Austrian Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class
The Italian G. Bausan. With thanks for allowing us to publish
Laid down as the torpedo ram cruiser ‘A’, Launched at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino San Rocco, Trieste on 3 January 1888, launched on 18 May 1889, commissioned on 2 June 1890 reconstructed 1905-1906, disarmed and became floating headquarters at Cattaro on 7 February 1918, ammunition hulk under French supervision in the Trend of Zanjica after the First World War transferred to France bu underway overloaded with machinery sunk due to a storm off Kumbor, Cattaro Bay on 17 October 1919. In 1922 by Dutch and in 1967 by Yugoslav salvagers (Brodopas) were parts of her wreck found backed.
Austrian Kaiser Franz Joseph I protected cruiser-class, consisted of the Kaiser Franz Joseph I and the Kaiserin Elisabeth as response of the British build of the Italian cruiser Giovanni Bausan (1) in 1882-1885. The Austrian chose for a torpedo ram cruiser while the building costs of 13 million crones were considerable lower as for a armoured cruiser with 18 million.
Displacement 5.330 (design)-6.026 (full load) tons and as dimensions 113,7 x 16,25 x 6,81 metres or 373.0 x 53.3 x 22.3 feet. The two triple expansion steam engines supplied 9.755 ihp allowing a speed of 19,35 knots. High coal consumption. Her crew numbered 475 men. The armour consisted of 1-10cm/3.9” thick belt, a 3,8-5,7cm/1.5-2.2” thick deck with the gun turrets, casemates and conning tower protected by respectively 10cm/3.9”, 0,8cm/0.31” and 5cm/2.0”. The armament consisted of 2x1-24cm/9” Model 1886 K L/35 guns, 8-15cm/6” quick firing L/35 guns, 12-4,7cm L/44 guns, 6-4.7 L/33 Hotchkiss guns and 4-40cm torpedo tubes. While the Austrian industry was not able to manufacture the needed artillery were the heavy guns ordered by Friedrich Krupp AG, Germany and the quick firing guns and Hoctkiss, United Kingdom. Rearmed in 1905-1906 with 2-15cm/6” long barrelled Skoda guns and 6-15cm/6” short-barrelled Krupp guns, 16-4,7cm/1.9“ quick firing Skoda guns and 40cm surfaced torpedo tubes (each beam 2).
Note
1. She was built and designed by the yard of Sir W.G. Armstrong Michell & Co.’s Elswick Works at Elswich. England and in fact an altered Chilean Esmedalda cruiser design still fitted out with a ram bow and a schooner rigging. Although part of the Etna-class were her sister ships Etna, Stromboli, Vesuvio and Ettore Fieramosca modified and enlarged. She was named after the Neapolitan naval officer and politician Giovanni Bausan(1) and laid down on 21 August 1882, launched on 15 December 1883, commissioned on 9 May 1885, disarmed during the First World became she a seaplane depot ship at Brindisi, decommissioned in 1919 or on 15 January 1920 and the same year sold to be broken up. With a displacement of 3,082 long tons or 3,131 tons were her dimensions 280 x 42 x 18’6”. The horizon compound steam engines supplied 6,470 ihp allowing a speed of 17,4 knots. The coal bunker capacity consisted of 410-610 tons. The crew numbered 267 men. The armament consisted of 2×1-10” breechloaders fitted in barbettes placed for and aft, 6×1-5.9” fitted in casemates on each side of the ship three, 4-6pdrs, 2-1pdrs and 3-14” torpedo tubes (submerged in the bow and at each side one). She was fitted out with an armour deck of 1.5” and with a cork belt at her waterline which was to swell through absorbing water after she was hit. This was not effective working while the cork was blown to pieces caused by the same hits.
