french cruiser armored cruiser french_navy lead ship class sister ship class armored cruiser built french_navy laid november launched september completed january armed main battery fourteen millimeter guns powerful armored cruisers entered service years battlecruiser hms invincible rendered armored cruisers outbreak world war august participated hunt german battlecruiser joined blockade austro hungarian navy adriatic took later august seizure january saw action war evacuated thousand civilians climax converted training ship ran aground rock coast january sank days later description meters long overall beam draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons power plant consisted triple expansion engines powered coal fired belleville boilers funnels groups engines rated indicated horsepower produced speed knots mph crew officers enlisted men armed main battery fourteen caliber guns twin gun turrets forward aft single gun turrets broadside guns mounted casemates abreast main aft conning towers close range defense torpedo boats provided battery pounder guns casemates ship hull equipped torpedo tubes submerged hull protected armored belt thick amidships gun turrets thick plating casemates marginally thinner protection main conning tower thick sides service history laid brest november launched september completed january commissioned french fleet ship powerful armored cruiser completed france entered service years british battlecruiser hms invincible rendered armored cruiser warship type participated international naval demonstration protest balkan wars ships navies included demonstration british pre dreadnought battleship hms king edward vii austro hungarian pre dreadnought sms italian pre dreadnought german light cruiser important action combined flotilla command british admiral cecil blockade coast goal blockade prevent serbian reinforcements supporting siege montenegro besieged combined force ottomans pressured international blockade serbia withdrew army subsequently occupied joint allied ground force world war outbreak world war august anchored british cruiser destroyer ships moored international support conference status albania armored cruisers mobilized tasked hunting german battlecruiser consort ships flotilla destroyers steam august german cruisers bombarded port previous day attack coupled reports suggested germans try break mediterranean atlantic prompted french high command send west german ships escaped constantinople attack french troop transports north_africa expected joined rest french fleet blockade adriatic_sea based fleet commanded admiral assembled night august following morning conducted sweep adriatic encountered austro hungarian cruiser ensuing sunk losses french french fleet withdrew threat austro hungarian boats area january sister embarked contingent mountain troops seize greek island cruisers sent troops ashore night january greek officials island protested offered resistance later career continued service eastern mediterranean end war culmination immediately followed world war rescued people great fire converted training ship work lasted included reduction armament guns removal funnels reconstruction bridge captain commanded ship underwent overhaul modernization fitted equipment handle reconnaissance purposes returning service ship assigned training ship cadets naval academy january ran aground coast algeria west proved total loss sank days later
French cruiser Edgar Quinet