French destroyer Cavalier

A postcard of sister ship Chasseur at anchor
History
France
Name	Cavalier
Namesake	Cavalryman
Builder	Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre
Launched	9 May 1910
Completed	January 1911
Stricken	December 1927
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass-
Displacement	450 t (443 long tons) (designed) 520 t (512 long tons) (deep load)
Length	64.2 m (210 ft 8 in) (p/p)
Beam	6.6 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draft	3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
Installed power	7,200 shp (5,369 kW) 4 Normand boilers
Propulsion	3 shafts; 3 steam turbines
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	1,400–1,500 nmi (2,600–2,800 km; 1,600–1,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	77–79
Armament	6 × 65 mm (2.6 in) guns 3 × 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Cavalier was one of four Template:Sclass-s built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Design and description

The Chasseur class was based on the preceding Template:Sclass-, albeit oil-fired boilers rather than the coal-fired ones of the earlier ships. Cavalier had an length between perpendiculars of 64.2 meters (210 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.6 meters (21 ft 8 in), and a draft of 3.1 meters (10 ft 2 in). Designed to displaced 450 metric tons (443 long tons), the ships displaced 520 t (512 long tons) at deep load. Their crew numbered 77–79 men.

The Chasseur class was powered by three Parsons direct-drive steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four Normand boilers. The engines were designed to produce 7,200 shaft horsepower (5,400 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). Cavalier exceeded that speed during her sea trials, reaching 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph). The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,400–1,500 nautical miles (2,600–2,800 km; 1,600–1,700 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

The primary armament of the Chasseur-class ships consisted of six 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure and the others were distributed amidships. They were also fitted with three 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes. One of these was in a fixed mount in the bow and the other two were on single rotating mounts amidships.

Construction and career

Cavalier was ordered from Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand and was launched from its Le Havre shipyard on 9 May 1910. The ship was completed in January 1911. She survived the First World War to be condemned in December 1927.

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. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)