French ironclad Bouledogue

Bouledogue was a one of four Bélier-class ironclad rams built for the French Navy during the 1870s. Completed in 1873, she spent most of her career in reserve. The ship accidentally rammed and sank a torpedo boat in 1895 and was sold for scrap two years later.

History
France
Name	Bouledogue
Ordered	15 January 1865
Builder	Arsenal de Lorient
Laid down	5 December 1865
Launched	26 March 1872
Completed	January 1874
Stricken	24 April 1866
Fate	Sold for scrap, 21 March 1897
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Bélier-class ironclad ram
Displacement	3,589 t (3,532 long tons)
Length	72 m (236 ft 3 in) (oa)
Beam	16.14 m (52 ft 11 in)
Draft	5.83 m (19 ft 2 in)
Installed power	6 boilers 2,120 ihp (1,580 kW)
Propulsion	2 × screws; 2 × return connecting rod engines
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range	1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	147
Armament	2 × 240 mm (9.4 in) guns
Armor	Waterline belt: 220 mm (8.7 in) Gun turret: 180 mm (7.1 in) Deck: 20 mm (0.8 in)

Design and development

The Bélier class constituted a reversal of the defensive philosophy that drove the design of the preceding ironclad ram, Taureau, with their emphasis on an offensive role using their guns instead of a ram.^[1][2] The ships had an overall length of 72 m (236 ft 3 in), a beam of 16.14 m (52 ft 11 in) and a draft of 5.83 m (19.1 ft). They displaced 3,589 metric tons (3,532 long tons). They were powered by a pair of two-cylinder direct-acting steam engines that used steam provided by six boilers to drive each propeller shaft. The engines were rated at a total of 2,120 indicated horsepower (1,580 kW)^[3] that was intended to give the ships a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).^[4] The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The ship's complement numbered 147 sailors of all ranks.^[3]

Cerbère class

Bouledogue was armed with a main battery of two 240 mm (9.4 in) Mle 1870 rifled breech-loading guns in a turret in the bow. The turret sat above a barbette that housed the turret machinery; both had armor 180 mm (7.1 in) thick. The ships were protected by a full-length waterline belt of wrought iron that was 220 mm (8.7 in) thick. The deck armor was 20 mm (0.8 in) thick in Bouledogue.^[3][4]

Construction and career

The ship was completed in October 1873 and was in commission until she was placed in reserve on 19 April 1875. Bouledogue collided with and sank the torpedo boat Torpilleur No. 69 in Lorient harbor on 31 July 1895. The ironclad was struck from the navy list on 24 April 1896 and was sold for scrap on 21 March 1897.^[3]