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French frigate Melpomène (1890)

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History
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameMelpomène
NamesakeMelpomene
Ordered9 August 1887
BuilderRochefort [1]
Laid down19 October 1883 [1]
Launched20 August 1887 [1]
Commissioned15 September 1890 [1]
Decommissioned1904 [1]
FateScrapped 1943
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Length53.5 metres
Beam13.8 metres
Draught6.5 metres
Propulsion1769 m² of sails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Complement180 men
Armament
  • 8 138mm guns
  • 4 37mm guns

Melpomène was a schoolship frigate of the French Navy.

Career

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Melpomène was ordered in August 1883 as a replacement for Résolue, to serve as a gabier schoolship. She departed for her first training cruise on 23 August 1890, sailing to Dakar and calling the Canary Islands and Tenerife on the way, before returning to Brest on 25 May 1891. [1]

She performed similar cruises in the following years until 1904.[1]

Fate

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In 1904, Melpomène was struck from the Navy lists. She was hulked in Lorient in 1923. On 19 June 1940, she sank at her mooring, and was broken up in 1943. [1]

Legacy

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Melpomène was the subject of a post stamp in 1974.[2][3][4]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Roche (2005), p. 340.
  2. ^ "Timbre : 1975 FRÉGATE LA MELPOMÈNE". WikiTimbres. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Fregate La Melpomène - 0.90f rouge, orange et vert-noir". Philatélie 72. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  4. ^ "LA MELPOMÈNE SANS ORANGE". Impressions timbrées. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

References

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  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 2. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922. (1870-2006)