Zélée was a Surprise-class gunboat of the French Navy. Designed for use overseas, she was used largely in the French colonies in Indochina and the Pacific. Assigned to patrol the waters off Tahiti at the start of World War I, she was sunk before scuttling could be completed during the Bombardment of Papeete on 22 September 1914.
Present at Papeete during a devastating hurricane in February 1906, Zélée's commander was asked to assist with rescue efforts on the quarantine island of Motauta, but refused due to the high risk involved. Instead he lent the island's station master an open boat and left him with the task of finding men to man it.
At the outbreak of World War I, Zélée was stationed at Papeete and took part in the first French naval action of the war. The German cargo shipWalkure had been loading a cargo of phosphates at Makatea, an island 147 miles (237 km) from Tahiti. Zélée approached her, raised the French flag, and demanded her surrender. The German captain had not yet learned of the state of war between Germany and France and at first thought the entire situation was a joke and invited Zélée's commanding officer aboard for dinner; instead, Zélée took Walkure as a prize and brought her back to Tahiti.
^"The fleets at sea". The Times. No. 40656. London. 5 October 1914. col E, p. 4.
Referencesedit
American Society of Naval Engineers (1898). "Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Incorporated". Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Inc. 10. American Society of Naval Engineers.: 887. ISSN 0099-7056. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
"10,000 MAY BE DEAD - PACIFIC ISLES SINK - Cyclone Spreads Destruction In the Society and Other Groups. WHOLE VILLAGES WIPED OUT Wind 120 Miles an Hour and Waves 65 Feet High -- Americans Suffer. - View Article - NYTimes.com" (PDF). query.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
American Forestry Association (1915). American Forestry. Vol. 21. American Forestry Association. p. 554. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
April 13, 2024
french, gunboat, zélée, zélée, surprise, class, gunboat, french, navy, designed, overseas, used, largely, french, colonies, indochina, pacific, assigned, patrol, waters, tahiti, start, world, sunk, before, scuttling, could, completed, during, bombardment, pape. Zelee was a Surprise class gunboat of the French Navy Designed for use overseas she was used largely in the French colonies in Indochina and the Pacific Assigned to patrol the waters off Tahiti at the start of World War I she was sunk before scuttling could be completed during the Bombardment of Papeete on 22 September 1914 HistoryFranceNameZeleeLaunched1899FateSunk during the Bombardment of Papeete 22 September 1914General characteristicsClass and typeSurprise class gunboatDisplacement646 tonsLength184 ft 56 m Beam26 ft 7 9 m Draught10 15 ft 3 09 m Propulsion2 Niclausse boilers Horizontal triple expansion engine 900 hp 671 kW Speed13 knots 24 km h 15 mph Armament2 3 94 in 100 mm guns 4 2 56 in 65 mm guns 4 37 mm 1 in cannonsArmourHardened steel plated hullService editPresent at Papeete during a devastating hurricane in February 1906 Zelee s commander was asked to assist with rescue efforts on the quarantine island of Motauta but refused due to the high risk involved Instead he lent the island s station master an open boat and left him with the task of finding men to man it At the outbreak of World War I Zelee was stationed at Papeete and took part in the first French naval action of the war The German cargo ship Walkure had been loading a cargo of phosphates at Makatea an island 147 miles 237 km from Tahiti Zelee approached her raised the French flag and demanded her surrender The German captain had not yet learned of the state of war between Germany and France and at first thought the entire situation was a joke and invited Zelee s commanding officer aboard for dinner instead Zelee took Walkure as a prize and brought her back to Tahiti On 22 September 1914 the Imperial German Navy armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered the port of Papeete They sank Zelee and Walkure and bombarded the port Zelee was raised her guns removed and then scuttled as a blockship for the harbour on 29 September 1 Citations edit The fleets at sea The Times No 40656 London 5 October 1914 col E p 4 References editAmerican Society of Naval Engineers 1898 Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers Incorporated Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers Inc 10 American Society of Naval Engineers 887 ISSN 0099 7056 Retrieved 2015 11 09 10 000 MAY BE DEAD PACIFIC ISLES SINK Cyclone Spreads Destruction In the Society and Other Groups WHOLE VILLAGES WIPED OUT Wind 120 Miles an Hour and Waves 65 Feet High Americans Suffer View Article NYTimes com PDF query nytimes com Retrieved 2015 11 09 American Forestry Association 1915 American Forestry Vol 21 American Forestry Association p 554 Retrieved 2015 11 09 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title French gunboat Zelee amp oldid 1169309109, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
