvers in July. The maneuvers concluded with a naval review in Cherbourg on 19 July for President Émile Loubet. On 1 August, the fleet departed for Toulon, arriving on 14 August.Шаблон:Sfn On 26 September, Шаблон:Lang Charles Aubry de la Noé relived Roustan as the commander of the Шаблон:Lang.Шаблон:Sfn
The year 1901 passed uneventfully for Charles Martel, except for the fleet maneuvers conducted that year.Шаблон:Sfn During the June exercises, Charles Martel was hit by a training torpedo fired by the submarine Шаблон:Ship, which was ruled against the rules, and her light guns sank the torpedo boat Шаблон:Ship during target practice. The Шаблон:Lang sailed on 22 August to welcome Nicholas II and his wife, and arrived at Dunkirk, having rendezvoused with the lang|fr|Escadre du Nord on 31 August at Cherbourg en route. On 15 October Aubry de la Noé was relieved by Шаблон:Lang René-Julien Marquis. Charles Martel was docked for maintenance at the end of the month and had a radio telegraph installed. In early 1902, the ship made the usual visits to French Mediterranean ports.Шаблон:Sfn
Reserve fleet
On 10 May Marquis was transferred to a new jobШаблон:Sfn and Charles Martel was transferred to the Шаблон:Lang of the Шаблон:Lang, along with the battleships Brennus, Carnot, and Hoche and the armored cruisers Шаблон:Ship, Шаблон:Ship, and Шаблон:Ship as more modern ships had joined the fleet.[1]Шаблон:Sfn She initially served as the flagship of Шаблон:Lang Joseph Besson, though by July 1903 her place as flagship had been taken by the battleship Шаблон:Ship. During this period in reserve, the ship was frequently reactivated for short periods to replace active vessels that had to be docked for maintenance.Шаблон:Sfn During the fleet maneuvers in July 1905, Charles MartelШаблон:'s main guns had a rate of fire of one round every nine minutes and her intermediate guns one round about every four minutes.Шаблон:Sfn She remained in the Шаблон:Lang; by 1906, she was in the Шаблон:Lang, under the command of Шаблон:Lang Paul-Louis Germinet.Шаблон:Sfn Her above-water torpedo tubes were removed on 13 June.Шаблон:Sfn On 16 September, she was present for a major fleet review in Marseilles that saw visits from British, Spanish, and Italian squadrons.Шаблон:Sfn The ship was maintained in a state of Шаблон:Lang, a state of reduced readiness; Charles Martel was in full commission for three months of the year for training, and in reserve with a reduced crew for the remainder.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn She remained in this status for the duration of 1907.Шаблон:Sfn During an exercise off Corsica, the armored cruiser Шаблон:Ship ran aground on 20 November 1907 during a severe storm. After lightening the cruiser, Charles Martel and the armored cruiser Шаблон:Ship were able to pull Condé off.Шаблон:Sfn
In September 1909 the battleship became the flagship of the Inspector of Flotillas and one of her propellers was damaged by an errant torpedo while the inspector was observing firing exercises by torpedo boats.Шаблон:Sfn The following month the Шаблон:Lang was reorganized with the Шаблон:Lang redesignated as the Шаблон:Lang and the Шаблон:Lang as the Шаблон:Lang, since by then the six Шаблон:Sclass and Шаблон:Sclasss had entered service. The new ships allowed for the creation of a new Шаблон:Lang (Second Battle Squadron) within the Шаблон:Lang,Шаблон:Sfn Charles Martel became the replacement ship for the Шаблон:Lang on 5 October and departed for Cherbourg on 5 November, sustaining some storm damage en route. After her arrival on the 13th, she welcomed King Manuel II of Portugal to France and then escorted the British royal yacht Victoria and Albert, with King Edward VII aboard, back to Britain. The ship was assigned to Шаблон:Lang of the Шаблон:Lang on 16 October 1910. Шаблон:Lang Achille Adam hoisted his flag aboard the ship on 21 July 1911.Шаблон:Sfn When the Шаблон:Sclasss began entering service in that year, the fleet was reorganized again, with Charles Martel and the other older ships being transferred to the new Шаблон:Lang on 5 October, which was based in Brest, and Adam becoming commander of its Шаблон:Lang.Шаблон:Sfn
The ship's hydraulic reloading machinery for the main and intermediate turrets was replaced by manual-loading gear in August 1911, which generally rendered her combat ineffective. She was present for another naval review off Toulon on 4 September. Adam hauled his flag down on 25 February 1912 and Charles Martel was reduced to reserve status on 1 March. She was reduced to special reserve on 1 July and was transferred to Landévennec, Brittany, in November 1913. Together with her contemporaries Brennus, Carnot and Masséna, Charles Martel was decommissioned and hulked to serve as a barracks ship on 1 April 1914.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
After the beginning of World War I in August, the ship hosted the headquarters controlling German prisoners of war temporarily housed in fortresses in Brittany in late September. Some of her boilers were removed during the war to equip three tugboats; her main guns were removed in 1915 and bored out to convert them to [[Obusier de 370 modèle 1915|Obusier de Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1915]] railroad howitzers. The ship's 274 mm guns were converted into Canon de 274 Modèle 87/93 Glissement railroad guns two years later and her 138.6 mm guns were placed on wheeled gun carriages for service with the army. Late in the war she was used as a prison ship. Charles Martel was condemned on 30 October 1919 and was listed for sale on 21 September 1920. She was purchased for 675,000 francs on 20 December by the Dutch firm Frank Rijsdijk’s Industriële Ondernemingen N.V. and towed its ship breaking yard in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht to begin demolition.Шаблон:Sfn
Footnotes
References
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Шаблон:French battleship Charles Martel Шаблон:French battleships Шаблон:WWI French ships
