Together with the Custoza designed by chief engineer Romako (1) using the experiences of the battle of Lissa on 20 July 1866 between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian fleets. This included the revival of the bow ram as weapon.
Laid down at Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste, Austrian Empire on 1 June 1870, launched on 24 April 1872, commissioned in June 1874, , converted into the gunnery training school tender Feuerspeier in 1908, converted into a barracks ship in 1915, handed over to Italy as war reparations, renamed as hulk Buttafuoco and finally broken up in 1950.
Displacement 5.980 tons and as dimensions 87,87 (waterline)-89,69 (over all) x 17,15 x 6,72 metres or 288.3-294.3 x 56.3 x 22.0 feet. The machinery consisted of 1-2 cylinder single expansion steam engine and 7 boileers with totally 26 fireboxes delivering 3.969ihp and with the one screw was the speed 12,84 knots. Her crew numbered 540 men. The wrought iron armour consisted of a 20,3cm/8.) thick belt with the casemate protected by 17,7cm/7.0” and at the ends by 12,6cm/5.0“ thick transverse bulkheads. The armament consisted of 8x1-24cm/9.4” 22/cal breech loading Krupp guns, 6x1-9cm/3.5” Krupp guns, 2x7cm/2.8” Krupp guns and 4-35cm/14“ torpedo tubes (1xbow, 2xbeam, 1xstern). Later were guns and machineguns with smaller calibre added.
Note
1. Josef Ritter von Romako (1828 or1 May 1829 Atzergersdorf-5 June 1882).
