French ironclad Dévastation

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For other ships with the same name, see French ship Dévastation.
Dévastation later in her career
History
France
NameDévastation
BuilderLorient
Laid down20 December 1875
Launched19 August 1879
Commissioned15 July 1882
Out of serviceApril 1913
Stricken5 February 1909
FateBroken up, 1927
General characteristics
Class and typeDévastation-class central battery ship
Displacement10,450 long tons (10,620 t)
Length100.52 m (329 ft 9 in) (loa)
Beam21.26 m (69 ft 9 in)
Draft8.08–8.23 m (26 ft 6 in – 27 ft 0 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed15 to 15.5 kn (27.8 to 28.7 km/h; 17.3 to 17.8 mph)
Range3,100 nmi (5,700 km; 3,600 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement689 men
Armament
  • 4 × 340 mm (13.4 in) guns
  • 4 × 270 mm (10.8 in) guns
  • 6 × 140 mm (5.5 in) guns
  • 8 × 37 mm (1.5 in)
    Hotchkiss revolver cannon
  • 5 × 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes
Armor
  • Belt: 178 to 381 mm (7 to 15 in)
  • Casemate: 241 mm (9.5 in)
  • Deck: 61 mm (2.4 in)

The Dévastation was an

ironclad battleship of the French Navy of central battery
(casemate) design. She was used as a school ship for manoeuvres.

Design

Main article: Dévastation-class ironclad
Plan and profile drawing of the Dévastation class and the similar Redoutable

The

launched and completed earlier.[4]

Dévastation was 100.52 m (329 ft 9 in)

barque rig.[4][5]

Her main battery consisted of four 340 mm (13.4 in), 18-

Hotchkiss revolver cannon, all in individual mounts. Her armament was rounded out with five 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes in above-water launchers.[4]

The ship was protected with wrought iron armor; her belt was 178 to 381 mm (7 to 15 in) thick and extended for the entire length of the hull. The armored casemate for the main battery were 241 mm (9.5 in) thick. On either end of the battery, an armor deck that was 61 mm (2.4 in) thick protected the ship's internal spaces; it was connected to the upper edge of the armor belt.[4]

Service history

Construction – 1889

The French fleet at Villefranche-sur-Mer around 1890; Amiral Duperré is in the foreground, with Dévastation behind

The

sea trials in October 1881, and on full commission for active service on 15 July 1882. During her trials, her crew found the vessel difficult to steer, owing to the combination of a single rudder and two propellers and her flat bottom. She proved to be a stable gun platform, however. Between December 1882 and June 1883, hydraulic mountings for the main battery guns were installed to make them easier for the crew to work. The ship finally joined the main French fleet on 31 January 1885.[7]

In 1886, the ship was assigned to the training squadron,[8] and on 2–3 March 1886, she took part in experiments with torpedo boats to determine the effectiveness of various attack angles. Later on the 3rd, Dévastation and the ironclads Colbert, Friedland, Redoutable, Suffren, and Amiral Duperré conducted shooting practice using the old ironclad Armide as a target. They fired at a range of 2,700 to 4,600 m (3,000 to 5,000 yd) and scored 22 percent hits with cast iron practice shells, though they conducted the test under unrealistic conditions, with Armide anchored in a calm sea.[9][10] The year's large-scale maneuvers were held off Toulon from 10 to 17 May, and they tested the effectiveness of torpedo boats in defending the coastline from a squadron of ironclads, whether cruisers and torpedo boats could break through a blockade of ironclads, and whether a flotilla of torpedo boats could intercept ironclads at sea.[11]

Map of the western Mediterranean, where Dévastation spent the majority of her career

Another major set of exercises was held from 2 to 12 June at

Majorca. From the year's maneuvers, the French concluded that the torpedo boats of the day were not sufficiently powerful enough to achieve any of the goals that had been assigned to them, particularly further from coast, but nevertheless still posed significant threats to blockading warships. These lessons spurred the development of larger torpedo boats better able to operate at sea.[12]

In May 1887, Dévastation took part in exercises to practice convoy escort; the French Army kept significant forces in French North Africa, and these units would have to be transported back to Europe in the event of a major conflict. Dévastation, Redoutable, Trident, and Richelieu were assigned to serve as simulated troop ships, escorted by Courbet, Colbert, Amiral Duperré, and the ironclad Indomptable. A squadron of cruisers and torpedo boats was tasked with intercepting the convoy. The convoy used bad weather to make the passage, as heavy seas kept the torpedo boats from going to sea.[13] Dévastation participated in the 1889 fleet exercises in company with eight other ironclads and numerous smaller craft. Dévastation served as part of the simulated enemy force during the maneuvers, which lasted from 30 June to 6 July. The exercises concluded with a simulated amphibious landing at Hyères carried out by the enemy squadron on 6 July, which the defending force was unable to prevent. A second round of exercises was held later that month, beginning on 23 July. The enemy squadron conducted a simulated attack on Toulon that night, but poor weather prevented further operations and the maneuvers were cancelled later on the 24th.[14]

