The projected naval strength of France in 1850

For years was in the Netherlands a magazine published dealing with maritime affairs. It contained notes dealing with the Royal Dutch Navy and the Dutch merchant shipping/trade, but also supplied information dealing with foreign navies, especially of France and Great Britain. Occasionally we can find information dealing with the navies of other countries Russia, United States or even Mexico. The budget for the year 1850 for the French Navy was estimated 115.663.611 francs or 57.800.000 Dutch guilders. The projected naval strength to be in service was to be consisting of:

sailing ships

8 ships of the line, totally armed with 826 guns

9 frigates, totally armed with 416 guns

17 corvettes, totally armed with 362 guns

22 brigs, totally armed with 250 guns

17 transports, hospital ships and so on, with a total measurement of 10.146 tons

18 smaller vessels

steamships

9 frigates, medium 470 hp each, totally 4300 hp

11 corvettes, totally with 2260 hp

34 aviso’s totally with 4470 hp

The project sea force lying fitted out in the harbours for departure towards the sea was to be consisting of sailing ships (16 ships of the line, 12 frigates, 4 corvettes) and steamships (11 frigates with totally 4950 hp, 7 corvettes with totally 2060 hp and 13 aviso’s with totally 2060 hp).Total naval strength was 208 ships with 25.927 men. The Dutch editor compared the French and Dutch costs. Thousand men in the French costs 2.230.000 Dutch guilders, in the Dutch navy however somewhat more than 1.000.000 Dutch guilders. This difference was mainly caused by the costs for armament, defence of the sea harbours and so on, which in the Netherlands were paid by the Department of War and not by the navy.

Source

G.A. Tindal en J. Swart. Verhandelingen en berigten betrekkelijk het zeewezen en de zeevaartkunde. Vol 10. Amsterdam, 1850, p. 473-474. Digitized by Google. Original source the Un. Serv. Magazine of November 1849.