Assar i Tewfik (1868)

Ottoman Navy: French built Ironclad (1867-1870)

Asar-ı Tevfik (Ottoman Turkish: آثار توفیق, loosely Meaning: “God’s Favor”, was an Ottoman Navy Ironclad built in the 1860s, only member of her class. Originally she was ordered by the Khedivate of Egypt as ‘Ibrahimiye’, and later acquired by the Ottomans. She was built as part of an expansion program for the Ottoman fleet after the Crimean War as a 4,600-metric-ton barbette central battery ironclad, with a main battery of eight 220 mm guns. She saw action in the Russo-Turkish war in 1877-78 under Hobart Pasha’s fleet command, at the time superior to the Black sea fleet. She narrowly escaped sinking by Russian torpedo boats. From 1890 to 1892, she was modernized and re-boilered at the Imperial Arsenal on the Golden Horn. In 1900 she was completely rebuilt at Germaniawerft. She took part in the First Balkan War of 1912–1913. During a bombardment mission agains Bulgarian positions she ran aground on an uncharted sandbank and could not be freed, later to be declared a total constructive loss.

Development

Asar-ı Tevfik served in the Ottoman Navy for over twenty years. The ship was the flagship of the Navy, commanded by the Minister of the Navy Arif Hikmet Pasha. During this period, she fought in two major wars, the Russo-Turkish (1877–1878) and First Balkan War (1913). In the first conflict, she was torpedoed by a Russian torpedo boat, but slightly damaged. Between 1890 and 1892, she was modernized by the Imperial Arsenal in Istanbul, and extensively rebuilt in Germany between 1903 and 1906, and her new main battery of three 150 mm and seven 120 mm rapid-fire guns replaced the old guns.
In December 1912, she took part in the Battle of Imbros in the First Balkan War against the Greek Navy. After she ran aground during an operation against Bulgarian positions in February 1913, Bulgarian artillery shelled the ship. Damaged by the artillery fire and the rough seas, the ship sank within a few days.
That’s her career in a nutshell.

But she started completely differently, being ordered in 1865 by the government of Egypt as Ibrahimiye to a French Yard, “Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantier de la Mediterranee” or FCM at La Seyne near Toulon, southern France. She was laid down in 1867, launched in 1868 and completed by 1869 for sea trials. But in between Egypt went from directly ruled state by to an autonomous Khedivate so by 29 August 1868 the Khedivate was pressed to transfer the ship back to the Ottoman Navy. This after some delays she was commissioned as Asar-i Tevfik in 1870.
In 1867 naval tech already went from broadside ironclads to central battery ironclads and the new ship was one of those, the latest trend at the time. The difference lays in the general layout:

A broadside ironclad had the entire main belt armoured, including the battery above, for the entire lenght of the ship. On paper, this created a well protected ship, but this heavy weight above the waterline was a cause for trouble. These ships, especially if they were originally built with a lighter wooden hull, had a tendency to roll heavily. The second issue was artillery. This tech evolved really fast, transitioning from smoothbore, muzzle loaded cannons firing explosive or solid balls (defeated by armour) to breech-loaded rifled guns which fired shells, combining greater accuracy, higher muzzle velocity and longer range. They were now perfectly able to defeat wrought iron armor plates and at greater distances.

All navies thus theorized the new best thing was to adopt less, but much heavier, modern guns, to be concentrated admidship, and protected by a partial armour, which was this time more thicker to defeat shells from enemy guns. The armour was no concentrated at the center, at least for the upper part, which improved stability, while a full belt was kept. Other than that, this French design was close to other central battery ships sucxh as the Ocean class (1868). In fact she was closely modelled after these, albeit the latter were larger at 7600-7700 tonnes and had four 274 mm and four 238 mm, and with three masts. Asar-ı Tevfik would have two masts, a uniform battery, while being smaller.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

Asar-i Tevfik was 2000t lighter than the Ocean class at 4,687 metric tons (4,613 long tons; 5,167 short tons) at normal load yet not that smaller, with 83.01 meters (272 ft 4 in) long between perpendiculars versus 87.73 on the Oceans, but a narrower beam at 16 m (52 ft 6 in) versus 17.52m, and smaller draft of 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) versus 9 m. This was better adapted to the confines of the Black sea. She displaced. She was built entirely with an iron hull, with partial double bottom and ram bow, the latter being more pronounced as caracteristic of French ironclads of the time, courtesy of the battle of Lissa. Her crew comprised 320 officers and ratings. Only her boilers were upgraded at first in 1890, but in 1903–1906, she was completely rebuilt (see later).

