French corvette Sphinx (1829)

1/100th Model of the French paddle steamer corvette Sphinx. Made by the model workshop of the Musée de la Marine in 1962, on display at Toulon naval museum.
History
French Navy Ensign French Navy EnsignFrance
NameSphinx
NamesakeSphinx
BuilderRochefort, plans by Hubert
Laid downJune 1828[1]
Launched3 August 1829
FateWrecked 6 July 1845
NotesFirst naval steamer of France
General characteristics
Class and typeSphinx class aviso
Displacement913 tonnes
Length48.20 metres (158.1 ft)[1]
BeamHull: 8.16 metres (26.8 ft) Including paddles: 14 metres (46 ft)
Draught3.00 metres (9.84 ft)
Propulsion
Speed7 knots[2]
Armament6 × 24-pounder carronades + 2 to 4 × 160 mm howitzers
ArmourTimber

Sphinx was a paddle steamer, initially rated as a corvette, of the French Navy, and lead ship of her class. She was the first operational French naval steamer. She took part in the Invasion of Algiers in 1830, pioneering the role of steamers in navies of the mid-19th century, and later took part in the transfer of the Luxor Obelisk from Egypt to Paris.

  1. ^ a b "la Flotte de Napoléon III, 1850 - 1870". Archived from the original on 2012-04-27. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  2. ^ Corvette a Vapeur le Sphinx, de 160 chevaux Archived 2012-07-14 at archive.today, lib.washington.edu