Italian ironclad Messina

Last updated

Principe di carignano (1863).jpg
Messina's sister ship Principe di Carignano in Naples in 1867
History
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Kingdom of Italy
NameMessina
Namesake Messina
Builder Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia
Laid down28 September 1861
Launched20 December 1864
CompletedFebruary 1867
Stricken1880
Fate Broken up
General characteristics
Class and type Principe di Carignano-class ironclad warship
Displacement
Length72.8 m (238 ft 10 in)
Beam15.10 m (49 ft 6 in)
Draft7.27 m (23 ft 10 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph)
Range1,200  nmi (2,200 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement572
Armament
  • 4 × 203 mm (8 in) guns
  • 18 × 164 mm (6 in) guns
Armor Belt armor: 121 mm (4.75 in)

Messina was the second of three Principe di Carignano-class ironclads built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in the 1860s. She was laid down in September 1861, her hull was launched in December 1864, and she was completed in February 1867. Messina was a broadside ironclad armed with a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) guns and eighteen 164 mm (6.5 in) guns. Her career was limited, owing to the emergence of more modern ironclads and a severe reduction in the Italian naval budget following their defeat at the Battle of Lissa in 1866. She was discarded in 1875 and sold to ship breakers to help pay for new ironclads then under construction.

Contents

Design

Messina was 72.8 meters (238 ft 10 in) long between perpendiculars; she had a beam of 15.1 m (49 ft 6 in) and an average draft of 7.27 m (23 ft 10 in). She displaced 3,868 long tons (3,930 t) normally and up to 4,245 long tons (4,313 t) at full load. She had a crew of 572. Her propulsion system consisted of one single-expansion marine steam engine that drove a single screw propeller, with steam supplied by six coal-fired, cylindrical fire-tube boilers. Her engine produced a top speed of 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph) from 1,968 indicated horsepower (1,468 kW), making her the fastest member of her class. She could steam for about 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). To supplement her steam engine, the ship was barque-rigged. [1]

Messina was a broadside ironclad, and she was armed with a main battery of four 72-pounder 203 mm (8 in) guns and eighteen 164 mm (6.5 in) rifled muzzle-loading guns. The ship was equipped with a spur-shaped ram at the bow. The ship's hull was sheathed with wrought iron armor that was 121 mm (4.75 in) thick. [1]

Service history

Messina was ordered by the Royal Sardinian Navy, but by the time she was laid down at the Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia (Royal Dockyard in Castellammare di Stabia) on 28 September 1861, much of Italy had unified, creating the Regia Marina (Royal Navy). She was launched on 20 December 1864 and completed in February 1867. [1] This was too late to see action during the Third Italian War of Independence, which had ended the previous August; Principe di Carignano was the only member of her class to have been completed in time for the war. The conflict nevertheless had a significant effect on Messina's career. The government lost confidence in the fleet after the defeat at the Battle of Lissa and drastically reduced the naval budget. The cuts were so severe that the fleet had great difficulty in mobilizing its ironclad squadron to attack the port of Civitavecchia in September 1870, as part of the wars of Italian unification. Instead, the ships were laid up and the sailors conscripted to man them were sent home. [2]

In 1870, Messina was temporarily grounded in the mouth of the Tiber river. She was refloated and repaired by October 1871, at which time the ship was stationed in Naples. Her sister Principe di Carignano, the two Formidabile-class ironclads were also stationed in the port, along with a number of other vessels. [3]

In addition, Messina was rapidly surpassed first by central battery and then turret ships, which rendered the first generation of ironclads with traditional broadside obsolete. As a result, Messina was not used in any significant way in her ten years in service. [1] [4] [5] In around 1870, the ship's armament was revised to six 10 in (250 mm) guns, four 8 in guns, and eight 164 mm guns. In 1880, the Navy struck Messina from the list of ships and broke her up for scrap. [1] The Navy discarded both of her sisters, along with the ironclad Re di Portogallo between 1875 and 1880 to remove the cost of maintaining them from the naval budget, as part of an effort to reduce the financial impact of the new Duilio and Italia-classes then under construction. [6]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Fraccaroli, p. 338.
  2. Fraccaroli, p. 336.
  3. Dupont, p. 426.
  4. Sondhaus, p. 1.
  5. Ordovini, Petronio, & Sullivan, p. 337.
  6. Sondhaus, p. 50–51.

