- French battleship Brennus (1891)
Mid-Life Update
"Brennus" underwent a major rebuild in 1903, in which her superstructure was pared down significantly, her main mast was replaced with a steel pole mast and her upperworks were simplified to save weight and improve stability." [http://www.cityofart.net/bship/brennus.html French Battleship Brennus (1889/96)] ]
ervice career
In 1897, "Brennus", together with "Neptune" and "Marceau" got 26% hits at a range of 3,000 to 4,000 metres (3,000-4,000 yards) in trials of a new method of fire control. In February 1898, this new method became the standard method for the French Navy. [Pages 300-1, Ropp, "The Development of a Modern Navy, French Naval Policy 1871-1904"
In the previous method of fire control, guns on board ship had been operated independently. The new method worked as follows:
*First an observer in the mast used a range-finder to estimate the distance to the target.
*Then the medium guns would fire a shot short of the target, and then in rapid succession increase the range in steps until two successive shots straddled the enemy.
*Then all applicable ship's guns could open fire. Gunners were required to use the range indicated on the dials of an automatic range transmitter. Only if this device failed were they allowed to fire independently. The range direction and speed of the enemy were sent by observers to a central post, and then transmitted to the guns. There were duplicate observing posts and lines in case the first set were shot away.
*Continuous observation of the fall of shot was then used to make subsequent adjustments to the range.
The guns did not fire together in salves, as they did in later systems.]In July 1900, she collided with the "Framée", which sunk with the loss of 48 lives.
From November 1908, she was used as a school ship to train mechanics, and from June 1914, for storage.
References
* [http://le.fantasque.free.fr/php3/ship.php3?page_code=brennus CUIRASSE Brennus]
* [http://www.cityofart.net/bship/brennus.html French Battleship Brennus (1889/96)]
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