 Illustration ofLütf-ü Celil | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Ottoman Empire | |
| Name | Lütf-ü Celil |
| Namesake | "Divine Grace" |
| Ordered | 1867 |
| Builder | Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde |
| Laid down | 1868 |
| Launched | 1869 |
| Commissioned | March 1870 |
| Fate | Sunk by Russian artillery, 11 May 1877 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Lütf-ü Celil class |
| Displacement | 2,540 t (2,500long tons) |
| Length | 64.4 m (211 ft 3 in) (loa) |
| Beam | 13.6 m (44 ft 7 in) |
| Draft | 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 12knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement |
|
| Armament |
|
| Armor | |
Lütf-ü Celil (Ottoman Turkish: Divine Grace) was anironclad warship of theOttoman Navy, thelead ship of theLütf-ü Celil class. Originally ordered by theKhedivate of Egypt, anautonomous vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, the central Ottoman government forced Egypt to surrenderLütf-ü Celil while she was still under construction at the FrenchForges et Chantiers de la Gironde shipyard.Lütf-ü Celil saw action during the first weeks of theRusso-Turkish War in 1877, where she operated on theDanube to try to prevent Russian forces from crossing the river. While on patrol on 11 May, she engaged a Russianartillery battery that scored a hit on the ship'sboiler room, causing an explosion that destroyed the ship and killed most of her crew.
Lütf-ü Celil was 64.4 m (211 ft 3 in)long overall, with abeam of 13.6 m (44 ft 7 in) and adraft of 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in). The hull was constructed with iron, incorporatedram bow, anddisplaced 2,540metric tons (2,500long tons) normally and 1,741 t (1,714 long tons)BOM. She had a crew of 12 officers and 110 enlisted men.[1][2]
The ship was powered by a single horizontalcompound steam engine which drove twoscrew propellers. Steam was provided by two coal-firedlocomotive boilers that were trunked into a singlefunnelamidships. The engine was rated at 2,000indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and produced a top speed of 12knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), though by 1877 she was only capable of 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph).Lütf-ü Celil carried 300 t (300 long tons; 330 short tons) of coal. A supplementarybarque rig was also fitted.[1][2]
Lütf-ü Celil was armed with a battery of two 229 mm (9 in) rifled,muzzle loadingArmstrong guns and two 178 mm (7 in) Armstrong guns, each pair mounted in a revolvinggun turret, both of which were on the centerline. The 229 mm guns were placed in the forward turret and the turret for the 178 mm guns was located aft of themain mast. The ship'sarmored belt consisted ofwrought iron that was 140 mm (5.5 in) thick and was reduced to 120 mm (4.6 in) toward the bow and stern. Above the main belt, astrake of armor 76 mm (3 in) thick protected the turret bases,magazines, and machinery spaces. The turrets were protected by 140 mm of iron plating.[1][2]
Lütf-ü Celil, meaning "Divine Grace",[3] was ordered from theForges et Chantiers de la Gironde shipyard inBordeaux in 1867 and waslaid down the following year. The ship had originally been ordered by theKhedivate of Egypt, anautonomous tributary state of theOttoman Empire, but Egyptian efforts to assert their independence angered SultanAbdülaziz, who, on 5 June 1867, demanded Egypt surrender all of the ironclads ordered from foreign shipyards. After lengthy negotiations, the vessel was formally transferred to the Ottoman Empire on 29 August 1868. She waslaunched in 1869 and completed forsea trials in 1870. The ship was commissioned into the Ottoman fleet in March that year.[4]
Upon completion,Lütf-ü Celil and the other ironclads then being built in Britain and France were sent toCrete to assist in the aftermath of theCretan Revolt of 1866–1869. During this period, the Ottoman fleet, underHobart Pasha, remained largely inactive, with training confined to reading translated British instruction manuals.[5]Lütf-ü Celil was assigned to the II Squadron of the Asiatic Fleet, along with hersister shipHifz-ur Rahman and the ironcladsAvnillah andMuin-i Zafer.[6] Early in the ship's career, the Ottoman ironclad fleet was activated every summer for short cruises from theGolden Horn to theBosporus to ensure their propulsion systems were in operable condition.[7] In 1875, the ship received a single 120 mm (4.7 in) gun manufactured byKrupp.[8]
The Ottoman fleet began mobilizing in September 1876 to begin to prepare for a conflict with Russia, as tensions with the country had been growing for several years,an insurrection had begun in Ottoman Bosnia in mid-1875, andSerbia haddeclared war on the Ottoman Empire in July 1876. TheRusso-Turkish War began on 24 April 1877 with a Russian declaration of war.[9] At the start of the war,Lütf-ü Celil andHifz-ur Rahman were assigned to theDanube Squadron,[6] where they were tasked with preventing Russian forces from crossing the river.[10] On 11 May, while cruising in the Danube offIzmail, the ship was attacked by Russian artillery consisting of 6-inch (152 mm)mortars and 25-pounder rifled guns. One of the shells struck the vessel, probably in theboiler room, where it caused a large explosion that destroyed the ship. Theriver monitorFeth-ül İslam picked up twenty men, but most of her crew, some 160 officers and men, were killed in the explosion.[11][12]