158 
THE WORLD S WARSHIPS. 
Coast Defenders.—First Class. 
1st Group .—Tonnerre and Fulminant. 
2nd Group. —Furieux. 
Second Class. 
1st Group .—Tempete and Yengeur. 
2nd Group. —Tonnant. 
All these vessels are carried on to the third period. 
FRENCH IRONCLAD FLEET.—THIRD PERIOD. 
The simplicity of the new programme of ship building is not increased 
by the various classifications given by different, and even in some 
cases, the same author. Thus the same vessel figures as a line-of- 
battleship, as an armoured cruiser, and even as a Garde-cote, according 
to the book one opens. The names, too, of the ships often tend to 
mislead one. Thus, in the first group of line-of-battleships which we 
have now to consider, the Hoche, Neptune, Marceau, and Magenta, 
would hardly be thought to be sisters. 
The third was lately at Portsmouth, the second and fourth are 
not yet quite completed. I suppose they may be termed improved 
French Admirals. They are about the same size as these ships, but 
can steam 4000 knots instead of 3000 at 10-knot speed. The lower 
part of the Neptune, which is the pioneer of the class, is of iron, the 
upper of steel. The system of compartments is carried to such an 
extent that it is claimed that the utmost amount of water that would 
be admitted, if struck by a torpedo, is limited to 250 tons. 
The belt, again, runs round the ship seven feet four inches in height. 
It is 18 inches amidships to 12 inches aft. This is less than in the 
Admirals. There are four barbettes, protected with 1G inches of 
steel. These are placed differently to either of the preceding types. 
Two are in line with the keel, one fore and the other aft. Two are 
amidships, and project over the sides. They each contain a 34 CU1 
52-ton gun. There is a secondary armament of 17 14 C1U 2'5-ton guns 
placed on the main deck. There are two military masts with double 
tops. The foremast is placed just on the forepart of a high super¬ 
structure. The funnel is large and round, and very high. The ship 
falls in or tumbles home very much above the armoured deck, which is 
3'6 inches thick. These ships should be very easily recognised by the 
position of their barbettes. The two amidships are almost exactly the 
centre of the ship and stand out very plainly. They could not well be 
mistaken for any other class. They are usually considered exact 
copies, but the Hoche is not quite like the other three, and has only 
28-ton guns in the amidships barbettes, which are higher and smaller. 
She has also a double and higher superstructure. 
We now arrive at the names of two ships that are puzzling-. The 
Brennus and the Charles Martel. The first was begun, without doubt, 
in June, 1885. In the following March building was suspended till 
January, 1888, when it was again recommenced on a new design. In 
January, 1889, an entirely fresh scheme was commenced, perhaps the 
material being re-made up. On the 1st January, 1892, the advance¬ 
ment in hundredths is shown as only to be G2. Hence nearly every 
