Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-03

The DogaIi is a cruiser of the seventh
class, and is used as training ship for
the Italian navy. She is painted in a dull
gray color and looks every inch war
dog even though her armament is not as
heavy as those that belong to the higher
class OF warships. She is a twin-screw
vessel about $50 feet long. 81 feet beam
and IA feet inches mean draft. Her dis
placement il 2.0Ss tons. She has two
masts with military tops. carrying rapid
fire guns. The two big smokestacks are In
tandem. The armament consists of six
siX-lnch rifles. nine six-pounders. six ma
chine guns and four torpedo tubes.
The complement consists of $50 officers
and men, and they are hardy-looking lot
of sailors. One Is impressed by the cour-
tesy and extreme politeness of both officers
and sailors.
The commissioned officers are as follows:
Captain di frigata, Gregorio Ronca; COM
mander. Chevalier Gino Fara-Forin; lieu
tenants, Giulio Ferrera, Pietro Gottardi.
GiuIio Valli, Luigi Copelii and Gino Ascoli;
midshipmen, Ettore Farina and Colorado
Gajo; chief engineer, Fiiippo Albertini. third
engineer. Umberta Rosada: chief gunner.
Sammartino Filippo; paymaster, Chevalier
Giulio Schessi; surgeon. DR.. Carlo Ponte-
corto and Cernitore Vincenza.
The Dogai's Long Voyage.
Since leaving italian waters little over
a year ago the DogaH has had long and
eventful voyage Of something like $4,000
miles The greater portion of the long cruise
has been in South American waters. where
she accomplished notable feat in travers-
ing a greater distance up the Amazon river
than any other war vessel has ever
achieved. 1t is claimed that the Dogali
covered over 300 miles on the Amazon,
reaching a point in Peru many miles farther
than that reached by Uncle Sam s gunboat.
the Wilmington. and farther inland than
was reached by the German warship Falk.
This lengthy trip occupied about seventy
five days during midsummer months. Some
of the officers speak English very well and
their descriptions of the South American
voyage are very interesting and instructive.
For fully month the ship and its crew
were practically out of the world. being
wlthou: any mail or telegrap hlc communi-
cation. At many places the ship was on OBJ
ject of great curiosity for the natives. who
has never looked upon a war vessel before.
The Dogal came here from Pensacola
Florida, and New Orleans. At the former
place she was locked for cleaning and
painting in the big floating dock which was
captured from the Spanish at Havana. The
vessel had just completed cruise or the
West Indies covering a period of several
months.
Ambassadors Official Visit.
Saturday evening the Italian ambassador.
Baron des Planches, paid official visit
TO tDe snip anu Il Sdlutt VI HlltlttH 5uIlS
was fired in his honor. The ambassador
was accompanied by his wife, Baroness des
Planches, and the following members of
his embassy: Mr. G. c. Montague. first
secretary; Count Mani Mocenigo, second
secretary: Mr. Centario. attache, and A.
RavaioH, commercial attache. The entire
party dined with Capt. Ronca aboard the
Dogali
During the exchange of courtesies. the
car,t OH of tNn
many happy compliments, since he has re-
Gently been promoted from captaincy of
a frigate to that of a battleship, which is
the highest grade of captain in the Italian
navy. and contemplates leaving the Dogali
at New York and returning to Italy to as
sumo his larger naval duties.
Loving Cup Presented.
The Italian societies of Washington hit
upon the happy idea of presentation to
their distinguished fellow countryman and
patriot Capt. Ronca, and IL found express
sion in a beautiful solid silver loving cup.
The memento was appropriately engraved
and was surmounted by the Italian and
American flags. On one side was inscribed:
I'm occasione della vista Dogai. ii Lughi,
1895 de Societa Italtane di Washington. ID.
c. Questa Cappa offrana." On the diverse
side Is inscribed: ''Societate Fratelianzsi,
G.. G. Garibaldi, Vittorio Emmanuel l..
La Trinacrfa. Circoio Dante Aliphieri.'
committee of representatives of the five
societies in this city and the address to the
commander of the DogaH was made in
particularly happy style by Mr.. Peter A.
Radice, chairman of the delegation and
president OF the Fratellanza Society. which
Is the oldest and most substantial organi-
zation of Its character In the city. having
been organized here about thirty years ago
and having a substantial membership of
$50.
The following are the names of those who
the names OF the societies to which they
belong:
Societa Unlone Fratellanza-Pietro Radice
president; l.. del Giorns and F. Ghiselli.
Societa C. C. Garibaldi-F. Russo and S.
Gerace.
Societa Vittorio Emmanuel IF. Chica.
Circolo Dante Alighieri-P. Giavina.
Capt. Ronca responded in very happy
speech, in which he manifested his great
pleasure in visiting the capital of such
magnificent country. He referred to the
delightful reception which had already been
accorded him and his crew before reaching
Washington. In speaking of his beloved
country and his king. he reminded his hear
ers that while they were now subjects of
country other than their fatherland they
were none the less Italians and should ever
maintain the high standard of honor and
loyalty to duty that distinguished their race
him and his ship and the beautiful memento
of his visit to the capital would always
grace the cabin of the Dogali as a token
of remembrance and esteem
Captain Typical italian.
Capt. Ronca is a man of about fifty years