Related Research Articles

Italian ironclad <i>Affondatore</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Affondatore was an armoured ram of the Regia Marina, built in the 1860s by Harrison, Millwall, London. Construction commenced in 1863; the ship, despite being incomplete, was brought to Italy during the Third Italian War of Independence. Affondatore, which translates as "Sinker", was initially designed to rely on her ram as her only weapon, but during construction she was also equipped with two 300-pounder guns.

Italian ironclad <i>Palestro</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Palestro was an ironclad warship, the second and final member of the Principe Amedeo class, built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s and 1870s. She was armed with a battery of six 254 mm (10 in) guns and one 279 mm (11 in) gun. The last sail-rigged ironclad of the Italian fleet, she had a single steam engine that was capable of propelling the ship at a speed of slightly over 12 knots.

<i>Principe Amedeo</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Principe Amedeo class was a pair of ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1870s and 1880s. They were the culmination of a major naval construction program designed to give Italy a powerful fleet of ironclads. The two ships, Principe Amedeo and Palestro, were the last Italian ironclads to feature sailing rigs and wooden hulls. They were armed with a battery of six 254 mm (10 in) guns and were capable of a speed in excess of 12 knots. The ships had uneventful careers, spending much of it in Italy's colonial empire. By the late 1880s, they were withdrawn from service and employed in secondary roles, first as headquarters ships for harbor defenses. Principe Amedeo was converted into a depot ship in 1895 and was discarded in 1910, while Palestro was used as a training ship from 1894 to 1900 before being scrapped between 1902 and 1904.

Italian ironclad <i>Roma</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Roma was an ironclad warship built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s; she was the lead ship of the Roma-class ironclads. Armed with a main battery of five 254 mm (10 in) and twelve 203 mm (8 in) guns in a broadside arrangement, Roma was obsolescent by the time she entered service. As a result, her career was limited. In 1880, she took part in an international naval demonstration off Ragusa to enforce the Treaty of Berlin. In November 1881, she collided with the ironclad Principe Amedeo in a storm in Naples, but she was not damaged. Roma was reduced to a guard ship in 1890 and then to a depot ship in 1895. In July 1896, she was scuttled to save the ship from a fire caused by a lightning strike. She was thereafter raised and broken up for scrap.

Italian ironclad <i>Venezia</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Venezia was the second of two Roma-class ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. She was armed with a main battery of eighteen 254 mm (10 in) guns in a central armored casemate. Her lengthy construction time, a result of her re-design from a broadside ironclad, quickly rendered her obsolescent compared to the new turret ships that began to enter service in the 1880s. As a result, her career was limited. She became a training ship in 1881 and served until 1895. Venezia was broken up for scrap the next year.

Italian ironclad <i>Regina Maria Pia</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Regina Maria Pia was the lead ship of the Regina Maria Pia class of ironclad warships built in French shipyards for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. She and her three sister ships were broadside ironclads, mounting a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) and twenty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) guns on the broadside. Regina Maria Pia was laid down in July 1862, was launched in April 1863, and was completed in April 1864.

Italian ironclad <i>San Martino</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

San Martino was a Regina Maria Pia-class ironclad warship, the second member of her class. She was built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s; like her three sister ships, she was built in France. San Martino was laid down in July 1862, was launched in September 1863, and was completed in November 1864. The ships were broadside ironclads, mounting a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) and twenty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) guns on the broadside.

Italian ironclad <i>Castelfidardo</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Castelfidardo was the third of four Regina Maria Pia-class ironclad warships built in French shipyards for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. Castelfidardo was laid down in July 1862, was launched in August 1863, and was completed in May 1864. She and her three sister ships were broadside ironclads, mounting a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) and twenty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) guns on the broadside.

Italian ironclad <i>Ancona</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Ancona was an ironclad warship, the last member of the Regina Maria Pia class built in French shipyards for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. Ancona was laid down in August 1862, was launched in October 1864, and completed in April 1866. She and her three sister ships were broadside ironclads, mounting a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) and twenty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) guns on the broadside.

Italian ironclad <i>Re di Portogallo</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Re di Portogallo was an ironclad warship built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s, the second and final member of the Re d'Italia class. She was laid down at the William H. Webb Shipyard in New York in December 1861, was launched in August 1863, and was completed a year later in August 1864; the two Re d'Italia-class ships were the only Italian ironclads built in the United States. The ships were broadside ironclads, armed with a battery of six 72-pounder guns and thirty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) guns.

