 The "Foudre" was first commissioned in 1896 as a torpedo boat tender ("Croiseur porte-torpilleurs"), with the role of helping bring torpedo boats to the high seas, and launch them for attack.She was then modified as repair ship in 1907, as a minelayer in 1910, as a seaplane carrier in 1911 (depot, transport, and launch by crane), and seaplane carrier with a flying-off deck in 1913.She was initially converted to carry torpedo-carrying planes in hangars on the main deck.