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FRENCH NAVY (FRANCE)

CAPITAL SHIPS

BRENNUS turret battleship (1896)

Brennus 1896

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Brennus     Arsenal de Lorient 12.1.1889 17.10.1891 16.12.1896 stricken 1919

 

Displacement normal, t

11190

Displacement full, t

 

Length, m

110.3 pp 114.0 wl

Breadth, m

20.4

Draught, m

8.28 max

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 VTE, 32 Belleville boilers

Power, h. p.

13900

Max speed, kts

17.5 - 18

Fuel, t

coal 980

Endurance, nm(kts)

3000(10)

Armour, mm

steel and compound; belt: 450 - 250, upper belt: 100, battery: 100, turrets: up to 450, secondary turrets: 100, deck: 80 - 70, CT: 150

Armament

1 x 2 - 340/42 M1887, 1 x 1 - 340/42 M1887, 10 x 1 - 165/45 M1893, 4 x 1 - 65/50 M1891, 14 x 1 - 47/40 M1885, 8 x 1 - 37/20 M1885, 6 x 5 - 37/20 M1885, 4 - 450 TT (beam, aw)

Complement

673

Project history: This ship had several important new features but was spoilt for lack of adequate displacement. As first completed in 1893 she was 0.4m over designed draught without her ammunition on board, and was seriously deficient in initial stability, so that the superstructure had to be reduced and the military mainmast removed. The 340mm were very powerful guns for their day and were in centre pivot turrets with the twin forward and single aft. Of the 165mm, six were in the main deck battery amidships and four in single turrets above the battery. There was no ram, a most unusual feature at this lime, and Brennus was the first battleship with Belleville boilers, though of an elementary type without economizers, and was also the first to have long, high-velocity main armament guns. Her displacement and dimensions, particularly her beam, were however quite inadequate.

Ship protection: The belt was complete and 2.2m wide of which 0.6m or less was above water. Amidships it was 450mm with a 300mm lower edge and fore and aft 300mm with a 250mm lower edge. The upper belt was also complete and extended almost to the main deck, while the battery armour was taken to the upper deck. The armour deck was at the level of the main belt upper edge and was 60-50mm on double 10mm plates.

Modernizations: 1900s: - 6 x 5 - 37/20, 4 - 450 TT

Naval service: No significant events.

Brennus  

Brennus as built, 1894

Brennus  

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