Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-17

RAMMING a BATTLEsHIP That vic.
tory lies less in ships than in the men
who handle them is historic truth
which has had DO stronger demonstra-
tion than that given by the battle
oil the Island of Lissa, in the Adriatic,
on July %, 1866, between the Italian
and Austrian forces.
Italy had, for that time, a noble fleet
of iron-clads and wooden ships, but,
while her seamen were courageous,
they were undisciplined and unskilled.
As 10 their officers, many were incap
able and some were laggards in war.
The commander-in-chief was Admiral
Persano, whose performances in that
battle seem like comedy on the high
seas, with tragedy for epilogue.
Opposed to him was the Austrian
Admiral Tegetthoff, most able and
energetic officer of long service. The
ships of the latter were far inferior,
both in type and number, but by un-
ceasing evolutions he had secured a
trained personnel to fight; by concenira-
lion of fire he hoped to Offset superior
armament; by chain cables he armored
his wooden ships as best he could, and,
as last resort, he planned to sink his
toes by ramming.
Although Tegetthoff had more than
once invited battle, Persano's leader
ship had been marked for weeks by in
action and delay. This was due 10 no
principle of Fabian strategy, but to the
lack of preparation and of resolution
which ruled the Italian admiral to the
disastrous end. Tegetthoff's probable
arrival was known to him as he lay of
LISA, and yet when the Austrian fleet
was sighted that of Italy was split into
several groups parted by miles of sea.
Signalling his scattered ships to re-
Join, Persano first formed his avail
able iron clads after the ancient galley
fashion, into cline abreast" which did
not, however, face the enemy's ad-
vance. Later he changed his tactics
wholly, and formed the cline ahead" OF
the old days of sail-an evolution
which, on the course steered, presented
the broadside of his ships to the enemy's
ramming charge.
At about half past ten in the morn
iug, Tegetthof broke through the i'll
formed line, his fleet being disposed in
strong wedge shaped formation, with
the iron-clads forming the point and
sides. The Italian ships were painted
gray, the Austrians' black. Tegett-
hof's command was briet and to the
point: Ram everything gray"
With these orders his fleet charged
through and wheeled. And then be.
gan an action, or rather series OF
smoke -beclouded combats with the
lesderless foe, which was wag' d hotly
for more than four hours and which re-
suited in the sullen retreat of the I.al-
ian fleet, with the loss OF two ironclads.
me attacks by ramming were, per
haps. the most memorable of the many
incidents of this fight. Indeed it has
been said that LISA was won by the
rsm." The Re d'Italia, Persano's de-
serted flagship, was sunk by this wea-
poD, and with great loss OF life. She
mad been the focus of the attack by
several Austriaus and he- rudder had
been injured, although her engines were
still active. While thus crippled she
was rammed by Tegetthotf in his flag
ship, the Ferdinand Macmillan, which,
at full speed, struck her, the ram cut
ting through her seven inches of armor
without appreciable resistance and with
no damage to itself except to it's paint;
Heeling over to the starboard and
then rolling heav ly to port the great
6l5O ton ship sank with swiitness
which chilled the blood of those who
watched, carrying many of her crew
with her, but leaving remnant to
struggle in the sea. Long after, in re-
calling the sudden horror Of all this,
Tegetthof said
"If we're to live thousand years l
would never ram another ship. The
effect produced is different from any
,hipg else you have in naval warfare.
You see the vessel attacked at one
moment and the next 500 men sliding
iuto the sea with the vessel following
them. You are left with perfect
void without any commotion, without
any sm oke, without anything to make
one feel that he was in battle. VI Cas-
sell's Magazine