italian cruiser italian cruiser ship class armored cruisers built decade 20th century ship participated supported libya islands bombarded fortifications defending entrance dardanelles world war activities limited threat austro hungarian submarines ship participate bombardment albania late war training ship stricken navy list scrapped 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 supplied belleville boilers designed maximum output indicated horsepower speed knots mph exceeded reaching speed knots mph sea trials ihp cruising range nautical miles 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 ships carried quick firing guns guns equipped submerged torpedo tubes world war guns replaced guns anti aircraft guns protected armored belt thick amidships reduced bow stern armored deck thick conning tower armor thick gun turrets protected armour turrets construction career named eponymous city laid february orlando shipyard ship launched september completed september began september flagship rear admiral commander 2nd division 1st squadron mediterranean_fleet sister ship ships selected initial blockade tripoli october relieved 1st squadron blockade duty allowing join main italian fleet fruitless search main ottoman fleet peaceful occupation battleship 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 guns according contemporary account completely destroyed town minutes time landing party unable reach shore rough seas gunfire shore shelled beach hours weather conditions prevented landing 18th men took possession remained north african waters mid december 1st squadron returned italy later escorted troop transports sicily attempt seize port shortly christmas bad weather mid april italian fleet sortied eastern leading attempt lure ottoman fleet failed italians bombarded fortifications defending dardanelles little effect main body departed italy 19th assortment smaller craft left continue destroying telegraph radio stations cutting underwater cables sailors cruisers captured island april allow italian forces use supply base week later ship supported occupation rhodes returned italy september war ended spent half constantinople returning taranto june ship based italy declared war night bombarded italian coast attempt disrupt italian targets hardest hit town gas electric telephone service city coal oil left flames austrian ships safely returned port putting pressure regia marina stop attacks austrians resumed italian coast mid june admiral responded sending armored cruisers navy newest venice supplement older ships shortly arrival venice sunk submarine july loss severely restricted activities ships based venice transferred albania april participated bombardment october sank damaged july reclassified second class battleship coastal battleship training ship modified operate flying boat ship train naval cadets stricken april subsequently broken
Italian cruiser Pisa