- Author
- A.N. Other and NHSA Webmaster
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- March 1983 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
In days gone by the Royal Italian Navy was quite a large force, many novel types of ships appeared in its navy list.
The following photographs, all from the Peter Britz Collection, show some of the classical Italian ships. Included are a couple of cruisers acquired at the end of the Great War (from the losers) which were used for many years by the Italians.
As can be expected, some of the earlier torpedo craft were built in the United Kingdom, and one early ship is also shown.
Great Britain also built a few submarines for the R.I.N. during 1914-17, but most of the ships illustrated were built in Italian yards. None remain today, which is a great pity, as they were unique looking ships, with an appearance unlike those of other navies.
 The battleship “FRANCESCO MOROSINI”. Launched in 1884, showing the dense clouds of white smoke when firing with black powder when using her 17 inch guns. |
 The battleship”LEPANTO” of 13,336 tons, launched in 1883. This ship had a mixed armament of four 17 inch, eight 6 inch and four 4.7 inch guns. She was taken out of service in 1914. |
 “SPARVERIO” was a 3rd class torpedo boat, built by Yarrow’s, and commissioned in 1881. Displacing 39.5 tons, she carried two 14 inch torpedoes. She was discarded in 1904. |
 “ETNA”‘ a protected cruiser o f 3538 tons. She carried two 10 inch and six 6 inch guns, and at full power could make 16.6 knots. Launched in 1885 she spent her later years as a training ship, and was discarded in 1921.
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 “FRANCESCO FERRUCCIO”, an armoured cruiser of 7294 tons. She was launched in 1902, as a member of the famous “Garibaldi” class. She carried a unique mixed armament of one 10 inch, two 8 inch, fourteen 6 inch, and ten 2.9 inch guns. She could work up to 20 knots. Discarded in 1930. |
 The light cruiser “VENEZIA” started her life in 1912 as the Austrian “SAIDA” and was turned over to Italy in 1918. Of 2,756 tons, Venezia carried nine 3.9 inch guns, ‘backed up by two 3 inch AA guns, and four 18 inch torpedo tubes. When new she could make 27 knots. Discarded 1937. |
 “MOZAMBANO”, a torpedo cruiser, which corresponded roughly with the British torpedo gunboat type. She was launched in 1888. She carried six 6 pounders and five 14 inch torpedo tubes. Of 856 tons displacement, she could make 18 knots. Discarded in 1901. |
 “ANCONA” was the former German light cruiser “GRAUDENZ”. A ship of 3838 tons, mounting seven 5 .9 inch guns as her main armament. She was capable of 27.25 knots. Launched in October, 1913, she was discarded in 1937. |
 “QUARTO” was classed as a scout/minelayer. She displaced 2903 tons, and was launched in 1911, remaining in service until 1939. Her armament was six 4.7 inch guns, with an anti-aircraft battery of seven 3 inch. She could also carry 200 mines. This ship was typically Italian in appearance. |
 GENERAL ANTONIO CANTORE, typical of the the war-built Italian destroyers. Of 645 tons, with a length of 238 feet, she approximated the Australian River Class destroyers but was more heavily armed with three 4 inch guns and two 3 inch AA guns, as well as four torpedo tubes. Launched in 1921, she could make 33 knots and was mined in 1942. |
Enrico Cosenz “ENRICO COSENZ”, also of 645 tons and 238 feet length, carried four 4 inch and two 3 inch guns, with four torpedo tubes. Launched in 1917, she was scuttled in 1943. |
 “GIVANNI ACERBI”, another 645 ton destroyer, launched in 1916, carried six 4 inch and two 2 pounder guns, and four torpedo tubes. This 32 knot ship was sunk in action in 1941. |
 W2 was built in England by Armstrongs in 1915, for the Italian navy, and was not unlike the contemporary British submarines. She displaced 500 tons on the surface. She was not retained after the end of the Great War. |
 “N2”, a small coastal submarine built in Italy in 1918. She displaced only 270 tons, and was discarded in 1928. |