Magenta-class ironclad
1861 class of French ironclads
The Magenta class consisted of two broadside ironclads built for the French Navy (Marine nationale) in the early 1860s. They were the only ironclad two-deckers ever built, and the first ironclads to feature a naval ram.
Design and description
The Magenta class was designed by naval architect Henri Dupuy de Lôme as a reply to the low height of the Gloire-class ironclad's gun ports which impaired their ability to work their guns in heavy seas. He gave the Magentas an upper spar deck which would allow them to work those guns in all weathers and caused them to be rated as ironclad ships of the line by the French Navy. They were considered to be good seaboats, although they were not very maneuverable.
Magenta was 88.6 meters (290 ft 8 in) long, but her sister ship Solférino was 85.51 m (280 ft 7 in) long. They had a beam of 17.34 meters (56 ft 11 in) and a draft of 8.44 meters (27 ft 8 in). Magenta displaced 6,965 metric tons (6,855 long tons) while Solférino displaced 6,796 t (6,689 long tons). They were equipped with a metal-reinforced, spur-shaped ram. The ironclads had a crew of 674 officers and enlisted men.
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