Schneider-Canet 450mm torpedo floating batteries

Weight :	17 t
Length :	9.4 m
Beam :	3.4 m
Height :	1.3 m
Armament :	2 – 450mm torpedo tubes
Remarks : Three torpedo floating batteries were ordered were ordered on 23 February 1904 at the suggestion of the head of the French Naval Military Mission and Bulgarian government’s naval adviser, Capt. Paul Pichon. They were used to defend the Varna Bay, but one of them was lost in a storm during the war against Turkey. The torpedo tubes, in a concrete room, were placed above the level of the lowest tide. The ammunition depot was back, while between these two rooms there was an armoured observatory for the aimer, who gave the firing data to the two gunners. The opening for the torpedo was arranged in an armoured plate, and was plugged by a valve, that could be opened only when the breech was locked. When the torpedo had been launched, the water filling the tube was removed by means of a pump. The tubes were pivoting, and could be placed at different heights.