H. Hartley Wright visited the French ship of the line Montebello
P. 198: “In the course of the day, as we were roaming about the streets, our English friend encountered an intimate acquaintance, who held a situation similar to his own in the French Marine. Under passport of this gentleman's epaulette, we were admitted to a view of all worth the seeing in the Arsenal and Navy Yard of Toulon; and, what gratified us more than all, we were enabled through his politeness to visit the first-rate ship of the line, Montebello.(1) This splendid three-decker, perhaps the finest ship in the French Navy, mounted a battery of one hundred and twenty guns, all at that time on board. She was in complete order, ready for sea, and was expected to sail in eight or ten days from that time. The officers of the ship, with the proverbial courtesy of Frenchmen, allowed us ample opportunity of gratifying the stranger's besetting sin, curiosity. For myself, - as it was the first ship of the line, belonging to a foreign power, I had ever enjoyed the opportunity of visiting, and the largest one upon whose deck my foot had ever trod, excepting our own sea-monster, the redoubtable Pennsylvania, - I gave free scope to my curiosity, taking a minute survey of every thing. The three decks of this noble ship displayed the most formidable battery I had ever witnessed, and, as if to relieve the eye after a contemplation of these death-dealing engines, every thing around was arranged in that neat, ship-shape manner, so consonant with the feelings of your true sailor. One
p. 199: might well, while gazing upon her formidable armament and admirable appointments, exclaim with the impassioned Poet, “Who would not brave the battle-fire, the wreck, To move the monarch of her peopled deck.” After leaving the side of this fine ship, whose imposing appearance I shall not soon forget, we visited the Royal Arsenal, and passed through its various apartments. Here, in well-burnished array, glittered arms of every description, offensive and defensive. It was indeed a brave display of warlike implements. But I had seen yet finer collections than this; that at the Tower in London Vienna
Sources
H. Busk. The navies of the world. London
H. Hartley Wright. Desultory reminisces of a tour through Germany Switzerland France Boston
S. S. Roberts. www.shipscribe.com. French navy ships, 1816-1895.
J. Vichot. Répertoire des navires de guerre francais. 1967.
Note
1. On stocks at Toulon 6 December 1812 as an improved Océan-class. As a screw ship of the line she was fitted out with Indret engines with 140 hp. Her hull was wood built. Displacement 1852 tons. Her homeport in 1859 was Toulon 25 July 1867 , became a barracks hulk at Toulon Toulon 1 April 1851 , she was launched 23 August 1852 and commissioned 25 August 1852 . Her crew counted 1063 men. In 1852 she was armed with 90-30pdr, 8-22cm and 10-16 cm guns.
