italian cruiser unique protected cruiser built italian regia marina royal_navy 1880s british shipyard major warship armed entirely quick firing guns fastest cruiser world completion frequently deployed overseas including lengthy tour east asian waters saw significant action italo turkish war red_sea frequently bombarded ottoman ports january destroyers sank ottoman forced ashore participated world war saw little action conflict remained service scrapped design design newly hired naval architect armstrong designed improved version italian cruiser ship built speculative venture purchased italy july delivery months intended armament consisted inch inch guns breech loading weapons italians insisted equipped inch guns changes magazines addition large accommodate guns significantly delayed completion major warship armed medium caliber quick firing guns weapons standard armament cruisers 1890s general characteristics feet perpendiculars beam feet mean draft feet displaced long tons ship crew officers enlisted crew fitted heavy military masts partial double large extended foot millimeters water proved wet service proved size feet inches normal load feet inches deep load ship powered cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines driving propeller shaft stroke engines inches cylinders inches inches inches low pressure cylinder engines split running warship equipped steam engines supplied double ended marine boilers pressure psi kpa cm2 pair funnels amidships designed maximum output indicated horsepower engines produced ihp natural draught gave ship speed knots mph sea trials forced draught increased engine output ihp speed knots mph fastest cruiser world ship normally embarked total long tons coal carry maximum long tons cruising radius nautical miles speed knots mph speed steam nmi armament armed main battery inch guns single mounts gun placed forward aft broadside abreast masts guns mounted allow direct ahead astern firing supported secondary battery inch guns single mounts guns light weapons included millimeter pounder guns millimeter pounder guns millimetre maxim machine guns pounder machine guns mounted military masts equipped inch torpedo tubes mounted bow broadside rotating mounts water armor protection consisted sloped deck ranged thickness inch flat inches slopes armor protecting conning tower consisted inches steel plating guns main secondary armament protected gun shields inches thick service history built british shipyard keel laid launched august completing fitting work new cruiser completed september delivered participated annual fleet maneuvers squadron ironclad torpedo boats exercises conducted squadron tasked defending attacking hostile squadron determined armament heavy broadside inch guns replaced lighter inch guns removed addition heavy military masts replaced light pole masts following years ship served red_sea indian_ocean addition mediterranean violence italians brazil prompted italian government dispatch mission secure interests italian nationals country attempt diplomacy secured official apology brazilian government arrangement italian claims damages german ambassadors late assigned east asian station year long modernization passed suez_canal red_sea stopped coal route asian waters september nagasaki japan italian cruiser met british cruiser british colony party officers men visited british ship july year joined armored cruiser protected cruiser following year armored cruiser protected cruiser scheduled replace respectively outbreak russo japanese war february remained region february arrived seoul landed contingent infantry augment guards italian embassy finally recalled italy april stopped singapore april coal departing days later home assigned flagship torpedo flotilla main fleet consisted seventeen destroyers second class torpedo boats august year participated annual summer maneuvers italian fleet assigned squadron tasked defending opponent fleet attempted force amphibious landing maneuvers modeled potential war italy nominal ally austria-hungary fact relative strengths squadrons mirrored italian austro hungarian navies lost analysts vienna maneuvers concluded fleet review october spent deployed far_east italo turkish war outbreak italo turkish war september stationed red_sea cruisers december cruisers patrolled ottoman ports red_sea ships preparing carry rumored invasion force narrow sea italian hostilities temporarily ceased british king george passed red_sea following coronation ceremony india lasted november early italian searched group seven ottoman thought planning attack fact lack coal destroyers searched cruisers carried january found quickly sank forced beach avoid sinking day italian warships sent shore party destroy grounded rest italian ships returned bombarding turkish ports red_sea declaring blockade city january accidentally damaged railroad built french company bombarded port result french firm sued italian government sum april serving flagship italian squadron red_sea july august torpedo cruisers conducted august attack destroyed ottoman ammunition dump left red_sea destroyers ottomans eventually agreed surrender october ending war later career lieutenant proposed convert aircraft carrier capable operating fixed wheel aircraft projected reconstruction seen inclined flight deck erected aft half ship tall clear ships funnels regia marina interested operating wheeled aircraft sea idea pursued ship inch guns replaced inch guns attempt ship italy entered world war based assigned included pre dreadnought battleships san class armored cruisers primary naval opponent duration war austro hungarian navy admiral planned distant blockade battle fleet smaller vessels boats conducted raids heavy ships italian fleet preserved potential major battle austro hungarian fleet emerge bases result ship activities war limited spent based greece anglo french levant squadron plans use torpedo trials war came stricken navy list broken shortly
Italian cruiser Piemonte