italian cruiser armored cruiser built 1890s type italian service ship spent bulk career deployed far_east deployments participated caused diplomatic incident austro hungarian empire affair sent libya bombarded towns defenses dardanelles operations ship provided naval gunfire support libya age play significant role world war serving accommodation ship venice began conversion series ship stricken naval register subsequently sold scrap design description begun improved class protected cruiser modified construction armored cruiser ship italian service ship length perpendiculars meters overall length meters beam meters draft meters displaced metric tons long tons normal load metric tons long tons deep load ship complement officers enlisted men powered vertical triple expansion steam engines driving propeller shaft steam engines supplied marine boilers pair funnels amidships rated indicated horsepower engines designed speed knots mph ship reached speed knots mph sea trials engines produced ihp cruising radius nautical miles speed knots mph main armament consisted caliber guns single mounts guns mounted bow stern remaining corners central citadel armored casemates caliber guns served ship secondary armament mounted broadside unprotected hull sides upper deck protected gun shields defense torpedo boats ship carried quick firing hotchkiss guns hotchkiss guns ship equipped torpedo tubes ship protected millimeter armored belt protected middle hull upper armor thick protected middle ship height upper deck armored deck thick armor conning tower gun shields thick construction career named eponymous explorer laid july royal shipyard ship launched october completed july visited greece departing far_east january sailed port visits returning shanghai july visited japan august november sailed shanghai remained august ship departed shanghai august arrived naples october departed china october remained february year later began tour march leave china january route home ship visited italian arriving taranto april rearmed armament reduced guns torpedo tube removed refit began september assigned 2nd division 1st squadron mediterranean_fleet quickly transferred command rear admiral prince duke inspector command deployed adriatic_sea patrolling area ottoman ships destroyers stopped austro hungarian ship october bay albania sent boat board merchant ship ottoman coastal artillery began firing boat italian ships returned fire minutes guns nearly exhausting ammunition incident prompted diplomatic protest austria-hungary italy ceased operations ottomans albania transferred 2nd squadron operating coast october arrived support italian forces attempting occupy town bombarded ottoman commander refused surrender bad weather prevented landings october ship continued provide fire support italian troops tasked provide fire support remained bulk fleet returned italy refit december early april ship armored cruiser bombarded distraction army unopposed landing kilometers away week later rejoined bulk italian fleet sailed east futile search ottoman fleet joined rest fleet bombarding defenses entrance dardanelles april ship returned libya resumed previous task providing fire support army june supported operation capture finally returned home july departed taranto february fourth deployment far_east world war began august japan italian declaration neutrality august simplified problems faced allies far_east ship departed shanghai december diverted route finally reached naples march thoroughly obsolete time italy declared war accommodation ship venice crews british submarines operating october ship began conversion troop transport venetian arsenal required removal armor replacement armament guns internal modifications suit new role recommissioned new april ship october discarded january simultaneously discarded january sold scrap
Italian cruiser Marco Polo