Of the Océan-class wooden hulled armoured frigates or central battery ironclads consisting of the Océan, Suffren and Marengo, preceded by the Provence-class and succeeded by the Friedland. Designed by Henri Dupuy de Lôme. Laid down at the Arsenal de Brest, France in July 1865, launched on 15 October 1868, sea trials started on 3 December 1869, commissioned on 21 July 1870, training ship since 1891, stricken on 26 November 1894 and broken up in 1895.
Displacement 7.749 tons and as dimensions 86,2-87,73 (over all) x 17,52 x 9,07 (maximum) metres or 282’10”-287’10” x 57’6” x 20’8”. The machinery consisted of 1-3.600ihp horizontal return connecting rod compound steam engine and 8 oval boilers allowing via one screw a speed of 13,5 knots. With the coal bunker capacity of 650 tons and a speed of 10 knots was the range around 3.000 nautical miles. Barque-rigged 3-master with a sail area of 2.000 square metres/22.000 square feet. Crew numbered 750-778 men. Armament consisted of 4x1-24cm/9.4” guns, 4x1-19,4cm/7.6” guns and 4x1-16,4cm/6.5”guns; later were 12-3,7cm/1.5“ Hotchkiss 5-barrel revolving guns added. The armour consisted of a 17,8cm/7”-20,3cm/8” thick wrought-iron waterline belt with the battery and barbettes protected by respectively 16cm/6.3” and 15cm/6”.
