The central battery and barbette ship Redoutable, illustrated this
week, forms part of the French Mediterranean squadron, and although
launched as early as 1876 is still one of its most powerful ships.
Below are some of the principal dimensions and particulars of this
ironclad:
Length 318 ft. 2 in.
Beam 64 " 8 "
Draught 25 " 6 "
Displacement 9200 tons.
Crew 706 officers and men.
[Illustration: THE FRENCH CENTRAL BATTERY IRONCLAD REDOUTABLE.]
The Redoutable is built partly of iron and partly of steel and is
similar in many respects to the ironclads Devastation and Courbet of
the same fleet, although rather smaller. She is completely belted with
14 in. armor, with a 15 in. backing, and has the central battery
armored with plates of 9½ in. in thickness.
The engines are two in number, horizontal, and of the compound two
cylinder type, developing a horse power of 6,071, which on the trial
trip gave a speed of 14.66 knots per hour. Five hundred and ten tons
of coal are carried in the bunkers, which at a speed of 10 knots
should enable the ship to make a voyage of 2,800 knots. Torpedo
defense netting is fitted, and there are three masts with military
tops carrying Hotchkiss revolver machine guns.
The offensive power of the ship consists of seven breechloading rifled
guns of 27 centimeters (10.63 in.), and weighing 24 tons each, six
breechloading rifled guns of 14 centimeters (5.51 in.), and
quick-firing and machine guns of the Hotchkiss systems. There are in
addition four torpedo discharge tubes, two on each side of the ship.
The positions of the guns are as follows: Four of 27 centimeters in
the central battery, two on each broadside; three 27 centimeter guns
on the upper deck in barbettes, one on each side amidships, and one
aft. The 14 centimeter guns are in various positions on the
broadsides, and the machine guns are fitted on deck, on the bridges,
and in the military tops, four of them also being mounted on what is
rather a novelty in naval construction, a gallery running round the
outside of the funnel, which was fitted when the ship was under
repairs some months ago.
There are three electric light projectors, one forward on the upper
deck, one on the bridge just forward of the funnel, and one in the
mizzen top.--_Engineering._
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