italian cruiser protected cruiser italian regia marina royal_navy fifth class ships named regions italy exception named island built keel laid september launched august commissioned february ship equipped main armament guns steam speed nearly knots mph spent career abroad participated blockade venezuela crisis present russo japanese war february crew witnessed battle bay japanese russian warships battle ended russian defeat british french cruisers picked survivors took italo turkish war saw action primarily blockade turkish ports red_sea converted seaplane tender equipment handle service long small old decommissioned old warship sold scrap january broken design slightly larger sister ships meters long overall beam draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons load propulsion system consisted pair horizontal triple expansion engines steam supplied cylindrical water tube boilers speed trials reached maximum knots mph indicated horsepower ship cruising radius nautical miles speed knots mph crew unlike sisters copper hull reduced lengthy periods dockyard maintenance armed main battery guns mounted singly forward aft guns placed broadside light armament included guns guns pair machine guns equipped torpedo tubes protected thick deck conning tower thick sides service history keel laid eponymous city september completed hull launched august fitting work proceeded pace finally ready service february stationed east asian waters armored cruiser old sail cruiser replaced sister returned italy sent waters crisis international force british german italian warships blockaded venezuela country refusal pay foreign debts joined protected cruiser armored cruiser present british cruiser french cruiser february russo japanese war cleared action event japanese warships opened fire battle ended russian defeat cruisers sent boats pick survivors sinking cruiser took total officers enlisted men vessels total officers enlisted saved ships went seoul protect italian embassy february cruiser arrived relieve ship departed following morning hong_kong deposit russian sailors march french mail ship available discharge passengers return trip europe starting october modified handle observation balloon balloon linked ship telephone line spot naval mines annual fleet maneuvers balloon watch harbor entrance sicily proved effective defenders attacking warships outbreak italo turkish war september stationed italy east african colonies january sister escorted pair mail red_sea enforce blockade ottoman ports remained region remainder war assisting blockade effort ottoman naval forces defeated battle bay chance action ottomans eventually agreed surrender october ending war operated observation balloon following year modified serve depot ship entered service new role june period operated dedicated seaplane tender italian navy operated aboard battleships cruisers small old intended role retired remained italian inventory january sold scrap
Italian cruiser Elba