French submarine Silure
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 Sister ship Sirène, c. 1909 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Silure |
| Ordered | 1 May 1900 |
| Builder | Arsenal de Cherbourg |
| Laid down | 1900 |
| Launched | 29 October 1901 |
| Commissioned | 21 July 1902 |
| Stricken | 12 November 1919 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 12 November 1920 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Sirène-class submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 32.5 m (106 ft 8 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Complement | 12 |
| Armament |
|
Silure was one of four Sirène-class submarines built for the French Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. She played a minor role in the First World War.
The Sirène-class submarines were improved versions of the Narval. The boats displaced 157 metric tons (155 long tons) on the surface and 213 metric tons (210 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 32.5 meters (106 ft 8 in), a beam of 3.9 meters (12 ft 10 in), and a draft of 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in). Their crew numbered 2 officers and 12 enlisted men.[1]
On the surface, the Sirènes were powered by a 250-indicated-horsepower (190 kW) vertical triple-expansion steam engine that used steam from a du Temple boiler to drive the single propeller shaft. A single 100-shaft-horsepower (75 kW) electric motor powered the boats underwater. The submarines were designed to reach a maximum speed of 9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph) on the surface and 5.8 knots (10.7 km/h; 6.7 mph) underwater. During her sea trials, sister Sirène attained 9.8 knots (18.1 km/h; 11.3 mph) from 288 ihp (215 kW) on the surface and 5.9 kn (10.9 km/h; 6.8 mph) from 121 shp (90 kW) while submerged. The boats were provided with 4.5 metric tons (4 long tons) of fuel oil that gave them a surfaced range of 535 nautical miles (991 km; 616 mi) at 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph); their batteries gave the submarines a range of 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 3.4 knots (6.3 km/h; 3.9 mph) under water.[2]
The Sirène class was armed with two external 450-millimeter (17.7 in) Tissier torpedo launchers and two external 450 mm Drzewiecki drop collar. The Tissier torpedo launchers were replaced by fixed torpedo launchers in 1906.[2]
Construction and career
Silure was ordered on 1 May 1900 and laid down later that year at the Arsenal de Cherbourg. The boat was launched on 29 October 1901 and commissioned on 21 July 1902.[2]