Italian ironclad <i>Principe di Carignano</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Principe di Carignano was the lead ship of the Principe di Carignano class of ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. She was the first ironclad built in Italy; her keel was laid January 1861, her hull was launched in September 1863, and she was completed in June 1865. Principe di Carignano was a broadside ironclad armed with a battery of ten 203 mm (8 in) guns and twelve 164 mm (6.5 in) guns.

Italian ironclad <i>Conte Verde</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Conte Verde was the third of three Principe di Carignano-class ironclads built for the Italian Regia Marina, though she differed in several respects from her sisters. Unlike the other two members of her class, she did not receive complete iron armor, instead relying on partial plating at her bow and stern. She was laid down in February 1863, she was launched in July 1867, and she was completed in December 1871. Conte Verde was a broadside ironclad armed with a battery of four 203 mm (8 in) guns and eighteen 164 mm (6.5 in) guns. Her career was limited, owing to the emergence of more modern ironclads and a severe reduction in the Italian naval budget following their defeat at the Battle of Lissa in 1866. She was discarded in 1880 and sold to ship breakers to help pay for new ironclads then under construction.

Italian ironclad <i>Terribile</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Terribile was the first ironclad warship to be built for the Italian Regia Marina, and the second member of the Formidabile class. Terribile and her sister, Formidabile, were both built in France. A broadside ironclad, she was laid down in June 1860, launched in February 1861, and was completed in September that year. She was the first Italian ironclad to enter service and was equipped with four 203 mm (8 in) and sixteen 164 mm (6.5 in) guns.

Italian ironclad <i>Formidabile</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Formidabile was the lead ship of the Formidabile-class ironclad warships, the first ships of that type to be built for the newly formed Italian Regia Marina. Formidabile and her sister, Terribile, were both built in France; Formidabile was laid down in December 1860, was launched in October 1861, and was completed in May 1862. She was a broadside ironclad, equipped with four 203 mm (8 in) and sixteen 164 mm (6.5 in) guns.

<i>Roma</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Roma class was a pair of ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s and 1870s. The class comprised two ships, Roma and Venezia. Roma was a broadside ironclad armed with five 254 mm (10 in) and twelve 203 mm (8 in) guns, while Venezia was converted into a central battery ship during construction, armed with a much more powerful battery of eighteen 10-inch guns. Neither ship had an eventful career, due in large part to their rapid shift to obsolescence. Venezia and Roma were withdrawn from service for auxiliary duties in 1880 and 1890, respectively. Both were stricken from the naval register in 1895 and broken up for scrap the following year, Roma having been badly damaged in a fire in 1895.

<i>Regina Maria Pia</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Regina Maria Pia class was a group of four ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. The class comprised four ships, Regina Maria Pia, San Martino, Castelfidardo, and Ancona. They were built by French shipyards, since Italian yards were unable to meet the demand of the rapidly expanding Italian fleet. The ships were broadside ironclads and mounted a battery of twenty-six muzzle loading guns.

<i>Re dItalia</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Re d'Italia class was a pair of ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. The class comprised two ships, Re d'Italia and Re di Portogallo. The two ships were built in the United States, and were based on the French ironclad Gloire; they were armed with a battery of thirty-eight guns in a broadside arrangement and were protected with 120 mm (4.7 in) of wrought iron plating.

<i>Principe di Carignano</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Principe di Carignano class was a group of three ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. The class comprised the ships Principe di Carignano, Messina, and Conte Verde. Originally ordered as wooden frigates, they were the first ironclads to be built in Italy, but the inexperience of the Italian shipyards and the redesign process produced lengthy construction times, such that only the lead ship was completed in time to see action during the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866. The first two ships were protected by a complete belt of wrought iron plating that was 121 mm (4.75 in) thick, while Conte Verde only received a partial iron belt.

<i>Formidabile</i>-class ironclad Ironclad warship class of the Italian Royal Navy

The Formidabile class was a pair of ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1860s. The class comprised two ships, Formidabile and Terribile. Initially ordered for the Regia Marina Sarda, by the time they were completed the Kingdom of Sardinia had unified the rest of the Italian states and created the Regia Marina. They were the first ironclads built for the Italian fleet. Wooden-hulled vessels plated with 4.3 inches (109 mm) of wrought iron, they were armed with a battery of twenty guns in a broadside arrangement.

References