Screw avisos (2nd class, 150 nhp)

PREGENT class (launched 1857)
SURCOUF class (launched 1858)
D'ESTAING class (launched 1859-60)
LAMOTTE-PICQUET class (launched 1859-63)


PREGENT class screw avisos (2nd class)

Displacement:  615t
Dimensions: 162ft 5in wl x 27ft 5in x 11ft 4in mean
Same, meters: 49.50 x 8.35 x 3.45m
Machinery: 150nhp (Mazeline). 2 cylinders, return connecting rod, trials (Prégent) 480ihp = 9.9kts
Hull material: Composite (Arman system)
Armament: (Orig.) 2-16cm shell. Later 4-12cm bronze field MLR
Complement: 65

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
PREGENT Arman 6.56 22.4.57 21.4.64 Stk. 29.10.74
RENAUDIN Arman 6.56 19.5.57 1.1.58 Stk. 8.5.73

Class. This new type of aviso grew out of a review of the role of steam in the fleet carried out between 1852 and 1856. Avisos for the foreign stations were to be small wooden-hulled ships with a complete sail rig, auxiliary steam power of 150nhp, and one large gun and a few small ones. (Cruiser warfare requiring speed would be left to large corvettes of the Phlégéton type.) Specifications for this type were drawn up in 10.55 based on Normand's highly successful screw postal packet Napoléon (acquired by the navy in 1851 as the second-class aviso Corse). The speed of the design was increased somewhat over the 7 to 8 knots originally planned to make them usable with the fleet as well. In 1855 the 2nd class aviso category was redefined to include all ships in the 100-180nhp range, making the new ships notional successors to both the Corse and Sphinx groups. Plans for two ships by Carlet were approved in 4.56. Both ships were placed in reduced commission (commission de port) on 16.5.57.

Disposals. Prégent became a coal hulk at Cherbourg and was BU 1887. Renaudin was BU 1879.



SURCOUF class screw avisos (2nd class)

Displacement:  628t
Dimensions: 162ft 5in wl x 26ft 8in x 11ft 4in mean
Same, meters: 49.50 x 8.12 x 3.45m
Machinery: 150nhp. Surcouf: (Mazeline) 2 cylinders, return connecting rod, 10.05kts. D'Entrecasteaux received the rebuilt engines of the paddle second-class aviso Flambart: 150nhp, trials 290ihp = 9.40kts.
Hull material: Composite (Arman system)
Armament: (Orig.) 2-30p. (Surcouf by 1875) 2-14cm No.2 MLR, 2-12cm bronze field MLR. (D'Entrec. by 1875) 4-14cm M1867 MLR
Complement: 65

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
SURCOUF Rochefort 9.56 16.3.58 26.4.58 Stk. 15.11.78
D'ENTRE- CASTEAUX Rochefort 9.56 26.7.58 31.12.58 Stk. 18.8.76

Class. These two ships were ordered at the same time as the Prégent class. Plans for them by Vésignié were approved in 4.56 D'Entrecasteaux may have received the engine of Tancrède or Lynx in the 1860s.

Disposals. Surcouf served as headquarters hulk for torpedo boats at Brest from 1878 to 1884, then became a coal hulk at Brest, was renamed Charbonnier 1885, and was BU 1902. D'Entrecasteaux was ceded to the government of Annam on 18.8.76 as Loi Dat. She probably reverted to the French flag and was disposed of when France occupied Annam in 1884.





