italian cruiser class armored cruiser italian built decade 20th century italo turkish war operated italian fleet tripoli september participated amphibious landings october april sister ship led way attacks turkish forts dardanelles rest fleet retired later month pair armored cruisers remained area attack turkish communications facilities treaty signed october ended war escorted italian king queen royal yacht germany sweden visit outbreak world war august italy declined join triple alliance partners germany austria-hungary country eventually persuaded powers declared war neighboring austria-hungary austro hungarian navy raided italian coast relative june armored cruisers sent venice future sorties austrians shortly arrival ships sent force patrol near main austrian naval base night july return mission torpedoed submarine fact flying austro hungarian flag germany italy war sunk loss men loss caused italians armored cruisers venice port year eventually relocated design description built feet long overall feet inches draft feet inches twin propeller shafts powered vertical triple expansion steam engines steam engines fed coal fired belleville boilers projected output power plant indicated horsepower service able produce indicated horsepower indicated horsepower sister ship speed knots mph main armament class ships consisted guns twin gun turrets fore aft superstructure ships mounted twin gun turrets amidships secondary armament defense torpedo boats carried quick firing guns guns equipped submerged torpedo tubes world war guns replaced guns anti aircraft guns protected main belt armor millimetres thick inch gun turrets protected millimetres armor plate inch gun turrets millimetres conning tower armor millimetres thick thickness deck armor millimeters construction career work began pair class ships august nearly year keel named eponymous city laid july shipyard nearly years launched ship completed september years keel laid italo turkish war sister ship entered service little information sources activities italo turkish war september days italy declared war ottoman_empire start conflict departed syracuse tripoli squadron included battleships armored cruisers destroyers days later ships seen taking coal malta heading blockade tripoli october division headed battleship relieved groups blockade duty allowing proceed east join main italian fleet joined recently commissioned armored cruiser destroyers torpedo boats group escorted italian transports arrived october negotiations surrender town fell apart shelled barracks fort return fire boat offers truce sent greeted volley rifle fire armored cruisers opened fire town millimeter guns according contemporary account completely destroyed town minutes time landing party dispatched unable reach shore rough seas gunfire shore company shelled beach weather conditions prevented landing 18th men took possession april sailed taranto italian 1st squadron consisted battleships squadron flagship fellow armored cruisers squadron initially destined tripoli diverted bombard turkish coast 2nd squadron consisting battleships squadron flagship armored cruisers sailed time squadrons april steamed dardanelles advance italian fleet attempt draw turkish fleet turkish shore batteries outfitted krupp guns ranging inches size fired italian fleet italians firing range metres returned fire exchange lasted hours official italian reports claimed ships hit specifically turkish claims set fire summary new_york_times reports hit twice april italian fleet departed home left assortment smaller craft continue destroying telegraph stations cutting cables action note involving occurred april party men recruited complement took turkish garrison island treaty ended war signed october interwar period period end italo turkish war italy entry world war mentioned news accounts offer hints peace time activities june wife royal yacht annual kiel germany met discuss speculated contemporary news report ongoing balkan war departing kiel escorted king queen stop stockholm november italian waters admiral italian minister marine captains battleship greeted united_states navy admiral naples flagship uss wyoming wyoming stay stop battleship mediterranean tour returned visits toured courtesy calls world war outbreak world war august italy declined join triple alliance partners germany austria-hungary declared war opting instead remain neutral pressure united_kingdom france italy sign secret treaty london april agreement italy promised leave declare war allies month return territorial gains end war beginning squadron headquartered included pre dreadnought battleships armored cruisers italy declaration war austria-hungary admiral fleet commander sortied fleet bombard italian coast night attempt disrupt italian targets hardest hit town gas electric telephone service city coal oil left flames austrian ships safely returned port making able attack putting political pressure rome austrians resumed attacks italian coast mid june italian admiral responded sending armored cruisers navy newest venice supplement older ships argues arrival fast armored cruisers venice major future austrian coastal raids ended inviting targets austrian boats instead sinking shortly arrival quartet cruisers venice participated reconnaissance force mission near austro hungarian port night july completion mission cruiser nautical miles venice torpedoed austrian submarine dawn july german submarine marked austrian vessel flying austrian flag italy germany war command patrol immediately began listing port initial damage control efforts proved fruitless commander ordered ship evacuated cruiser sank minutes torpedoed distress calls answered ships division rescued large number ship complement loss men reported time later reports list fatalities largest ships sunk boats war result sinking sister ship pair armored cruisers venice rarely ventured port year eventually transferred april
Italian cruiser Amalfi