Английская Википедия:D'Estrées-class cruiser
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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship class overviewШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsThe D'Estrées class comprised two protected cruisers of the French Navy built in the late 1890s. The two ships were Шаблон:Ship and Шаблон:Ship, though a third was projected but was canceled before work began. They were ordered during a period of intense debate in the French fleet between officers who favored large armored cruisers and those who preferred smaller vessels more suited to long-distance cruising abroad. The D'Estrées-class cruisers were intended to operate in the French colonial empire. The ships were armed with a main battery of two Шаблон:Cvt guns supported by four Шаблон:Cvt guns and they had a top speed of Шаблон:Convert.
D'Estrées and Infernet initially served in the Northern Squadron after entering service in the late 1890s, though they were quickly transferred elsewhere. D'Estrées went to the Atlantic station in 1902, while Infernet had been sent to French Madagascar by 1901. The latter ship then served a stint in the East Indies from 1903 to 1905, thereafter returning to France, where she was lost in an accidental grounding in 1910. D'Estrées was assigned to the 2nd Light Division at the start of World War I in August 1914 before being moved to the Syrian Division, where she took part in operations against Ottoman forces ashore. She patrolled the Red Sea and Indian Ocean from 1916 to the end of the war in 1918. D'Estrées was then sent to East Asia, where she served until being discarded in 1922.
Design
In the 1880s and 1890s, factions in the French Navy's officer corps argued over the types of cruiser that best served France's interests. Some argued for a fleet of small but fast protected cruisers for commerce raiding, another sought larger and more powerful armored cruisers that were useful for patrolling the country's colonial possessions, while another preferred vessels more suited to operations with the home fleet of battleships. In 1896, the Шаблон:Lang (Superior Naval Council) ordered the two cruisers of the D'Estrées class for the construction program that was to begin that year at the behest of the colonialists for use in the French overseas empire.Шаблон:Sfn A third member of the class, provisionally designated "K3", was authorized in 1897 but was not built; by that time, the French naval command had decided to build larger armored cruisers for all cruiser tasks, including colonial patrol duties.Шаблон:Sfn
Characteristics and machinery
The two ships of the D'Estrées class were Шаблон:Cvt long overall, with a beam of Шаблон:Cvt and a draft of Шаблон:Cvt. They displaced Шаблон:Cvt. Their crew numbered 235 officers and enlisted men.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' hulls included a ram bow and an overhanging stern, but unlike other French cruisers of the period, they lacked a double bottom or a longitudinal bulkhead. Below the waterline, they were covered with a layer of wood and copper sheathing to protect them from biofouling on extended voyages overseas, where they would not have reliable access to shipyard facilities. The ships had a flush deck and a minimal superstructure, consisting primarily of a small conning tower. They had three pole masts, though one was later removed from each vessel.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships' propulsion system consisted of a pair of vertical triple-expansion steam engines driving two screw propellers. Each engine was placed in its own engine room, divided by a watertight bulkhead to prevent flooding from disabling both engines. Steam was provided by eight coal-burning Normand-type water-tube boilers that were ducted into two widely-spaced funnels. The boilers were divided into pairs in four boiler rooms.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Their machinery was rated to produce Шаблон:Convert for a top speed of Шаблон:Convert. They carried Шаблон:Cvt of coal for the boilers, and up to Шаблон:Cvt at full load,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn which gave the ships a cruising radius of up to Шаблон:Convert at a speed of Шаблон:Convert, according to the contemporary Journal of the Royal United Service Institution.Шаблон:Sfn Warship International, citing the 1905 Marine Almanac, credits the class with a cruising radius of just Шаблон:Cvt at 10 knots.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament and armor
The ships were armed with a main battery of two [[Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1893 naval gun|Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1893]] 45-caliber guns. They were placed in individual pivot mounts with gun shields, one forward and aft on the centerline.Шаблон:Sfn They were supplied with a variety of shells, including solid, Шаблон:Cvt cast iron projectiles, and Шаблон:Cvt explosive armor-piercing (AP) and semi-armor-piercing (SAP) shells, firing with a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Cvt.Шаблон:Sfn
The main battery was supported by a secondary battery of four [[Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891|Шаблон:Cvt Modèle 1891 guns]], which were carried in sponsons in the hull. One pair was placed abreast the conning tower, and the other set of guns was located on either side of the rear funnel.Шаблон:Sfn The guns fired Шаблон:Cvt cast iron and Шаблон:Cvt AP shells with a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Cvt.Шаблон:Sfn
For close-range defense against torpedo boats, the vessels carried eight [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|Шаблон:Cvt 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns]] and two [[QF 1-pounder pom-pom|Шаблон:Cvt 1-pounder guns]]. These were mounted in individual pivot mountings that were distributed along the length of the ship, some atop the upper deck and others firing through gun ports in the upper deck.Шаблон:Sfn The ships were also equipped with fourteen naval mines.Шаблон:Sfn
Armor protection consisted of a curved armor deck that was Шаблон:Cvt thick in the central portion of the ships, where it protected the propulsion machinery spaces and the ammunition magazines. The deck was reduced in thickness toward the bow and stern, falling to Шаблон:Cvt. Above the deck at the sides, a cofferdam filled with cellulose was intended to contain flooding from damage below the waterline.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction
| Name | Laid downШаблон:Sfn | LaunchedШаблон:Sfn | CompletedШаблон:Sfn | ShipyardШаблон:Sfn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Ship | March 1897 | 27 October 1897 | 1899 | Шаблон:Lang, Rochefort |
| Шаблон:Ship | December 1896 | 7 September 1899 | 1900 | Шаблон:Lang, Lormont |
| K3Шаблон:Sfn | — | — | — | — |
Service history
D'Estrées served in the Northern Squadron after her completion in 1899,Шаблон:Sfn where she was joined by Infernet by early 1901.Шаблон:Sfn The latter vessel was transferred to French Madagascar later in 1901,Шаблон:Sfn and in 1902, D'Estrées was reassigned to the Atlantic Training Division.Шаблон:Sfn She remained there for the next several years, though the unit went through a series of name changes and reorganizations.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Infernet was moved again in 1903, this time to the East Indies to protect French interests in the region. She returned to France in 1905. In 1908, D'Estrées was sent to patrol the West Indies, and by that time, the Atlantic Division had been merged into the Northern Squadron.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn InfernetШаблон:'s career was cut short in 1910, when she ran aground off Les Sables-d'Olonne in 1910 and could not be pulled free.[1][2]Шаблон:Sfn
At the start of World War I in August 1914, D'Estrées was initially assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron, which was based in the English Channel, but was quickly transferred to reinforce the Syrian Division for operations against the Ottoman Empire.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn D'Estrées bombarded Ottoman positions along the Syrian coast and helped to enforce a blockade there. She also assisted in the evacuation of some 4,000 Armenians from Antakya on 12 and 13 September, along with several other French cruisers.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn She was moved to the Red Sea in 1916, where she patrolled for the German commerce raider Шаблон:SMS, which was known to be operating in the Indian Ocean. She remained in the region for the rest of the war, though she saw no further action.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn After the war, she was sent to French Indochina, where she spent the remainder of her career. D'Estrées was struck from the naval register in 1922 and broken up.Шаблон:Sfn
Notes
References
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Шаблон:D'Estrées class cruiser Шаблон:French protected cruisers Шаблон:WWI French ships
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