french ironclad ironclad turret ship built french_navy 1880s lead ship class served rebuilt subsequently placed reserve returned service torpedo training ship world war served malta submarine tender old ironclad sold scrapping towed toulon ran aground gale stranded wreck remained visible 1930s design overall length meters meters long perpendiculars beam draft displaced tonnes long tons ship powered pair vertical triple expansion steam engines driving shaft steam provided coal fired cylindrical boilers single large funnel engines designed reach metric horsepower propel ship speed knots mph managed metric horsepower knots mph ship sea trials range nautical miles speed knots mph crew officers enlisted men ship armed main battery millimeter caliber guns slightly newer guns caliber weapons mounted individual barbettes arrangement gun forward aft amidships secondary battery consisted sixteen quick firing guns firing hull light armament varies widely sources range pounder guns eighteen pounder guns pounder barrel hotchkiss revolving cannon torpedo tubes deck mounted launchers naval historian gives seven guns guns guns torpedo tubes water naval historian says guns guns torpedo tubes ship compound armor belt thick amidships reduced stern barbettes thick conning tower protected armor plating deck thick service history ordered october laid january shipyard work proceeded slowly launched april result influence admiral minister marine staunch advocate called opposed new battleship construction fitting work completed quickly commissioned french fleet march commissioning joined french fleet visited inspected russia return voyage fleet stopped queen_victoria reviewed ships turned time operated atlantic returning france assigned remained duration career ironclads formidable nearly ran aground tow port fleet gunnery trials saw use new system centralized fire control french fleet sister neptune new battleship achieved percent hits ranges august returned major reconstruction heavy military masts cut engines modernized boilers replaced boilers gun installed bow forecastle work completed underwent series sea trials remainder year return active service fleet placed reserve toulon converted training ship torpedo operators toulon outbreak world war august converted floating workshop support torpedo boats submarines initially based malta later moved stricken naval register october sold firm based toulon towed toulon storm caused run aground remained visible 1930s
French ironclad Marceau