Sphinx-class aviso

The Sphinx class was the first type of steamer corvettes in service in the French Navy. They were motorised by French-made steam engines cloned from a low-pressure Newcomen steam engine purchased from Fawcett, in Liverpool, and made at Indret. Initially classified as "paddle corvettes", they were later reclassified as "first-class avisos".

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.
Class overview
Name	Sphinx
Builders	Rochefort
Operators	French Navy
Completed	6
General characteristics
Type	Aviso
Displacement	913 tonnes
Length	48.20 m (158 ft 2 in)
Beam	Hull: 8.16 m (26 ft 9 in) Including paddles: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught	3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	Sail plan 640 hp (480 kW) Newcomen steam engine
Speed	7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
Armament	6 to 11 guns 6 24-pounder carronades 2 to 4 160 mm (6.3 in) howitzers
Armour	Timber

Ships in class

• Sphinx

Builder: Rochefort

Ordered:

Laid down:

Launched:

Completed:

Fate: Wrecked

• Ténaré

Builder:

Ordered:

Laid down:

Launched:

Completed:

Fate:

• Euphrate

Builder:

Ordered:

Laid down:

Launched:

Completed:

Fate:

Sources and references

• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours, 1671 - 1870. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. p. 422. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.