South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-18
Italy's Battle Ships May
Test Triple Gun Mount
Duca Deg Abruzzs Squadron Led by Five Dreadnoughts
Aboard Which Main Batteries Are Placed
Three Rifles TO the Turret.

with the announcement Of the ass
sembliug of the Italian drcadnaueht
squadron, commanded by the Duc4
degh Abruzzi. and consisting Of ave
powerful dreadn1ughts comes Unc
posslb lllty OF the first use in naval
warfare OF the triple sun turrcl. for
and against which so much has blen
said hy naval experts. All five of me
Italian vessels carry the greater part
OF their main batteries in triple tur-
Tets.
The Italians were the first 20 tak
up this form OF gun mounting. which
bas been adopted for the Penn1yI-
Vania and Oklahoma class of vessels
in the American navy. The FIRST ship
20 be so equipped was the Dante
AlBhleri, laid down ln June, 1909, and
completed in 1912. This vessel is the
first Italian dreadnaught She is OF
$500 tons displacement and carries
crew of 900 men. Her main battery
consists OF Il 12-inch guns. mounted
By threes In four center line turrets.
and all OF which can be used in broad
side. Only those guns in the bow
and stern turrets can be used for firms
directly ahead or astern, but by yaW
ing slightly the guns Of the midship
turrets can be brought into action,
practically giving six 12-inch gums for
ahead or astern.
Alighieri consits of 20 4.1-inch and
II three-inch rapid fire gums. and she
has three submerged torpedo tubes
she has turbine engines of 10000
horse power and a speed OF % knots
The Conte di Cavour. the GuliO
Cesare and the Leonardo da Ninci
completed in the latter part Of 1914,
are Of $4,000 tons displacement and
carry crews Of 957 men each. Their
main batteries consist of Is 12-inch
guns, mounted in center line turrets
three Of which are triple turrcts. The
other two, firing directly above the
bow and stern turrets, mount two
guns each
This gives this class of vessel five
12-inch guns for direct ahead or astern
fire without the necessity of yawing
The secondary batteries are is AZ
inch and IL three-inch rapid fire guns
They each have two broadside torpedo
tubes submerged and another tube in
the stern above the water line. Their
Parsons turbine engines, developing
1900 horse power and driving four
screws. give them a designed speed of
% 1-2 knots which is said to have
been improved upon their trial tests
The COnte di CavOur is the flagship of
the Duca degli AbTuzzi.
The Gallo DuiliO just Completed.
The latest vessel of the squadron is
the CATO Duilio. laid down i'm April.
1912. and Just completed. She is of
$4,000 tons displacement and carries
q crew OF 975 men. Her main battery
consists OF 3 12-inch guns. mounted
in center line turrets similar to the
Cavour class. Her secondary battery
is heavier than the latter vessels, how
ever. consisting of 16 six-inch guns
and Is three-inch rapid fire guns. She,
too. has three torpedo tubes, two
amidship submerged and one above
the water line in the stern.
Like the CavOur class. this vessel lis
propelled by Parsons turbines driving
four screws and designed TO develop
$4,000 horse power and speed of
% II knots. a sister ship to the
CATO Duilio, the Andrea DORA, is rap
idly approaching completion.
Experiments made here in the fir
ing of guns. mounted three to the tur-
ret. have demonstrated that i'm VOlfey
firing the accuracy of the center gun
is impaired by the disturbing air cur
rents caused by the firing of the wing
guns. This was one of the principal |
points raised by the opponents of the
triple gun turret To Obviate this in
volley firing the fire of the center gun /
is now held for a fun second after
that Of the wing pieces. This. it has
been found, does away entirely with /
the difficulty
With this squadron the Duca degli
Abruzzi IS In command OF the most
powerful naval force ever assembled 1
by Italy, n fighting division Of five
modern, fast steaming units, mounting I
a total of 226 guns.
OF the pre-dreadnaught class Italy |