Drawing made by Lazer_one with our thanks
Her keel was laid down at the Venice Navy Yard on 4 December 1881, launched on 30 July four years later, completed on 21 August 1889, stricken August 1909 and on 15 September sunk in shallow waters at La Spezia while used as target for firing torpedoes. The wreck was afterwards broken up. Of the Ruggiero di Lauria-class with as sister ships Ruggiero di Lauria and Andrea Doria. At the moment she was completed she was already outdated caused by the continued changing developments in the world of naval technology. With a displacement of 10.045 tons/9.886 long tons (normal)-11.324 tons/11.145 long tons (full load) and as dimensions 100,0 (between perpendiculars)-105,9 (over all) x 19,8 x 8,4 metres or 328.1-347.5 x65.1 x 27.6 feet. The two shafts compound engines and eight oval boilers delivered 10.000 ihp allowing a speed of 16 knots. With a speed of 10 knots she had a range of 2.800 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 507-509 men. The original armament consisted of 2x2-43,2 cm/17” guns, 2-15,2cm/6” guns and 4-35,6cm/14” submerged torpedo tubes. In 1909 was her armament increased with 2-7,5cm guns, 10-5,7cm quick firing guns, 12-3,7cm guns, 5-3,7cm revolvers and 2 machine guns. The steel made armour consisted of a 3” deck, while side, citadel, barbettes and conning tower were protected by respectively 3”, 14.2”, 14.2” and 9.8” thick armour.
The American newspaper The New York Times dated 21 August 1885 described her actual launching on 11:20 o’clock at Venice in the presence of 30.000 persons included the Italian king. Her original design was made by the late commendatore Giuseppe Micheli who had been Inspector of Naval Engineering. He intended to arm her with 4-76 tons guns. However begin 1883 the Higher Council for naval Affaires advices to arm her with 4-106 ton breechloaders like her sister ships. These guns were mounted on two platforms which could be rotated. When her designed died was Carlo Vigna, director of Naval Engineering appointed to complete her.
The Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 1 August 1885 also described the launching a day later in the presence of the royal family and many notables. The new ship was although smaller based on the Duilio design. The newspaper was however quite negative about the Italian naval policy. Despite that other countries preferred the building of torpedo boats instead of ironclads, continued Italy to do spending millions paid by the taxpayers. The edition dated the 19th reported that the arrest of a former correspondent of the no longer existing paper Journal de Rome caused a lot of commotion in Rome. The correspondent seemed to bribed a government official at Spezia for obtaining the drawing of the ship. In the meantime was discovered that the French government possessed such drawings. The official had to stand trial for abuse of the archives.
In her book (2009) titled The Letters of Elizabeth Rigby, Lady Eastlake published Julie Sheldon a letter dated 15 August 1885 to A.H. Layard (p. 548)in which the launching was mentioned: “I am surprized that no account of the launch. Or the Royal visit to Venice has appeared in any paper I have seen, but those are only the Times, &our occasional Globe-&Punch. Old Morosini little anticipated that a King&Queen of Italy wd be present at the launch of a vessel named after him. I trust that the Arsenal send forth vessels of peace&trade alongside this ironclad.”(1)
Note
1. Francesco Morosini (26 April 1618 Venice-6 January 1694), Venetian soldier and statesmen (even Doge between 1688-1694). Countess Morosini died in January 1885 before the launching. She was the last of his family.
