The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-04-02
THE ITALIAN NAVY.

The Italian navy in the efficiency of
its individual vessels has no superior in
the world. 1t consists of twenty-one
armored vessels. fifty-one unarmored
vessels, built and building, in addition
to one hundred and fifty-two first-class
torpedoboats. This is formidable
array, especially as nearly all the ships
are new and embrace the latest improve
monts in naval science. Some descrip-
tions of the most formidable of these
vessels will be interesting at this time,
and one OF the most noticeable features
will be sure to be their deep draught,
which is explained by their being in
tended to operate in deep European
waters, no idea having been entertained
of their being used against the United
States.
The largest vessels are the Italia and
tho Lepanto, monsters Of 1850 tons
displacement, each carrying four Arm
strong 100-ton breach loading guns, in
barbeths, protected by 10 inches of COM
pound armor, in addition to a number
Of four and six-inch guns. These float
ing fortresses carry 1850 tons of coal
and can steam nominally 5000 knots, in
which respect they far surpass any
other Italian ships, but they draw 81
feet inches of water and would find
navigation near tho Atlantic coast of the
United States extremely dangerous.
Next to these come the Dandolo and
Duilio, vessels of over 1000 tons dis
placement, with batteries of four 100
ton guns and 6-inch rapid-fi fire guns.
These vessels carry 1000 tons Of coal
and can steam but 3,T60 miles, which
would practically render them useless
on this side tho Atlantic unless q coal
ing station were established. Their 81
foot draught would pretty thoroughly
keep them out of the American harbors
Three more formidable ships are the
Andrea Doria, Francisco Morosini and
RuggierO di LAURA, vessels of 11,000
tons displacement, each carrying four
moro of the 100ton Armstrong guns,
with numerous smaller guns. These
vessels can steam $500 miles without
recoaling, but as they draw nearly IS
feet of water, most American harbors
would be closed to them, as they would
be also to the Re Um berto, 13,25O-ton
vessel, drawing % feet inches and
carrying four 67-ton guns. The Italians
have gone in for heavy guns and thick
armor more heavily than any other
nation, and in the battlc-shipS above
they have mounted more
1O0-ton guns than all other nations com
bined. The value of these guns is prob
lematical however, as many of them
have never been fired with service
charges and would probably be disabled
after few rounds. 4 few rounds from
them might be very effective, however.
The unarmoured vessels of the Italian
navy embrace cruisers of all sizes and
types, most of them modern and efli-
cient vessels. Of these the Piemonte,
a 2,500-ton cruiser, hold the record as
the fastest vessel afloat, having a trial
record of over twenty-five knots an
hour. She has battery of six six-inch
rapid fire guns, with a large number of
smaller rapid fire and machine guns
She can steam 10, 600 knots without re-
coaling. The other cruisers are not re-
markable, except that most of them
carry rather small coal supplies and
cannot operate far from home. This
lack of coal endurance is the one weak
point in the Italian navy, which is de-
signed primarily for operations in the
sea, and is essentially a
navy of defense rather than offcnse. 1t
is very seldom indeed that an Italian
man-of-war has been seen outside the
Straits of Gibraltcr, and there is con-
siderable doubt among navy officers in
the United States about the ability of
Italian officers and crews co handle their
vessels EFFECTIVELY on long and rough
cruises.