teen ▁ ▁Mod èle ▁ 1 8 9 3 – 1 8 9 6 M ▁guns . ▁Tw elve ▁of ▁these ▁were ▁in ▁three ▁tw in - gun ▁tur rets ▁on ▁each ▁broad side ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁four ▁guns ▁were ▁in ▁cas em ates ▁in ▁the ▁h ull . ▁For ▁defense ▁against ▁tor ped o ▁boats , ▁they ▁carried ▁twenty - four ▁ ▁Hot chk iss ▁guns . ▁Jules ▁Fer ry ▁was ▁also ▁armed ▁with ▁two ▁sub mer ged ▁ ▁tor ped o ▁tub es , ▁one ▁on ▁each ▁broad side , ▁and ▁could ▁carry ▁ 1 0 ▁naval ▁mines . ▁ ▁The ▁cru is ers ' ▁water line ▁arm or ▁bel t ▁r anged ▁in ▁thick ness ▁from ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁main - gun ▁tur rets ▁were ▁protected ▁by ▁arm or ▁ ▁thick . ▁Their ▁deck ▁arm or ▁was ▁ ▁thick . ▁The ▁front ▁and ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁con ning ▁tower ▁consisted ▁of ▁ ▁arm or ▁pl ates . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁Jules ▁Fer ry , ▁the ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁France , ▁and ▁Jean ▁Marie ▁Antoine ▁de ▁Lan ess an , ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Navy , ▁ordered ▁the ▁Ar sen al ▁de ▁Cher bourg ▁to ▁begin ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁ship ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁in ▁comp liance ▁with ▁the ▁recently ▁passed ▁Naval ▁Law ▁( ). ▁She ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁August ▁