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[[File:Balearic Sea map.png|thumb|left|Map of the western Mediterranean, where ''Troude'' operated for much of her career]]
''Troude'' was built at the [[Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde]] shipyard in [[Lormont]]. She was [[keel laying|laid down]] inon November27 August 1886, the first member of her class to begin construction.{{sfn|Campbell|p=310}}{{sfn|Roberts|p=249}} She was [[ship launching|launched]] on 22 October 1888, was moved to [[Rochefort, Charente-Maritime|Rochefort]] on 24–25 November for [[fitting-out]], and was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] for [[sea trials]] on 6 December 1888.{{sfn|SmigielskiRoberts|p=193249}} She completed her [[sea trials]] on 18 December 1890,{{sfn|Ships: France|p=270}} and was accepted by the French Navy in January 1891.,{{sfn|Campbell|p=310}} though she was not placed in full commission for active service until 5 January. On entering service, she was assigned to the [[Mediterranean Squadron (France)|Mediterranean Squadron]], and she departed Rochefort on 15 February.{{sfn|Roberts|p=249}} By 1893, ''Troude'' had been assigned to the [[Mediterranean Squadron (France)|Mediterranean Squadron]], the main French battle fleet. At that time, the unit also included several modern [[ironclad warship]]s, the [[armored cruiser]] {{ship|French cruiser|Dupuy de Lome||2}}, and four other protected cruisers, {{ship|French cruiser|Amiral Cécille||2}}, {{ship|French cruiser|Jean Bart||2}}, and her [[sister ship]]s {{ship|French cruiser|Cosmao|1889|2}} and {{ship|French cruiser|Lalande||2}}.{{sfn|Brassey 1893|p=70}}
She was still serving in the unit in 1895, by which time the fleet's cruiser division consisted of ''Troude'', ''Lalande'', ''Cosmao'', and the protected cruisers {{ship|French cruiser|Tage||2}}, and {{ship|French cruiser|Suchet||2}}.{{sfn|Brassey 1895|p=50}} She took part in the fleet maneuvers that year, which began on 1 July and concluded on the 27th. She was assigned to "Fleet B", which along with "Fleet A" represented the French fleet, and was tasked with defeating the hostile "Fleet C", which represented the Italian fleet.{{sfn|Gleig|pp=195–196}} She remained in the Mediterranean Squadron in 1896,{{sfn|Brassey 1896|p=62}} and she took part in that year's maneuvers as part of the cruiser [[Screening (tactical)|screen]] for the 3rd Division. The maneuvers for that year took place from 6 to 30 July.{{sfn|Thursfield|pp=164–167}}
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