Powerplant

Asar-i Tevfik was powered by a single horizontal compound steam engine. It drove a single four bladed screw propeller. Steam came from six box boilers, trunked into a single ficed, raked funnel amidships. Both engines and boilers were manufactured by the same builder FCM at La Seyne. This powerplant was rated for some 3,560 indicated horsepower (2,650 kW), enough for a top speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). To compare the Ocean class had 4000 shop for 14 knots on trials. However this speed was not to be kept long. Even if their boilers were changed later (see below). She had a full rigging of a three masts barque. Later fighting tops were added on the first two.

Protection

As designed she had an iron armored belt 200 mm (8 in) thick all along the waterline, 1.5 meters underwater. This belt was also enclosed by transverse bulkheads connecting both ends, and 75 mm (3 in) thick. The central battery was much taller and covered by a thinner iron plating of 150 mm (6 in). It was enclsoed by two walls forward and aft of the same thickness. The barbette guns above had an additional 130 mm (5 in) of iron plating on its “bathtub”. There was no conning tower nor armoured decks.

Armament

9-in/14 Armstrong

Asar-i Tevfik main armament for her main battery comprised eight 220-millimeter (8.7 in) muzzle-loading guns, all manufactured by Armstrong Whitworth. Six were mounted in the narrow armored battery amidships, three per broadside. The last two were were placed directly above it, in open barbettes. They thus had a much better traverse and could fire in chase and retreat.
As for performances, the RML 9-inch Armstrong Gun was a popular model, introduced in 1867 and also used y the Netherlands and Spain.
It weighted 12,300 kg and was 3.962 m long for an exact caliber of 229 mm and fired shells at a muzzle velocity of 1,476 feet per second (450 m/s).

Ugrades and reconstructions

1890 to 1892 reconstruction: The ship was re-boilered at the Imperial Arsenal on the Golden Horn, replaced by more modern Niclauss models. However by 1895 poor maintenance reduced her top speed to 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). In fact already in 1892 she had issues with leakey boiler tubes. During the same upgrade, the two barbette guns above were replaced by lighter 210 mm (8.3 in) Krupp breech-loading guns and other, smaller Krupp guns installed, such as two 87 mm (3.4 in) guns and two 63.5 mm (2.5 in) guns, completed by two 25.4 mm (1 in) Nordenfelt guns to defeat torpedo boats.
The same reconstruction saw the addition of a 75 mm armored deck, and a conning tower was added, with 150 mm thick armor plates.

1903–1906 reconstruction: All old guns were removed, replaced by a new battery of medium-caliber quick-firing (QF) guns from Krupp:
-Three 150 mm (5.9 in) SK L/40 guns all in single mounts (shielded) forward, one on the forecastle, two abreast of the conning tower.
-Six 120 mm (4.7 in) SK L/40 amidship guns, and a seventh on the stern.
-Six 57 mm (2.2 in) along the sides, two 37 mm (1.5 in) QF guns in the fighting tops.
Both ends were also cut down to regain free weight, and the old rigging replaced by a single military mast amidships, and new, more modern conning tower.
The oilers were replaced with newer Niclausse model to go with a brand new VTE engine, probably built in germany, but of unknown caracteristics and performances, albeit some sources claims 15 knots.
So in resume: 1891: – 2 x 1 – 229/14 (in barbettes); + 2 x 1 – 209/32 RK L/35 C/86, 2 x 1 – 87/22 RK L/24 C/82, 2 x 1 – 57/37 SK L/40 C/91, 2 x 1 – 25/42 Nordenfelt(1903-1906, Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany): machinery was replaced by 1 VTE and 6 Niclausse boilers, 15kts; protection also included 76mm steel main deck and CT with 152mm sides; new armament consisted of 3 x 1 – 149/37 SK L/40 C/06, 7 x 1 – 120/37 SK L/40 C/97, 6 x 1 – 57/37 SK L/40, 2 x 1 – 37/37 SK L/40 C/99

