SMS Ariadne was a steam corvette of the German Kaiserliche Marine. She was the lead ship of the Ariadne class, which included two other ships, Luise and Freya. Ordered as part of a naval expansion program after the Austro-Prussian War, Ariadne was laid down in September 1868, launched in July 1871, and was commissioned in November 1872. Ariadne was a small vessel, armed with a battery of just eight guns.
Illustration of Ariadne, c. 1871
Illustration of the Central America Squadron, with Leipzig, Elisabeth, and Ariadne from left to right
SMS Kronprinz was a unique German ironclad warship built for the Prussian Navy in 1866–1867. Kronprinz was laid down in 1866 at the Samuda Brothers shipyard at Cubitt Town in London. She was launched in May 1867 and commissioned into the Prussian Navy that September. The ship was the fourth ironclad ordered by the Prussian Navy, after Arminius, Prinz Adalbert, and Friedrich Carl, though she entered service before Friedrich Carl. Kronprinz was built as an armored frigate, armed with a main battery of sixteen 21 cm (8.3 in) guns; several smaller guns were added later in her career.
Illustration of Kronprinz in 1868
Sketch depicting Kronprinz after her launching in 1867, before fitting out
Kronprinz on maneuvers with Friedrich Carl and Ariadne
Kronprinz in Kiel in 1892