The ship was deemed surplus to requirements the following year; on her way back to France to decommission, Kléber struck a naval mine on 27 June and sank with the loss of 38 crewmen.

The engines of all three ships were designed to produce a total of 17,100 metric horsepower (12,600 kW) that was intended to give them a maximum speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph).

Only Kléber exceeded their designed speed during her sea trials on 14 October 1903, attaining 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) from 17,177 metric horsepower (12,634 kW).

[3] The ships of the Dupleix class had a main armament that consisted of eight quick-firing (QF) Canon de 164.7 mm Modèle 1893–1896 guns.

[1] The nickel steel armor belt of the Dupleix-class cruisers covered the entire waterline length of the ship except for 18.9 meters (62 ft)[4] of the stern.

[6] Named after the French Revolutionary-era General Jean-Baptiste Kléber,[7] the ship was ordered from Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde on 28 December 1897.

[10] Kléber was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet's Light Squadron (Escadre légère) upon completion, together with her sister Desaix.

In early September, Kléber and the armored cruisers Gloire and Gueydon established a new patrol line further south off the southern coast of Brittany.

[16] Improved defenses in the Channel and the stabilization of the front in early 1915 allowed the cruisers to be released from their tasks, so Kléber was transferred to the Dardanelles to support Allied forces in the Gallipoli Campaign in May.

The ship briefly ran aground off Scala Nuova Bay and was engaged by coastal artillery without effect before she could free herself.

Kléber, Dupleix, and the armored cruisers Bruix and Latouche-Tréville were now assigned to blockade the coast of Asia Minor, based out of Lesbos.

The successes of merchant raiders like Möwe in 1916 caused the Allies to transfer cruisers to the Atlantic to protect their shipping.