Built as a wooden corvette in Rochefort (Charente Maritime) for the French Navy.
Keel laid down 17 August 1846 (other source 06 October 1846.)
10 October 1851 launched under the name CONSTANTINE.
Displacement 1,117 ton. Dim. 45.74 x 11.50 x 5.03m.
Armament 20 guns on the battery deck and 2 on the poop deck.
Complement 256 men.
She sailed from Rochefort on 5 February 1853 for the Far East Station; in route she made calls at Reunion Island, New Caledonia, Sydney, Macao and Japan.`
1853 When off the coast of China under command of Captain Tardy de Montravel she received orders to proceed to New Caledonia to occupy and to take possession of the islands for France.
When she arrived off the Pines Islands in January 1854 the French flag was already hoisted there, the island and the main island were already occupied by Admiral Febvrier Despointes and a squadron of French warships already in the Pacific.
The CONSTANTINE stayed in New Caledonia till September 1854.
May 1855 arrived at Simoda, Japan from Indochina to search for the Russian frigate DIANA.
From March to September 1855 she did a survey along the coast of Japan, Sakhalin Island and through Okotsk and the Tartary Seas.
Returned to Rochefort on 15 October 1856, making calls at Macau, Manila, Reunion and St Helena. After arrival Rochefort the hull was coppered.
01 September 1857 left Rochefort for the Pacific.
10 May 1859 arrived at Valparaiso from Callao, Peru
07 April 1860 at Callao.
January 1862 decommissioned at Rochefort.
From 25 April 1869 used as a floating headquarter until 1893 in Rochefort.
1893 Condemned, and scrapped in 1894.
New Caledonia 1981 10f sg659, scott466.
Source: Log Book Vol. 26 page 107, and written by Alain Roman. http://dossiersmarine.free.fr/fs_c_C3b.html