French protected cruisers Friant and Sfax destined towards China according to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 30 July 1900

Friant

Sfax

An item reported that the French cruiser Friant (1) left Brest, France on 27 June destined for China. (2) The cruiser Sfax (3) well known for transporting Dreyfus (4) back from Devil’s Island Salvation Islands, French Guiana towards France was presumably bound for China.

Notes

1. Part of the Friant-class protected cruisers,preceded by Alger class and succeeded by Linois class, laid down at Arsenal de Brest in 1891, launched on 17 April 1893, completed in April 1895, stricken in 1920 and scrapped.

2. The Boxer Rebellion, Boxer Uprising- Yihetuan Movement between 1899-1901.

3. Protected cruiser, laid down by Arsenal de Brest in March 1882, launched in May 1884, completed in June 1887, stricken in 1906 and scrapped.

4. French artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus (9 October 1859 Mulhouse, France-12 July 1935 Paris France) false accused of treason in 1894 and convicted to live imprisonment on Devil’s Island, French Guiana, later released and rehabilated.