From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Four ships of the French Navy have been named Montcalm in honour of the XVIIIth Century Marshal marquess Louis de Montcalm de Saint Véran:
- An armoured corvette (1865-1891). Built in Rochefort on the 26 October 1865, she was launched on the 16 October 1868 and was commissioned in January 1870. During the Franco-Prussian War, she captured the German sailship Union in the Atlantic. She cruised South America and Africa before being put in the reserve on the 1st August 1871. Recommissioned in November 1873, she sailed for China in January 1874. In 1882, she became flagship for the Pacific division. Back to Chergbourg in 1884, she stayed there until 1891 when she was decommissioned. (3778 Tonne ; length : 68,90 m; speed : 11 knots ; 6 190mm guns and 4 120mm guns)
- An armoured cruiser (1898-1926). Built in la Seyne from the 27 September 1898, she was launched on the 27 March 1900 and was commissioned on the 24 March 1902, before completing her trials, to ferry the President of the Republic, Émile Loubet, to Russia. She arrived in Cronstadt on the 20 May 1902, receiving Tsar Nicolas II for lunch aboard on the 23th. She cruised in the Chinese Sea. In November 1921, she was sent to Singapour to ferry marshal Joffre during his 4-month visit in Asia. She was decommissioned on the 28 October 1926 and used as a fixed school ship, as Tremintin, in 1934. She was still docked in Brest in 1940 and was destoyed during the Occupation in 1943. (9516 Tonnes ; length : 139,90 m; 3 engines and 3 propelers, 21 500 HP ; speed : 21,4 knots ; Armament : 2 194 mm guns, 8 164 mm guns, 4 100 mm guns, 16 47 mm guns and 2 torpedo launchers)