Mecidiye-class frigate
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 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators | Ottoman Navy |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Mubir-i Sürur |
| Built | 1846–1848 |
| Completed | 4 |
| Scrapped | 4 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Paddle frigate |
| Tons burthen | 1,448 bm |
| Length | 69.1 m (226 ft 8 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) |
| Draft | 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
| Complement | 320 |
| Armament |
|
The Mecidiye class of paddle frigates consisted of four ships of the Ottoman Navy built in the 1840s. The class comprised Mecidiye, Taif, Saik-i Şadi, and Feyzâ-i Bahrî.
The ships of the Mecdiye class of paddle frigates were the first steam-powered warships to be built in the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman government had previously ordered three small steam yachts for use by the sultan in the late 1830s.[1]
The ships of the class were 69.1 m (226 ft 8 in) long overall, with a beam of 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) and a draft of 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in). Mecidiye's tonnage was 1,448 tons burthen, while the other three members of the class were 1,443 tons burthen. Their hulls were constructed with wood. The ships had a crew of 320 officers and enlisted men.[2]
They were propelled by a pair of paddlewheels that were driven by a 2-cylinder direct-acting steam engine that was manufactured by Maudslay, Sons and Field. Steam was provided by two coal-fired boilers that were vented through a single funnel. Their propulsion system was rated at 900 indicated horsepower (670 kW) for a top speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph). Coal storage capacity amounted to 150 metric tons (150 long tons; 170 short tons).[2]
The ships were armed with a battery of two 10 in (254 mm) shell-firing Paixhans guns on the upper deck, which were mounted on rotatable gun carriages. They also carried four 32-pdr guns also on the upper deck, and twenty-four 32-pdr guns on the main deck.[2] The guns were all of British manufacture, as Ottoman cannon foundries lacked the expertise necessary to manufacture modern shell-firing guns.[3]
In 1857, Mecidiye had her armament reduced to four of the 32-pounder guns on the main deck, while the other three retained twelve of their main deck 32-pounders. Feyzâ-i Bahrî was disarmed altogether in 1867.[2]
Ships
| Ship | Builder[4] | Laid down[4] | Launched[4] | Completed[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecidiye | Imperial Arsenal | 1846 | 1846 | 1847 |
| Taif | ||||
| Saik-i Şadi | 1847 | |||
| Feyzâ-i Bahrî | 1848 |