Career of Asar-i Tevfik

Both French-built and british-built ironclads were sent to Crete in order to try keeping the island after its Revolt of 1866–1869. The Ottoman fleet back then was under command of Hobart Pasha but remained largely inactive. The crew spent its time training just reading translated British instruction manuals. Asar-i Tevfik like the rest of the fleet was activated only every summer for short cruises from the Golden Horn, down to the Bosporus, just to ensure their propulsion was still operable, but not complex manoeuvers or gunnery drills were made. Maintenance however quickly started to suffer.

Then, the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1888 flare out, suring which she remained in the Black Sea squadron still under Hobart Pasha, as a deterrent against the inferior Russian Black Sea Fleet. The latter only had to oppose them the round ships Vitse-admiral Popov and Novgorod. A good idea on paper, they made circles as soon as they fired, and the traverse could not keep up, making them useless gun platforms. The Russian fleet two corps in reserve for coastal defense, but still, the Ottoman high command was reluctant to use the fleet to hinder the Russian advance into the Balkans, notably along the shores. In the end, Hobart Pasha (born Augustus Charles Hobart-Hampden on 1 April 1822 in Leicestershire) took the fleet to the western Black Sea and started to support Ottoman troops in the Caucasus. His fleet shelled Poti and defended Batumi.

In June, the Russian Baltic Fleet deployed iots “secret weapon”, its newly ecquired and built “torpedo boats”. These were fast launched with towed and spar torpedoes. On the night of 23–24 August 1877, Miner, Navarin, and Sinop sneaked in Sukhumi and found the fleet moored, then steamed up to attack. However posted sentries alerted the ships, and gunfire erupted from all ships, followed by troops on the shore. Sinop targered Asar-i Tevfik but dailed to see the barge alongside the iconclad and went detonate her torpedo against it. The barge sank but the ironclad only was bruised. Still, her plating had been dented and she sailed to Batumi for repairs. The Russian attack largely failed and troop support continued the following day at Batumi helding until the end of the war.

After the war she was laid up in Constantinople, and no annual summer cruises were authorized as the new government had a poor opinion, partly justified, of the usefulness of the fleet. Credits were cuts, not only for training, but also maintenance. By the mid-1880s, an inspection revealed the while fleet was in poor condition. Asar-i Tevfik in fact was the only one still seaworthy, albeit with a skeleton crew and reduced speed at 4-6 knots. Tension with Greece flared up in 1886, and so all ships were brought back to full crews and started training, but after another inspection, none left the Golden Horn. They ended laid up again.

In 1890 a chage at the head of the Empire revived the idea of a fleet, notably due to recent international events, a menacing Russia, and constant issues with the Balkans. However financed were not here. Instead of ordering new ships, it was decided to modernize them, a course already taken by the Spanish Empire as well. From 1890 to 1892 Asar-i Tevfik and the ironclad Feth-i Bülend were re-boilered at the Imperial Arsenal on the Golden Horn and 1892, ordered to reinforce the Cretan Squadron during unrest but they proved unseaworthy due to their leaky boiler tubes. Forllowing the Greco-Turkish War in 1897 the government decided to start a truly serious naval reconstruction program and Asar-i Tevfik was the obkect of international Requests for proposals. By October 1898 the Gio. Ansaldo & C. shipyard in Genoa accepted to make a proposal, but at the condition to be able survey the ship as well as Mesudiye. She sailed to Genoa in January 1899, laid up and after a change of mind, was proposed to Germaniawerft in Kiel. The latter estimated reconstruction was possible, and this started from 29 May 1900.

During that time her crew was transferred to the transport İzmir. However being unable to purchase coal for the return trip to Turkey, they were found stranded in Germany, taking small jobs around. Germaniawerft stripped down Asar-i Tevfik in rder to start reconstruction, but waited for the first Ottoman payment. But nothing arrived and this even concenred Kaiser Wilhelm II which pressed Constantinople to to settle its debts with the reconstruction and pay its sailors. Still, the Ottomans asked Krupp advanced 6,000 lira to sent back İzmir to Constantinople while a large contract for new guns was negotiated both for the Navy and Army. This leverage paid off and Krupp agreed by late 1901.

