Screw avisos (2nd class, ex postal)

CORSE (acquired 1850)
FAON (acquired 1855)


CORSE screw aviso (2nd class)

Displacement:	506t
Dimensions:	150ft 7in wl, 157ft 6in deck x 27ft 5in wl, 27ft 11in max x 9ft 7in mean, 11ft 9in max.
Same, meters:	45.90, 48.00 x 8.36, 8.52 x 2.92, 3.59m
Machinery:	120nhp (Barnes). 2 cylinders, geared, 120nhp, 10.5kts. Coal capacity 75t
Hull material:	Wood
Armament:	(1851) 4-4cm bronze. (c1856) 4-18p carr. (1866) 2-12cm bronze MLR
Complement:	73

Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commiss.	Fate
CORSE	Normand	(1842)	(6.12.42)	6.1.51	Stk. 31.12.90

Class. This famous ship was laid down as Napoléon under a contract of 20.7.41 between the French inventor of the screw propeller, M. Sauvage, and Messrs. Normand (hull) and Barnes (machinery), the funds and the hull plans being provided by Normand. Barnes had the machinery built in England, possibly at his old firm which had become Miller and Ravenhill. The Ministry of Finance decided to acquire the ship for a new postal service between Marseilles and Corsica if her trial speed exceeded 8 knots. She reached over 10.5 knots, assuring the success of the screw propeller in France. Between 1843 and 1850 she saw very active service on the Marseille to Corsica postal line. Her sail area was 1030 sq.yd. on three masts. She was transferred to the navy on 26.11.50 and renamed Corse on 18.12.50. She received new machinery in 1865.

Disposal. Corse was converted to a coal hulk in 1891 and was sold on 15.1.03.



FAON screw aviso (2nd class)

Displacement:	196t
Dimensions:	132ft 10in wl, 134ft 6in deck x 19ft 8in x 6ft 9in mean, 7ft 2in max.
Same, meters:	40.50, 41.00 x 6.00 x 2.07, 2.19m
Machinery:	120nhp (Penn). Coal 24t
Hull material:	Iron
Armament:	2-4pdr
Complement:	74

Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commiss.	Fate
FAON	Normand	(?)	(1.2.47)	16.8.55	Stk. 7.5.78

Class. This ship was one of three built under a law of 4.8.44 for postal service on the Calais-Dover route. Moissard based her plans on the British Fairy of 120nhp which attained speeds as high as 13 knots. She was purchased by the navy with several other packets from the Ministry of Finance on 7.5.55

Disposal. Faon became a barracks and headquarters hulk for the Défense mobile at Cherbourg and was BU 1882.