700-33 SOLFERINO MAGNETA-CLASS IRONCLAD, FRANCE, 1867

The Solférino was a French linear armored ship with a steam-and-sail engine from the second half of the 19th century. The keel for this unit was laid in 1859, the launch took place in 1861, and the entry into service - in 1862. The overall length of the ship was 86 meters and 17.3 meters wide. The displacement was around 7,200 tons and the maximum speed was around 12 knots. The deck armament at the time of launching consisted of 50 guns, including 34 160 mm guns. The Solférino was one of the two ships of the Magenta class. Its designer was Henri Dupuy de Lome - perhaps the most prominent French ship engineer in the mid-nineteenth century. The design of the Magenta-class ships was a specific development of the La Gloire. While the latter had only one artillery deck, the Magenta-class ships had two decks of this type and the number of guns carried was increased, and they were positioned - as a rule - in the same way as on sailing ships. Interestingly, both units of this class - Magenta and Solférino - were also equipped with battering rams on their bows. Due to the incredibly fast development of marine technology in the second half of the 19th century, Solférino was withdrawn from service as early as 1882.