D'ESTAING class screw avisos (2nd class)

Displacement:  695t
Dimensions: 173ft 11in wl, 177ft 10in deck x 27ft 4in wl, 27ft 7in max x 10ft 8in mean, 12ft 0in max. Depth 10ft 1in
Same, meters: 53.00, 54.20 x 8.32, 8.40 x 3.26, 3.66m. 3.08m
Machinery: 150nhp (FCM). Trials (D'Estaing) 390ihp = 10.18kts. Coal 112t
Hull material: Wood
Armament: (1860) 2-16cm shell. (1862-5) 4-12cm bronze field MLR. (L. Tréville 1873) 2-14cm M1867 MLR, 2-12cm bronze field MLR. (D'Estaing by 1875) 4-14cm M1867 MLR
Complement: 65

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
D'ESTAING Toulon 25.3.58 26.5.59 26.4.59 Stk. 4.8.76
LATOUCHE- TREVILLE Toulon 6.58 16.2.60 7.5.60 Stk. 5.6.86

Class. This pair and the first two ships of the Lamotte-Picquet class were ordered in 8.57, both for the foreign stations and for miscellaneous duties in European waters, including fishery protection. The two ships at Toulon were designed by Dutard.

Disposals. D'Estaing was reportedly decommissioned 1.8.76 and transferred to Annam on 4.8.76 with the gunboat Scorpion. Latouche-Tréville was BU 1887.



LAMOTTE-PICQUET class screw avisos (2nd class)

Displacement:  672t
Dimensions: 179ft 0in wl, 185ft 4in deck x 27ft 3in wl, 27ft 11in max x 10ft 7in mean, 12ft 6in max. Depth 9ft 1in
Same, meters: 54.55, 56.50 x 8.30, 8.50 x 3.22, 3.82m. 2.76m
Machinery: 150nhp (Mazeline in Lamotte-Picquet, Coëtlogon, and Curieux; FCM 2-cylinder return connecting rod in others). Trials 7.90 to 11.25kts (570ihp). Coal 100t
Hull material: Wood
Armament: (1860) 2-16cm shell. (1862) 4-12cm bronze field MLR. (1866) 1-16cm M1858-60 MLR, 2-12cm MLR (Diamant and Amphion). (1867) 2-14cm No.1 MLR, 2-12cm bronze field MLR. (1872) 4-14cm No.2 MLR
Complement: 65

Name           Builder     Laid down Launched  Commiss.  Fate         
LAMOTTE- PICQUET Cherbourg 21.4.58 18.5.59 24.11.59 Stk. 26.2.81
COETLOGON Cherbourg 21.4.58 4.6.59 10.2.60 Stk. 2.11.77
CURIEUX E.Cardon 1860 13.12.60 13.2.61 Stk. 14.2.79
DIAMANT Arman Bord. 15.12.59 8.5.61 1.8.61 Stk. 7.5.78
LUTIN Arman Bord. 15.12.59 25.4.61 1.8.61 Stk. 13.2.68
LYNX Moulinié 1.12.59 10.5.61 16.10.61 Stk. 21.6.66
TANCREDE Bichon 1.12.59 25.5.61 17.10.61 Stk. 21.6.66
ADONIS Arman Ajac. 1860 15.1.63 18.7.63 Stk. 27.3.83
AMPHION Arman Ajac. 1860 9.5.63 12.10.63 Lost 21.4.66

Class. The first two were ordered with the D'Estaing class in 8.57, on plans by Vésignié which were approved in 3.58. Curieux was built at Honfleur, the next four at Bordeaux, and the last two at Ajaccio--all, in part, to keep private yards employed. Of the privately-built ships, the first five were ordered in late 1859 and the last two in November 1860. Dimensions varied slightly--those given here are for Lamotte-Picquet which is representative of the class. Armaments changed often; the table shows when the successive armaments were introduced. Sail area was 1024 sq.yd.

Disposals. The hulls of Lutin, Lynx, and Tancrède deteriorated quickly and were BU 1866-68. The engines of the first were reused in Boursaint (1872, 750t) and the machinery of the other two was made available for D'Entrecasteaux (above) and probably Bruat (1867, 677t). Lamotte-Picquet became a barracks hulk and headquarters hulk for torpedo boats at Lorient and was BU 1892. Coëtlogon, Curieux, and Diamant were BU 1879. Adonis became a mooring hulk at Rochefort and was BU 1907. Amphion was wrecked at Vera Cruz.