Contemporary Postcards of the Liberté Class (1908)
It is early one Sunday in April 1909, and Robert LaFarge, an upstart photographer, printer, womanizer, and shameless self-promoter, has put out on the calm harbor of Toulon to snap a few postcard shots for his boss, R. Petrie & Cie., to help in their aggressive assault on the entrenched "top-dog" marine and tourist lensman in the area, A. Bougault of Toulon-sur-mere. No slouch at self-promotion himself, Bougault had spread his name through saturating the postcard market with his shots for decades. However, as prosperity swelled in the Belle Epoque, the market grew and accepted competitors like Petrie and LaFarge.
LaFarge's oarsman rowed him around the new battleship Verité, her tricolor jack streaming in the fresh sea air, her crew still snoozing in their hammocks while the early sun modeled her flanks for the lens. The combination of sharp cleaving bow with moderate tumblehome amidships and aft, is appreciable from this well-lit shot. On this special interest webpage you'll explore the Libertés informally. We have added this additional Liberté class collection by popular demand after our recently increased coverage of the ships of Émile Bertin caused a hullaballo among the French battleship crowd. With widened interest following the discovery of the wreck of the Danton came the demands of a constituency on 4 continents: Haven't we seen enough of the comic battleships of the 1890s, but all too little of France's strong resurgence 100 years ago under Bertin? Now for your enjoyment, in a third glorious array of glittering 21st century pixels, we present the Liberté class as seen in postcards of their time.
Verité's specifications: Dimensions: 439'x 79'7" x 27'6" (134m x 24.25m x 8.4m). Displacement: 14,850 tons. Armament: (4) 12", (10) 7.6" guns (10 x 1); 5 torpedo tubes. Krupps Cemented (KC) armor: 11" belt, 12'6" width (7'6" above waterline); 14" turret; 12" conning tower; 2.75" deck. Double armored deck/splinter deck with cellular layer between. Bunkerage: 900 tons of coal. Propulsion: 22 coal-fired boilers, (3) inverted vertical triple expansion steam engines developing 20,500 HP, shafted to triple screw. Maximum speed: 19.4 kts. Endurance: 8000 nm @ 12kts. Crew: 740. Cost: 42 million gold francs. Ships in class: Liberté, Verité, Democratie, Justice.
The Justice under forced draft on her trials, 1908.
Verité under way, manned for inspection.
The Democratie seen in a postcard with a different style of colourisation. This effort by A. Bougault -- the Toulon-based dean of French postcard photographers -- gives a creditable overall view of the ship on trials, with reasonably believable coloring and nautical atmosphere.
A rare view of the Verité from the foretop looking down and aft. That is No. 2 funnel fuming away at bottom left. A kingpost used for working cargo and boats rises just before the awning rigged between itself and the No. 3 funnel.
Patrie placidly swings to her mooring in port at Bizerta.
This postcard of the Verité has seen better days, but still preserves the profile of a noble ship. Her distinctive funnel caps are well shown by this battered card.