French submarine Émeraude (1906)

Émeraude was the lead boat of her class of six submarines built for the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in the first decade of the 20th century.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Émeraude.
Émeraude underway on the surface, 31 July 1909
History
France
Name: Émeraude
Namesake: Emerald
Builder: Arsenal de Cherbourg
Laid down: October 1903
Launched: 6 August 1906
Completed: 11 November 1908
Stricken: 1 December 1919
Identification: Pennant number: Q41
Fate: Sold for scrap, 27 January 1923
General characteristics
Class and type: Émeraude-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 395 t (389 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 427 t (420 long tons) (submerged)
Length: 44.9 m (147 ft 4 in) (o/a)
Beam: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
Draft: 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 × shafts; 2 × diesels; 2 × electric motors
Speed:
  • 11.26 knots (20.85 km/h; 12.96 mph) (surfaced)
  • 8.7 knots (16.1 km/h; 10.0 mph) (submerged)
Range:
  • 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) (surfaced)
  • 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) (submerged)
Test depth: 40 m (130 ft)
Complement: 2 officers and 23 crewmen
Armament: 4 × 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 × bow, 2 × stern)

Design and description

The Émeraude class were built as part of the French Navy's 1903 building program to a Maugas single-hull design.[1] The submarines displaced 395 metric tons (389 long tons) surfaced and 427 metric tons (420 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 44.9 meters (147 ft 4 in), a beam of 3.9 meters (12 ft 10 in), and a draft of 3.8 meters (12 ft 6 in). They had an operational diving depth of 40 meters (130 ft). Their crew numbered 2 officers and 23 enlisted men.[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two Sautter-Harlé 300-metric-horsepower (296 bhp; 221 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 300-metric-horsepower electric motor. They could reach a maximum speed of 11.26 knots (20.85 km/h; 12.96 mph) on the surface and 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) underwater. The Émeraude class had a surface endurance of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) and a submerged endurance of 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[3]

The boats were armed with four internal 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes, two in the bow and two in the stern, for which they carried six torpedoes.[4]

Construction and career

Émeraude was laid down in October 1903[5] at the Arsenal de Cherbourg, launched on 6 August 1906 and commissioned on 11 November 1908.[6]

Citations
  1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 208
  2. Garier 1998, pp. 12–13, 23
  3. Garier 1998, p. 18
  4. Garier 1998, pp. 18–19
  5. Couhat, p. 138
  6. Garier 1998, p. 12

Bibliography
  • Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  • Garier, Gérard (2002). A l'épreuve de la Grande Guerre. L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). 3–2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-81-5.
  • Garier, Gérard (1998). Des Émeraude (1905-1906) au Charles Brun (1908–1933). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). 2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-34-3.
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