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The ''Sphinx'' was a paddle steamer corvette of the French Navy, and lead ship of her class. She was the first operational French naval steamer. She took part in the Invasion of Algiers in 1830, pioneering the role of steamers in navies of the mid-19th century, and later took part in the transfer of the Luxor Obelisk from Egypt to Paris. == Career == Initially rated as a corvette, the ''Sphinx'' was built in Rochefort on plans by Jean-Baptiste Hubert around a low-pressure Newcomen steam engine purchased from Fawcett, in Liverpool. Indret then used this engine as its template for the locally-produced engines that powered the subsequent ''Sphinx''-class avisos.〔(Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des sciences, Volume 6 )〕〔 On 25 May 1830, ''Sphinx'' sailed with a French squadron under Admiral Guy-Victor Duperré for the Invasion of Algiers. On 13 June, along with ''Nageur'', she silenced the coastal defences of Sidi Fredj. She then carried the news of the fall of Algiers back to France.〔(1829. Vapeur le ''Sphinx'' (France) )〕 In August 1832, under Lieutenant Sarlat, ''Sphinx'' sailed to Alexandria to rendezvous there with the barge ''Louqsor'', which was to load the Luxor Obelisk and bring it to Paris.〔(L'Obélisque de Louqsor à Cherbourg )〕 ''Sphinx''s was to tow ''Louqsor'' back to France. After the complex loading of the obelisk, the ships departed on 1 April 1833. Sailing 4.5 knots with ''Louqsor'' in tow, ''Sphinx'' reached Toulon on 10 May, where she had to spend 20 days in quarantine due to the fear of cholera.〔Philippe Béjot, "Le transport de l'obélisque de Louxor", (''Neptunia'' ) no 263, p. 45〕 The ships arrived at Cherbourg on 12 August 1833.〔 From 1835, ''Sphinx'' cruised off Toulon and Algiers, under Lieutenant Baudin.〔 In 1841, she was in the Mediterranean under Lieutenant Lacheurié,〔Roche, ''op. cit.''〕 and in 1843 under Lieutenant Guichon de Grandpont.〔(ANNALES COLONIALES - 1843 )〕 On 6 July 1845, while under the command of Lieutenant Muterse, ''Sphinx'' departed Dellys, bound for Algiers. Due to a navigation error, during a heavy fog she ran aground near Cape Matifu. The steamers ''Caméléon'', ''Chimère'', and ''Tartare'' attempted unsuccessfully to aid her. ''Sphinx'' became a total loss, though her entire crew was saved.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「French corvette Sphinx (1829)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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