SMS Frauenlob (1855)

Frauenlob at sea, 1891 painting by Lüder Arenhold
History
Prussia
Name	SMS Frauenlob
Builder	Lübke, Wolgast
Cost	43.000 Thaler
Laid down	1849
Launched	24 August 1855
Sponsored by	German Women
Commissioned	1 May 1856
Fate	Sunk in a typhoon off Yokohama, 2 September 1860
Notes	originally called Frauengabe (Women's gift)
General characteristics
Type	Schooner
Displacement	305 t (300 long tons)
Length	32.1 m (105 ft 4 in)
Beam	8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)
Draft	2.61 m (8 ft 7 in)
Sail plan	523 m2 (5,630 sq ft)
Speed	13 kn (24 km/h)
Boats & landing craft carried	4
Complement	5 officers, 42 men
Armament	1 × 30-pounder

SMS Frauenlob ("Praise of Women") was a Prussian naval schooner. The first German naval vessel of that name, she was financed largely by voluntary contributions of German women following the German Revolution of 1848. The keel for Frauengabe (Women's gift) was laid down in 1849 and she was launched on 24 August 1855 in Wolgast as Frauenlob. She was commissioned on 1 May 1856. In 1859, Frauenlob participated in the Eulenburg Expedition and was lost on 2 September 1860 in a typhoon off Yokohama with all hands. Her name was later taken by the light cruisers SMS Frauenlob of 1902 and SMS Frauenlob of 1918.

Design and construction

The Frauenlob was a clinker-built ship, the hull of which was made with a transverse frame and covered with copper plates for protection. She had gaff rigging on two masts with a total sail area of 523 m², which enabled a top speed of 13 knots.

The construction contract was given to the Wolgast shipyard in Lübke, which also drew up the construction plans. The construction costs of around 43,000 thalers were partly financed with the collected donations, the shortfall was subsidized by the War Ministry.