Still, construction payment did not come and no work was done over two years. On 18 January 1904, negotiatons resumed with Krupp, asking now a reduction from 282,000 lira to 65,000 lira, which did not even cover preparatory work. But as leverage again, the Ottoman government promised to order a pair of torpedo cruisers (Peyk-i Şevket class). Krupp conceded despite financial loss and in April, the major armament contract was signed, work resumed, to be completed by late 1906. She left Kiel on 19 November, and entered Constantinople on 4 January 1907.
In 1909, she took part in a fleet maneuver, the first in 20 years. She was inactive during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912, in the Reserve Division with Mesudiye and Berk-i Satvet.
In the First Balkan War of 1912–1913, Asar-i Tevfik still was plagued by boiler issues, forcing repairs until 9 November. She was sent then to defend the Çatalca Line against the Bulgarians, moored off Tekirdağ for gunfire support. Next she was moved to Büyükçekmece and the fleet, seeing little action.
She did hwever took part in the Battle of Elli, on 16 December 1912: She joined Barbaros Hayreddin and Turgut Reis, Mesudiye which sortied from the Dardanelles at 9:30, sailing north and hugging the coast. Opposing them was the Georgios Averof and three Hydra-class ironclads from Lemnos and blocking their advance. Averof rushed forward and opened fire on 9:40 from 15,000 yd and crossed the other side of the Ottoman fleet to create a pincer with the three hydra class. At 9:50 the Ottoman fleet reversed course to the straits, but poorly conducted, breaking the formation and blocking respective fields of fire. The battle was over at 10:17, with Asar-i Tevfik and Mesudiye staying behind to protect the bruised pre-dreadnoughts. Asar-i Tevfik was not hit.

On 10 January 1913, Asar-i Tevfik patrolled off the Dardanelles during the raid on Imbros. She met Greek destroyers and withdrew after firing a few shots. On 7 February she was ordered to Yalıköy, Çatalca to support a pushe by the Army. On the 8th, the town was not taken due to fierce Bulgarian resistance and Asar-i Tevfik was ordered close in and shell the town, running aground on an uncharted sandbank at 12:45. On the 10th, February salvage work started with removal of enything than can light her up, notably on the 12th, armament and coal. Still, she could not be freed and between heavy seas and Bulgarian artillery now in range, further damaging the wreck it was decided to abandon her. She was noted as a total constructive loss in the Navy book.

Read More/Src

Books

Barry, Quintin (2012). War in the East: A Military History of the Russo-Turkish War 1877–78. Solihull: Helion.
Beehler, William Henry (1913). The History of the Italian-Turkish War: September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912.
Fotakis, Zisis (2005). Greek Naval Strategy and Policy, 1910–1919. London: Routledge.
Caruana, Joseph; Freivogel, Zvonimir; Macmillan, Don; Smith, Warren & Viglietti, Brian (2007). “Question 38/43: Loss of Ottoman Gunboat Intibah”.
Greene, Jack & Massignani, Alessandro (1998). Ironclads at War: The Origin and Development of the Armored Warship, 1854–1891.
Hall, Richard C. (2000). The Balkan Wars, 1912–1913: Prelude to the First World War. London: Routledge.
Langensiepen, Bernd & Güleryüz, Ahmet (1995). The Ottoman Steam Navy 1828–1923. Conway
Lyon, Hugh (1979). “Turkey”. In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860–1905.
Marshall, Chris, ed. (1995). The Encyclopedia of Ships: The History and Specifications of Over 1200 Ships. Blitz Editions.
Sondhaus, Lawrence (2001). Naval Warfare, 1815–1914. London: Routledge.
Sturton, Ian. “Through British Eyes: Constantinople Dockyard, the Ottoman Navy, and the Last Ironclad, 1876–1909”.

Links

turkeyswar.com/ asar-i-tevfik/
tr.wikipedia.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_ironclad_Asar-i_Tevfik
archives on denizmuzesi.dzkk.tsk.tr/
archive.org/ navalwarfare
navypedia.org/ assari_tevfik.
The History of the Italian-Turkish War, September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912

Model Kits