L'Orient-class gunboat

Japan

Shiroishi, Miyagi

7,800 shp (5,819 kW)

10 x 57 mm Hotchkiss Modèle 1902 QF guns

16 x 8 mm Hotchkiss Modèle 1914 machine guns

12 x 450 mm torpedo tubes

20 x mines, 2 x stern rails

***定遠* post-1937 refit:**

3 x 305 mm/45 Modèle 1906-1910 guns

3 x 4.7 in/45 Vickers-Armstrong Mark F anti-aircraft guns

6 x Vickers Mark III machine guns

20 x mines, 2 x stern rails

Barbettes: 130 mm (5 in)

Turrets: 130–80 mm (5–2 in)

Conning tower: 130 mm (5 in)

Torpedo bulkhead: 80 mm (3 in)

The ***L'Orient*-class gunboats** were a class of heavily armed sloops or gunboats (French: *aviso colonial*) for overseas service, intended to protect trade moving along the Yangtze river through the port of French Shanghai (French: *Concession Française de Changhaï*; Mandarin: *上海法租界*, *Shànghǎi Fǎ Zūjiè*). Protracted development led to considerable departures from the design specification, and the final result was much closer to a full coast defense ship (French: *garde-côtes cuirassé*) than the originally-envisioned river patrol craft. Three *L'Orient*-class gunboats were completed, but each served only a few uneventful years with the French Far East Fleet (French: *Flotte de l'Extrême-Orient*) before being stricken and sold to the Republic of China in 1925.

## Ships

### *L'Orient*

Aviso 1ère classe *L'Orient* was ordered in September 1919, with the contract for construction awarded to the Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët shipyard. The keel-laying took place on 13 Feburary 1920, and the completed hull was launched for final fitting-out on 2 January 1921. The ship formally commissioned on 26 May 1921 following sea trials. *L'Orient* and sister ships *Montebello* and *Commerce de Marseille* were transferred to the Flotte de l'Extrême-Orient in December 1921. The squadron arrived in Shanghai early in 1922, and would remain for the duration of their brief service with the French Navy with the exception of periodic patrols along the Yangtze river.

Although grandfathered under Article XII of the Washington Naval Treaty when it was signed in February 1922, the existence of small and heavily-armed ships of this type was viewed as destabilizing by the other signatory powers. As a compromise, the American State Department acted as an intermediary to arrange a "retroactive" sale of the ships to China, effective prior to the signing of the Treaty; the French government, increasingly seeing the squadron as an extravagance and with a financial crisis looming, quickly agreed. In May 1925, the ship was transferred with a brief ceremony and commissioned into the Republic of China Navy as ***定遠*** (***Ting Yuan***).

In Chinese service the class had a somewhat mixed reputation. Captains bitterly complained about sluggish helm response due to the small post-style rudder, excessive topweight, and poor visibility from the low, cramped pilothouse, factors which undoubtedly contributed to the numerous groundings and collisions the ships experienced. The interior was poorly ventilated, sweltering in summer and uncomfortably cold in winter, and berthing spaces were perpetually overcrowded. However, the massive firepower of the squadron - comparable to some battleships - was viewed as a guarantor of Chinese sovereignty along the southern coasts.

*Ting Yuan* collided with the Japanese-flagged Osaka Shosen K.K. line vessel SS *Takao Maru* in the Formosa Strait on 29 August 1929,causing considerable damage to both ships and sparking a minor diplomatic incident. Repairs were completed by January 1930.

*Ting Yuan* and sister ship *Chen Yuan* entered refit at the newly modernized Amoy Shipyard (Mandarin: *廈門*, *Xiàmén*) in August 1936. The 6-pounder battery and torpedo launchers were removed, and three Vickers-Armstrong 4.7 in (12 cm) Mark F anti-aircraft guns in single mounts were added. A raked cap was installed on the funnel and an open "flying" bridge was built up around the conning tower. Modifications were complete and both ships had re-entered service by 1937.

### *Montebello*

Aviso 1ère classe *Montebello* was ordered in September 1919. The keel-laying took place on 13 Feburary 1920, and the completed hull was launched for final fitting-out on 8 January 1921. The ship formally commissioned on 30 May 1921 following sea trials. *Montebello* and sister ships *L'Orient* and *Commerce de Marseille* were transferred to the Flotte de l'Extrême-Orient in December 1921. The squadron arrived in Shanghai early in 1922, and would remain for the duration of their brief service with the French Navy with the exception of periodic patrols along the Yangtze river.

In May 1925, the ship was transferred with a brief ceremony and commissioned into the Republic of China Navy as ***鎮遠*** (***Chen Yuan***).

*Chen Yuan* and sister ship *Ting Yuan* entered refit at the newly modernized Amoy Shipyard (Mandarin: *廈門*, *Xiàmén*) in August 1936. The 6-pounder battery and torpedo launchers were removed, and three Vickers-Armstrong 4.7 in (12 cm) Mark F anti-aircraft guns in single mounts were added. A raked cap was installed on the funnel and an open "flying" bridge was built up around the conning tower. Modifications were complete and both ships had re-entered service by 1937.

### *Commerce de Marseille*

Aviso 1ère classe *Commerce de Marseille* was ordered in September 1919. The keel-laying took place on 29 March 1920, and the completed hull was launched for final fitting-out on 12 February 1921. The ship formally commissioned on 9 June 1921 following sea trials. *Commerce de Marseille* and sister ships *L'Orient* and *Montebello* were transferred to the Flotte de l'Extrême-Orient in December 1921. The squadron arrived in Shanghai early in 1922, and would remain for the duration of their brief service with the French Navy with the exception of periodic patrols along the Yangtze river.

In May 1925, the ship was transferred with a brief ceremony and commissioned into the Republic of China Navy as ***濟遠*** (***Tsi Yuan***).

In early 1931, *Tsi Yuan* ran aground while leaving the port of Canton (Mandarin: *廣州港* *, Guǎngzhōu Gǎng*). The ship was deemed unsalvageable and stricken from the navy list on 5 July 1931.

### *Commerce de Paris*

Aviso 1ère classe *Commerce de Paris* was ordered in September 1919. The keel-laying took place on 1 April 1920, but construction was suspended in early 1921 due to financial difficulties. The hulk was scrapped on the ways in March 1922 following the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty.