This armoured cruiser was laid down in 1905 at Lorient, launched 21 September 1907, commissioned 1911 (so she was brand new when she visited the Netherlands) and ran aground 4 January 1930 and four days they started to break her up. She was since 1929 serving as a school ship at Toulon. With a displacement of 13,650 tonnes or 13,434 long tons were her dimensions 519 x 70’6’x 27’3”. The engines joined by 40 Belleville boilers supplied 37,000 shp allowing a speed of 23 knots. The main armament consisted of 14-7.6” guns. In fact is was a modernised design of the Ernest Renan. Her sister ship was the Waldeck-Rousseau.
According to www.navypedia.org was she in November 1905 laid down at the Arsenal de Brest and her sister ships at Lorient. In 1928 were the first and last positioned funnels of the total of six removed. Except for the armament she carried the same year two seaplanes. According to this source she was armed with 2x2 and 10x-19,4cm guns, 20x6,5cm guns and even two submerged 45cm torpedo tubes in the beam. In 1928 was the secondary armament slightly increased.. Her crew numbered between the 859 and 892 men. The armour consisted of a 38-150mm belt, while the gun turrets were protected by 200mm and the casemates by 190mm. Vichot didn’t mentioned the yard.
The Dutch newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwblad daily edition dated 16 May 1911 reported that the Edgard Quinet was ordered to bring the French president Fallières to the Netherlands. He was to go on board at Dunkirk on 3 July and via IJmuiden to go to Amsterdam while being escorted by the cruiser Marseillaise (1899-1929) and two destroyers. The flotilla was commanded by vice admiral Auber. The Edgard Quinet was fitted out at Brest for the this voyage. The same newspaper reported 30 June that the French warships were to go through the locks at IJmuiden towards Amsterdam in two separate parts. First the Edgard Quinet with two French destroyers and than the la Marseillaise joined by Dutch destroyers and torpedo boats. The latter were to join the French flotilla on the North Sea. After passing the locks were all ships joined around 12.00 o’clock and to arrived 14.30 o’clock at Amsterdam. In fact the Dutch ironclad Hr.Ms. Gelderland was later also present.
In the Dutch magazine De Prins dated 8 July 1911 page 17 was a photo published while she was in the North Sea channel underway from IJmuiden towards Amsterdam.
Another Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant dated 14 June reported that the two French destroyers were the Branlebas (le Branlebas 1905-1915) and the Glaive (le Glaive 1905-1932). The ships were expected on 4 July around 10.30 0’clock at IJmuiden and around 14.40-15.00 o’clock of the same day at Amsterdam. This newspaper reported 4 July that the French president arrived 18.44 o’clock at Dunkirk and embarked on board of a torpedo boat which transported him to the Edgard Quinet. According to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant daily edition dated 5 July 1911 arrived he the next day an hour earlier as expected.
The Dutch newspaper De Sumatra post daily edition dated 27 February 1930 published a photo of her with the text that she was stranded before her faith was decided by the International Conference dealing with the strength of the major maritime powers. Vichot mentioned that she was off the Algerian coast on 9 January 1930.
Sources
Jacque Vichot. Répertoire des navries de guerre francais. Paris, 1967.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_armoured_cruiser_Edgar_Quinet_(1907)
Jane Fighting ships, several volumes.
According to www.navypedia.org was she in November 1905 laid down at the Arsenal de Brest and her sister ships at Lorient. In 1928 were the first and last positioned funnels of the total of six removed. Except for the armament she carried the same year two seaplanes. According to this source she was armed with 2x2 and 10x-19,4cm guns, 20x6,5cm guns and even two submerged 45cm torpedo tubes in the beam. In 1928 was the secondary armament slightly increased.. Her crew numbered between the 859 and 892 men. The armour consisted of a 38-150mm belt, while the gun turrets were protected by 200mm and the casemates by 190mm. Vichot didn’t mentioned the yard.
The Dutch newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwblad daily edition dated 16 May 1911 reported that the Edgard Quinet was ordered to bring the French president Fallières to the Netherlands. He was to go on board at Dunkirk on 3 July and via IJmuiden to go to Amsterdam while being escorted by the cruiser Marseillaise (1899-1929) and two destroyers. The flotilla was commanded by vice admiral Auber. The Edgard Quinet was fitted out at Brest for the this voyage. The same newspaper reported 30 June that the French warships were to go through the locks at IJmuiden towards Amsterdam in two separate parts. First the Edgard Quinet with two French destroyers and than the la Marseillaise joined by Dutch destroyers and torpedo boats. The latter were to join the French flotilla on the North Sea. After passing the locks were all ships joined around 12.00 o’clock and to arrived 14.30 o’clock at Amsterdam. In fact the Dutch ironclad Hr.Ms. Gelderland was later also present.
In the Dutch magazine De Prins dated 8 July 1911 page 17 was a photo published while she was in the North Sea channel underway from IJmuiden towards Amsterdam.
Another Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant dated 14 June reported that the two French destroyers were the Branlebas (le Branlebas 1905-1915) and the Glaive (le Glaive 1905-1932). The ships were expected on 4 July around 10.30 0’clock at IJmuiden and around 14.40-15.00 o’clock of the same day at Amsterdam. This newspaper reported 4 July that the French president arrived 18.44 o’clock at Dunkirk and embarked on board of a torpedo boat which transported him to the Edgard Quinet. According to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant daily edition dated 5 July 1911 arrived he the next day an hour earlier as expected.
The Dutch newspaper De Sumatra post daily edition dated 27 February 1930 published a photo of her with the text that she was stranded before her faith was decided by the International Conference dealing with the strength of the major maritime powers. Vichot mentioned that she was off the Algerian coast on 9 January 1930.
Sources
Jacque Vichot. Répertoire des navries de guerre francais. Paris, 1967.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_armoured_cruiser_Edgar_Quinet_(1907)
Jane Fighting ships, several volumes.
