italian cruiser italian cruiser ship class armored cruisers built 1890s served flagship career frequently served overseas deployments ship received radio message long range radio ship participated boxer rebellion admiral nearly caused diplomatic incident austro hungarian empire world war activities limited threat austro hungarian submarines converted repair ship stricken navy list scrapped later year design description length perpendiculars meters overall length meters beam meters draft meters ship displaced metric tons long tons normal load metric tons long tons deep load class ships complement officers enlisted men ship powered vertical triple expansion steam engines driving propeller shaft steam engines supplied marine boilers designed maximum output indicated horsepower speed knots mph reached speed knots mph sea trials despite slightly exceeding designed horsepower ihp cruising radius nautical miles speed knots mph main armament class ships consisted quick firing guns single mounts guns mounted broadside upper deck corners central citadel armored casemates single guns mounted bow stern remaining guns positioned main deck guns defense torpedo boats ship carried fourteen hotchkiss guns hotchkiss guns ship equipped torpedo tubes protected armored belt thick amidships reduced bow stern upper armor thick protected middle ship height upper deck curved armored deck thick conning tower armor thick gun protected gun shield construction career named eponymous venetian admiral laid december royal shipyard ship launched august completed april flagship commander dispatched china boxer rebellion arrived august port visits japan korea departing area november arrived february remained italian waters year departing year long cruise far_east april october successfully ship coast china long range radio ship cruiser arrived italy june known activities june short cruise greek waters began september flagship rear admiral prince duke inspector command deployed adriatic_sea destroyers encountered ottoman torpedo boats hour war declared ottoman ships able shelter protection fortifications forced beach men killed italian gunfire italians blockaded port duke requested permission issue ultimatum ottoman authorities surrender ship bombard city battleship protests early october italian interference ottoman controlled albania forced italians abandon operations permission denied cruiser based taranto december mid april division escorted 1st 2nd italian fleet taranto eastern bombarded fortifications defending dardanelles little effect main body departed italy 19th months later supported unsuccessful sortie torpedo boats dardanelles search ottoman fleet night july beginning world war active war spent war adriatic participated abortive attempt bombard rail line near coast austro hungarian submarine intercepted italian ships sank armored cruiser loss sinking armored cruiser submarine july severely restricted activities ships based venice subsequently repair ship stricken navy list january sold scrap broken beginning march
Italian cruiser Vettor Pisani