1890–1927

Plan and profile drawing of the Dévastation as modernized

The next year, she was allocated to the 2nd Division of the Mediterranean Squadron, along with Courbet and Redoutable.[15] Later in 1890, the ship main battery guns were condemned after an accident aboard Amiral Duperré and a subsequent investigation revealed that all of the 340 mm guns in French service were defective. Dévastation went to Brest to have her guns replaced.[16] Older 320 mm (12.6 in) 25-caliber guns that were converted from coastal artillery weapons were installed in place of the defective guns.[4] The ship returned to service by 1891, and she participated in the fleet maneuvers that year in the 1st Division, along with Courbet and the ironclad Formidable. The maneuvers began on 23 June and lasted until 11 July, during which Dévastation operated as part of the simulated hostile force that attempted to attack the southern French coast.[17]

The ship remained in the Mediterranean Fleet through 1893, along with her sister, Amiral Duperré, the two

Rear Admiral Gadaud. The maneuvers included an initial period of exercises from 1 to 10 July and then larger-scale maneuvers from 17 to 28 July.[19] Dévastation remained in service with the Mediterranean Fleet through 1895, by which time the unit consisted of Courbet, the two Amiral Baudins, and the three Marceaus, along with several cruisers and torpedo vessels.[20] During that year's maneuvers, which began on 1 July, the 1st Squadron conducted a training cruise and practice shooting while the Reserve Squadron mobilized its ships. The main period of exercises saw the fleet divided into three units and Dévastation was assigned to the first unit, which was tasked with effecting a rendezvous at sea with the second squadron and then attacking Ajaccio. The maneuvers concluded on 27 July.[21]

The composition of the Mediterranean Fleet changed little in 1896, apart from the addition of the new pre-dreadnought battleship Brennus.[22] That year's maneuvers lasted from 6 to 30 July and took place off the coast of French Algeria.[23] By 1897, Dévastation had been reduced to the Reserve Squadron of the French fleet, which also included the ironclad Caïman, Terrible, Amiral Duperré, and Friedland.[24] She remained in the Reserve Squadron in 1898, by which time the French Navy had begun rebuilding several of its older ironclads. As a result, the only other members of the unit were Indomptable and Amiral Duperré.[25] She took part in the fleet maneuvers that year, which lasted from 5 to 25 July. She served as the flagship of Rear Admiral Godin during the maneuvers.[26] In December, the ship had her mainmast removed at Brest.[27]

Leon Gambetta-class cruisers
lies astern

In 1899, the ship was modernized extensively, receiving new

triple-expansion steam engines.[30] Dévastation was recommissioned for sea trials on 10 March 1902, but she was never placed in full commission.[31]

Dévastation was struck from the

coastal defense ship Tonnerre, but while she was leaving Lorient, Dévastation ran hard aground and could not be immediately freed. A lengthy salvage operation ensued,[27] and she was eventually refloated on 18 April 1927.[32] The ship was then intentionally grounded at Port-Louis, where she was broken up in situ.[27]

Notes

  1. ^ Campbell, pp. 289–290.
  2. ^ Ropp, p. 72.
  3. ^ Roberts, p. 45.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Campbell, p. 290.
  5. ^ Roberts, pp. 45–47.
  6. ^ Brassey 1888c, p. 329.
  7. ^ Roberts, pp. 45–46, 48.
  8. ^ Brassey 1886, p. 487.
  9. ^ Brassey 1888a, pp. 204–206.
  10. ^ Ropp, p. 299.
  11. ^ Brassey 1888a, pp. 208–213.
  12. ^ Brassey 1888a, pp. 214–222.
  13. ^ Brassey 1888b, pp. 225–231.
  14. ^ Brassey 1890a, pp. 33–37.
  15. ^ Brassey 1890a, p. 64.
  16. ^ Brassey 1890b, pp. 368–369.
  17. ^ Thursfield 1892, pp. 61–67.
  18. ^ Brassey 1893, p. 70.
  19. ^ Thursfield 1894, pp. 72–77.
  20. ^ Brassey 1895, p. 50.
  21. ^ Gleig, pp. 195–197.
  22. ^ Brassey 1896, p. 62.
  23. ^ Thursfield 1897, pp. 165–166.
  24. ^ Brassey 1897, p. 57.
  25. ^ Brassey 1898, pp. 57, 66.
  26. ^ Leyland 1899b, pp. 210–212.
  27. ^ a b c Roberts, p. 48.
  28. ^ Leyland 1899a, p. 40.
  29. ^ Leyland 1899a, p. 33.
  30. ^ Leyland 1901, p. 40.
  31. ^ Roberts, p. 47.
  32. ^ "(untitled)". The Times. No. 44559. London. 19 April 1927. col F, p. 12.

References

Further reading
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