Solférino 1864
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Magenta | Arsenal de Brest | 22.6.1859 | 22.6.1861 | 5/1862 | explosion 31.10.1875 | ||
| Solférino | Arsenal de Lorient | 24.6.1859 | 24.6.1861 | 8/1862 | stricken 7.1882 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
7058 |
|
Displacement full, t |
|
|
Length, m |
86.1 wl 92.0 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
17.3 |
|
Draught, m |
8.63 max |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 2-cyl HSE return connecting rod, 9 oval boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
4019 |
|
Max speed, kts |
12.9 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal 625 - 800 |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
|
|
Armour, mm |
wrought iron; belt: 120, battery: 120-110, CT: 100 |
|
Armament |
2 x 1 - 223/12 shell SBML, 16 x 1 - 194/16 50pdr SBML, 34 x 1 - 165/17 M1858 MLR |
|
Complement |
706 |
Project history: These wooden-hulled ships designed
by Dupuy de Lôme were the only broadside ironclads with two gun decks and were
also the first with a spur ram. The latter projected 2m and was covered by a 14t
steel cone supported by some of the heaviest longitudinal timbers, but as the
tactical diameter was 800m the ships were not very suited to ramming. The lower
gun deck had 16 55pdr SB guns and 10 16cm and the main deck 24 16cm with
respective heights above water of 1.6m and 4.3m. The two howitzers were on the
upper deck.
Metacentric height was about 1.6m and the class were
considered good seaboats. They were originally rigged as barquentines with
1700m² of sail but were altered to barques with 1950m² in 1864.
Ship protection: The belt was complete but the 45m-long armour on the gun decks ended in thin bulkheads and did not reach bow or stern where the sides were unprotected wood. Belt consisted of 120mm layer of wrought iron on 830mm wood backing from 1.5m below to 1.6m above the wl. 120mm iron armour of the battery had 670mm wood backing. CT had 100mm sides.
Modernizations: 1864, both: - 34 x 1 - 165/17; + 34 x 1 - 165/19 M1864 MLR
1865, Magenta: - 24 x 1 - 165/19; + 4 x 1 - 240/18 M1864 MLR, 8 x 1 - 194/19 M1864 MLR
1868, Magenta: - 4 x 1 - 194/19, 16 x 1 - 194/16, 10 x 1 - 165/19; + 6 x 1 - 240/18 M1864-66 MLR, hull was sheathed (18.3m breadth)
1869, Solférino: - 2 x 1 - 223/12, 16 x 1 - 194/16, 34 x 1 - 165/19; + 10 x 1 - 240/18 M1864-66 MLR, 4 x 1 - 194/19 M1864-66 MLR, hull was sheathed (18.3m breadth)
Naval service: The loss of Magenta was due to a fire that began at night in the wardroom galley and got out of control. The forward magazines were flooded but the after ones could not be reached and after 175 minutes the ship blew up.
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