Wikipedia's October 17 special article

Bernos was the first pre-dreadnought battleship built for the French Navy. Launched on 17 October 1891, she was an ironclad battleship with a main battery of heavy guns mounted on the centreline and was the first to use Belleville boilers. He formed the basis of later designs, beginning with Charles Martel. When Bernos was completed in 1893, it was too heavy, and before it was ready to enter service,

Bernos was the first pre-dreadnought battleship built for the French Navy. Launched on 17 October 1891, she was an ironclad battleship with a main battery of heavy guns mounted on the centreline and was the first to use Belleville boilers. He formed the basis of later designs, beginning with Charles Martel. When Bernos was completed in 1893, it was too heavy and had to be rebuilt over the next three years before it was ready to enter service. He spent most of his service in the Mediterranean Squadron and served as its flagship early in his career. As newer warships entered the fleet, Bernos was relegated to a reserve squadron in the early 1900s and then served as a training ship. The ship was decommissioned before the start of World War I in August 1914 and decommissioned in 1915. She served as a source of spare parts and equipment for other ships during the war. Her hulk was decommissioned in 1919 and scrapped three years later. (full article...)