The Hercule class was a late type of 100-gun ships of the line of the French Navy. They were the second strongest of four ranks of ships of the line designed by the Commission de Paris. While the first units were classical straight-walled ships of the line, next ones were gradually converted to steam, and the last one was built with an engine.
Design
The Hercule class evolved as an enlargement of the straight-walled, 90-gun Suffren class, suggested by Jean Tupinier.[1]
With the Henri IV, a rounded stern was introduced. The next ships were built with the rounded stern, and it was retrofitted on the early units of the class.
^Roberts, Stephen S. (2011). "Hercule-class sail ship of the line (2nd class, 100 guns)" (PDF). shipscribe.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
^Loire (ex-Hoche, ex-Prince Jérôme, ex-Annibal) Archived 2016-04-12 at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.