 Bouvines in early 1895
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Bouvines |
| Namesake | Battle of Bouvines |
| Ordered | 18 December 1889 |
| Builder | Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer |
| Cost | FF14,986,587 |
| Laid down | 30 September 1890 |
| Launched | 29 March 1892 |
| Completed | 1 December 1895 |
| Stricken | 8 June 1918 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 19 June 1920 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Coastal-defense ship |
| Displacement | 6,798 t (6,691 long tons) |
| Length | 89.65 m (294 ft 2 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 17.86 m (58 ft 7 in) |
| Draft | 7.54 m (24.7 ft) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 triple-expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) (at trials) |
| Range | 3,900 nautical miles (7,200 km; 4,500 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) |
| Complement | 333 (371 as flagship) |
| Armament |
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| Armor |
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Bouvines was the lead ship for her class of two ironclad coast-defence ships built for the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in the early 1890s. Completed in 1895, she always served as a flagship and was initially assigned to the Northern Squadron (Escadre du Nord). The ship was briefly reduced to reserve in 1898, but was reactivated later that year as part of the Mediterranean Squadron (Escadre de Méditerranée). Three years later, Bouvines rejoined the Northern Squadron.
The ship was again placed in reserve in 1907, but was recommissioned in 1910 as flagship for the units assigned to the English Channel. Later that year she badly damaged a French destroyer in a collision at night while training. Bouvines returned to reserve status in 1912, but she was decommissioned the following year. Despite this, the ship served as a guard ship during World War I. Bouvines was condemned in mid-1918 and was sold for scrap in 1920.