ions ▁of ▁her ▁sides ▁were ▁protected ▁by ▁ ▁iron ▁pl ates . ▁ ▁Service ▁At al ante ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁at ▁Cher bourg ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁and ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁Her ▁sea ▁tri als ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁and ▁she ▁joined ▁the ▁reserve ▁at ▁Br est ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁At al ante ▁was ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁E volution ary ▁Squadron ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Squadron ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁at ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁lift ▁its ▁block ade ▁of ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁North ▁Sea ▁ports ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁Cher bourg . ▁At al ante ▁went ▁back ▁into ▁reserve ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁but ▁she ▁was ▁recomm ission ed ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁named ▁as ▁the ▁flags hip ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Squadron ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁under ▁command ▁of ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Baron ▁R ous sin . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁August ▁At al ante ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Lor ient ▁for ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁At al ante ▁was ▁put ▁into ▁the ▁Fitz roy ▁D