Three Naïade-class submarines; Grondin (foreground) with two others (not identified).
Class overview
Name	Naïade class
Operators	French Navy
Cost	fr. 365,000 per unit
Built	1903–1905
In commission	1903–1914
Completed	20
Scrapped	19
Preserved	1
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	70.5 long tons (71.6 t), surfaced 73.6 long tons (74.8 t) submerged
Length	23.7 m (77 ft 9 in)
Beam	2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Draft	2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion	1 × shaft; 1 × Panhard et Levassor petrol engine (57 bhp, 43 kW) 1 × Société Éclairage Électrique electric motor (95 shp, 71 kW)
Speed	7.20 knots (13.33 km/h; 8.29 mph) (surfaced) 5.98 knots (11.07 km/h; 6.88 mph) (submerged)
Range	200 nmi (370 km; 230 mi) at 5.5 knots (10.2 km/h; 6.3 mph) surfaced 30 nmi (56 km; 35 mi) at 4.1 knots (7.6 km/h; 4.7 mph) submerged
Complement	12
Armament	2 × single 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedoes in Drzewiecki drop collars

The Naïade-class submarines, sometimes referred to as the Perle class^[1] were a group of submarines built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. There were twenty vessels in this class, which was designed by Gaston Romazotti. The class introduced internal combustion engines into French submarine design. They remained in service until just prior to the outbreak of the First World War.

Design and description

The Naïades were designed by Gaston Romazotti, an early French submarine engineer and director of the Arsenal de Cherbourg. They were of a single-hull design, following most previous French submarine designs, but with dual propulsion.^[2] The hull was constructed of Roma-bronze, a copper alloy devised by Romazotti to resist corrosion and reduce interference with the boat's magnetic compass; it was also believed to offer more flexibility at depth. The Naïade design was based on the first French submarine, Gymnote. The submarines had a heavy lead keel for stability when submerged.^[1] The submarines had a surfaced displacement of 70.5 long tons (71.6 t) and 73.6 long tons (74.8 t) submerged. They were 23.7 metres (77 ft 9 in) long with a beam of 2.2 metres (7 ft 3 in) and draught of 2.6 metres (8 ft 6 in).^{[2][lower-alpha 1]}

The underwater power for the single shaft was provided by a Société Éclairage Électrique electric motor rated at 95 shaft horsepower (71 kW), while on the surface a Panhard et Levassor petrol engine rated at 57 brake horsepower (43 kW) was used, giving an improved performance on the surface. The submarines had a maximum speed of 5.98 knots (11.07 km/h; 6.88 mph) submerged and 7.20 knots (13.33 km/h; 8.29 mph) on the surface and a range of 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) at 4.1 knots (7.6 km/h; 4.7 mph) submerged and 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) at 5.5 knots (10.2 km/h; 6.3 mph) on the surface. The Naïade class were armed with two single 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedoes located externally in Drzewiecki drop collars.^[2][3] These were the first French submarines to incorporate an internal-combustion engine into their design.^[3]

Assessment

The Naïades were smaller than Romazotti's previous Morse and Morse-class submarines, smaller in fact than any French submarine to that date except the pioneering Gymnote. However the Naïades had an adequate armament (two torpedoes, carried externally) and a good performance, with a better range than Romazotti's previous designs or the contemporary Farfadet class, though not as good as Narval and Sirène class. They were considered good surface boats, with good maneuverability but erratic when submerged.^[1]

Ships in class

Service history

The Naïades were ordered as part of the French Navy's 1900 building programme, and were constructed over the next five years at the naval dockyards at Toulon, Rochefort and Cherbourg.^[2] The entire class was assigned for service in the Mediterranean Sea apart from the three submarines constructed at Cherbourg which served in the English Channel.^[3]

By 1905, they had been reclassified as harbour defence boats.^[1] They remained in service until just prior to the outbreak of the First World War, but by then had been superseded by more modern designs and all were stricken by mid-1914.^[2] The wreck of Alose which was scuttled during an aerial bombing exercise in 1918, was discovered and raised in May 1975. The vessel is preserved as a museum piece at the headquarters of COMEX (the Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises) in Marseilles and was declared a French national historic site in 2008.^[4]

See also

• List of submarines of France

Notes

Citations

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naïade-class submarines.

• Delgado, James P. & Cussler, Clive (2011). Silent Killers: Submarines and Underwater Warfare. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-365-2.
• Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. Weapons and Warfare. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
• Garier, Gérard (n.d.). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France [The Technical and Human Odyssey of the Submarine in France: From Plongeur (1863) to Guêpe (1904)] (in French). Vol. 1: Du Plongeur (1863) aux Guêpe (1904). Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-19-X.
• Jane, Fred T., ed. (1970) [1905]. Jane's Fighting Ships 1905/6. New York City: Arco Publishing Company. OCLC 23138656.
• Roberts, Stephen S. (2021). French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-4533-0.
• Smigielski, Adam (1985). "France". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 190–220. ISBN 0-87021-907-3.