The ship retained the standard French heavy-cruiser main battery of eight 203 mm guns in four twin turrets. Her secondary battery expanded to twelve 100 mm guns, while 37 mm cannon and quadruple 13.2 mm Hotchkiss mounts supplied the original light anti-aircraft defence. A single port-side catapult above the funnel handled reconnaissance aircraft, but the design omitted an enclosed hangar and stored the aircraft on deck. The succession from Gourdou-Leseurre machines to the larger Loire 130 shows how the aviation fit evolved even though its basic handling arrangement remained exposed.
Chapter · 3:33-4:29
Main guns, dual-purpose battery, and seaplanes
Algérie combined eight 203 mm guns with a strengthened 100 mm secondary battery, light anti-aircraft weapons, and catapult-launched reconnaissance aircraft.