The French naval shipbuilding program according to the Dutch newspapers in 1858

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 1 February published an item dated Paris 30 January reporting that the minister of navy send orders to Brest to speed up the fitting out of the frigate Andromede destined for the South Sea. Rear admiral Bonard who replaced admiral Lugeol already hoisted his flag on board and according to rumours was she to depart on 5th February. Efforts to strengthen the French navy in the meantime continued. The cabinet wanted principally more screw steamships and the conversion of the sail ships of the line in to large screw steamships. According to a report of the minister possessed France during the Crimean War just 9 large steamships and at the moment already 24.

The edition dated 24 April published an item dated Paris 22 April dealing with the same matter. In all harbours were the yards continuously busy although in rather silence in increasing the French navy mainly with large screw steamships. If this order of the emperor was continued were within a few years no large French warships without screw steam power and was a large number of new ships of all sizes added. Official tidings claimed that at the end of 1859 the French navy would number 150 screw steamships, although many of these still on paper or uncompleted at the yards. But the fear of the British Common House for the French naval strength became a reality. To the so-called evolution squadron was the ship of line 1st class Henri IV added. This squadron now consisted of 14 ships of the line.

The newspaper Bredasche Courant dated 15 April published an item dated Paris 12 April reporting that as a result of the good results with the iron-covered gun sloops [iron-armoured] decided the French department of navy to build 3 armoured ships of the line using the same design. Two will be built at Toulon with the famous ship Dupuy de Lôme (1) as supervisor and the third one at Brest with Oduet as supervisor. The ships were fitted out with the keel of an ordinary ship of the line and steam engines supplying 1,000 hp and covered until 1,3 metres below the waterline with iron plates with a iron-armoured turret protecting the rudder and if necessary to provide a shelter for sharpshooters. The original source for this item was the newspaper Constitutionnel of Paris.

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 30 June 1858 published an item dated Paris 28 June reporting that the efforts in the French harbours continued and recently again two ships of the line, the Baijard and the Duguesclin, wach of 80 guns were fitted out with 450 hp steam engines. If this program continues were within a short time all large French warships fitted out with sails and steam engines. Not only at Cherbourg but also was ordered to continue the making of a new basin at Rochefort. The Java-bode dated 28 August confirmed this tem.

The newspaper Dagblad van Zuidholland en ‘s-Gravenhage dated 17 August published an item dated Paris 15 August reporting that again two ships of the line of the Bretagne design were to be build and named La Provence and Normandie. The emperor did not agree with the claims of a British reporter during the Cherbourg feasts that the British ships were much better as the French and could better manoeuvre and that the ship on which queen Victoria was on board would meet no problems to destroy the Bretagne within short time.

The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 6 September published an item dated Paris 4 September reporting that for the six ships of the line which were to make bomb proof according to the invention of the emperor were the steel plates ordered. Each plate with the dimensions 1,70 x 0,75 metres and a thickness of 10cm had a weight of 1,2488 kilograms and costs 1,420 francs.

Note

1. The famous French naval constructor Henri Dupuy de Lôme 15 (October 1816–1 February 1885), responsible for the first steam battleship Le Napoléon (ordered 1847) and of course the first ironclad the Le Gloire (1858).