italian cruiser class armored cruiser built 1890s ship deployments levant start italo turkish war supported ground forces tripoli libya bombarded bombard defenses dardanelles war provided naval gunfire support libya world war ship activities limited threat austro hungarian submarines training ship struck naval register subsequently scrapped design description overall length meters beam meters deep draft ship meters displaced metric tons long tons normal load ship powered vertical triple expansion steam engines driving shaft steam coal fired belleville boilers engines rated indicated horsepower designed speed approximately knots mph sea trials november barely exceeded designed speed reaching knots ihp cruising range nautical miles knots mph complement consisted officers enlisted men acting flagship main armament consisted millimeter gun turret forward superstructure millimeter guns twin turret aft millimeter guns comprised secondary armament arranged casemates amidships remaining millimeter guns mounted upper deck millimeter millimeter guns defend torpedo boats fitted single millimeter torpedo tubes ship waterline armor belt maximum thickness millimeters amidships tapered millimeters ends ship conning tower casemates gun turrets protected millimeter armor protective deck armor millimeters thick millimeter guns upper deck protected gun shields millimeters thick construction service named battle second italian war independence laid orlando shipyard january launched august completed april ship port visits september barcelona april fleet maneuvers assigned hostile force blockading present athens olympic games april sister ships ship france september participate fleet review president france date command prince duke present ship assigned levant october february based bay crete august september began september assigned 2nd squadron mediterranean_fleet sisters sisters bombarded tripoli october appears deployed provide security italians october sisters sailed sicily ship escorted troop transports hospital ship return voyage days later october escorted troop convoy bombarded town ottoman commander refused surrender bad weather prevented landings october ship continued provide fire support italian troops january bulk fleet italy credited participating bombardment february probable sisters april bombarded fortifications entrance dardanelles heavily damaging returning italy later month began refit included replacing worn guns lasted mid june italy declared war ship assigned 5th based june division bombarded rail lines near departed evening july near following morning shortly beginning bombardment torpedoed austro hungarian submarine torpedo passed struck single torpedo cruiser sank minutes crewmen killed division immediately retreated avoid attacks leaving destroyers rescue survivors loss sinking armored cruiser submarine july severely restricted activities ships based venice preparing attack barrage blocked exit adriatic_sea port north coast sortie response austro hungarian movements cadet training ship stricken january scrapped
Italian cruiser Varese