The 1849 budget initially allowed for construction of a new three-decker capital ship named "Terrible" in Brest, but the ship was cancelled in 1848 to slim down expenses. The 1850 budget then scheduled two ships, named "Bretagne" and "Desaix" (in honour of Louis Desaix), to be built in Brest and Cherbourg respectively; the order was placed on 15 March 1851. The mediocre performances of "Valmy" during her trials led to the Navy shedding the capital ship design of the Commission de Paris and start back from Sané's "Océan" design, with only incremental modifications. In late 1851, engineers De Gasté, responsible for "Bretagne", and Forquenot, for "Desaix", decided on a reduction of the tumblehome by 20 centimetres and on a slight increase of the beam — alterations thought safe, as the two last ships of the "Océan" design, "Ville de Paris" and "Louis-XIV", had had their tumblehome reduced by 23 centimetres with no ill effect. An initial suggestion to fit the ships with 160 shp steam engines allowing for a speed of 4,5 knots was declined as to minimise departures from Sané's design.