The Italian cruiser Carlo Alberto was the second of two Vettor Pisani-classarmored cruisers built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) in the 1890s. She was deployed overseas several times during her career, notably to the Far East and South America. The ship was used as a royal yacht by King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy in 1902, during which time she was used for radio experiments by Guglielmo Marconi. Carlo Alberto served as a training ship before the start of the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12. During the war she supported Italian operations in Libya. The ship was virtually inactive during World War I and was converted into a troop transport in 1917–18. Carlo Alberto was stricken from the Navy List in 1920 and subsequently broken up for scrap.
Right elevation and plan drawing of the Vettor Pisani-class armored cruisers from Brassey's Naval Annual 1902
Carlo Alberto had a length between perpendiculars of 99 meters (324 ft 10 in) and an overall length of 105.7 meters (346 ft 9 in). She had a beam of 18.04 meters (59 ft 2 in) and a draft of 7.2 meters (23 ft 7 in). The ship displaced 6,397 metric tons (6,296 long tons) at normal load, and 7,057 metric tons (6,946 long tons) at deep load.[1] The Vettor Pisani-class ships had a complement of 28 officers and 472 to 476 enlisted men.[2]
The ship was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft. Steam for the engines was supplied by eight Scotch marine boilers. Designed for a maximum output of 13,000 indicated horsepower (9,700 kW) and a speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph),[3]Carlo Alberto barely exceeded her designed speed when she reached 19.1 knots (35.4 km/h; 22.0 mph) during her sea trials from 13,219 ihp (9,857 kW). She had a cruising radius of about 5,400 nautical miles (10,000 km; 6,200 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]
The main armament of the Vettor Pisani-class ships consisted of twelve quick-firing (QF)Cannone da 152/40 A Modello 1891 guns in single mounts. All of these guns were mounted on the broadside, eight on the upper deck and four at the corners of the central citadel in armored casemates. Single QF Cannone da 120/40 A Modello 1891 guns were mounted in the bow and stern and the remaining two 120 mm (4.7 in) guns were positioned on the main deck between the 152 mm (6.0 in) guns. For defense against torpedo boats, the ship carried fourteen QF 57 mm (2.2 in) Hotchkiss guns and eight QF 37 mm (1.5 in) Hotchkiss guns. The ship was also equipped with four 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes.[2]
Carlo Alberto was protected by an armored belt that was 15 cm (5.9 in) thick amidships and reduced to 11 cm (4.3 in) at the bow and stern.[3] The upper strake of armor was also 15 cm thick and protected just the middle of the ship, up to the height of the upper deck. The curved armored deck was 3.7 cm thick. The conning tower armor was also 15 cm thick and each 15.2 cm gun was protected by a 5 cm (2.0 in) gun shield.[2]
Construction and careeredit
Carlo Alberto at anchor in 1902
Carlo Alberto, named after King Charles Albert of Sardinia,[4] was laid down on 1 February 1892 at the Arsenale di La Spezia in La Spezia.[2] The ship was launched on 23 September 1896 and completed on 1 May 1898.[1] She was deployed to South America later that year and returned to Italy on 28 February 1899. Later that year Carlo Alberto was sent to the Far East and returned on 1 June 1900.[5] After her return the ship was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet.[6]
Carlo Alberto served as the royal yacht for Victor Emmanuel III when he attended the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom in 1902. Victor Emmanuel invited Guglielmo Marconi to accompany him and conduct radio experiments en route.[7] Originally scheduled for 26 June, the coronation was delayed by Edward's illness and rescheduled for 9 August. In the meantime, the ship took Victor Emmanuel to meetings with Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in Kronstadt. She returned to England before the coronation ceremony and then participated in the fleet review at Spithead on 16 August. On the return voyage Marconi conducted more long-range experiments with his site in Poldhu, Cornwall. The King then loaned Carlo Alberto to Marconi in September for more testing. She then ferried Marconi across the Atlantic to Glace Bay, Nova Scotia for further experiments transmitting radio messages across the ocean. After 15 December, when Marconi successfully transmitted messages from Glace Bay to Poldhu,[8]Carlo Alberto was sent to Venezuelan waters during the Venezuelan crisis of 1902–03, when an international force of British, German, and Italian warships blockaded Venezuela over the country's refusal to pay foreign debts.[9] She returned in early 1903 and was briefly deployed in Salonica later that year.[5] From 1907 to 1910 she served as a gunnery and torpedo training ship.[1]
Carlo Alberto with Marconi's antenna strung between the masts.
When the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12 began on 29 September, Carlo Alberto was assigned to the Training Division.[10] She bombarded the fortifications defending Tripoli and provided gunfire support to Italian forces at Zanzur, Zuara and elsewhere in Tripolitania. She fired enough ammunition during these missions that her guns had to be replaced in early 1912.[11] After the war the ship was transferred to the Aegean Sea where she remained until March 1913.[5]
Obsolescent by the beginning of World War I, Carlo Alberto was not very active during the war. She spent almost the entire war based in Venice.[5] The ship began conversion into a troop transport there in 1917. This required the removal of her armor, the addition of a new deck and internal modifications to suit her new role.[2] The work was finished in Taranto early the next year; she was recommissioned with the new name of Zenson on 4 April 1918. The ship was discarded on 12 June 1920 and subsequently scrapped.[2]
^Stephenson, pp. 111–13, 117, 225; Beehler, pp. 65, 79, 84, 91
Referencesedit
Beehler, William Henry (1913). The History of the Italian-Turkish War: September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute. OCLC 1408563.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0105-7.
Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-133-5.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-907-3.
Marchese, Giuseppe (February 1995). . La Posta Militare (69). Archived from the original on 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
"Naval Notes–Italy". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. XLV (283). London: J. J. Keliher: 1136. September 1901. OCLC 8007941.
Robinson, Charles N., ed. (January 1903). "Navy and Army Illustrated". XV (310). London: Hudson & Kearns. OCLC 405497404. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN0-88254-979-0.
Stephenson, Charles (2014). A Box of Sand: The Italo-Ottoman War 1911–1912: The First Land, Sea and Air War. Ticehurst, UK: Tattered Flag Press. ISBN978-0-9576892-7-5.
Weightman, Gavin (2003). Signor Marconi's Magic Box: The Most Remarkable Invention of the 19th Century & the Amateur Inventor Whose Genius Sparked a Revolution. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN0-306-81275-4.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carlo Alberto.
italian, cruiser, carlo, alberto, second, vettor, pisani, class, armored, cruisers, built, royal, italian, navy, regia, marina, 1890s, deployed, overseas, several, times, during, career, notably, east, south, america, ship, used, royal, yacht, king, victor, em. The Italian cruiser Carlo Alberto was the second of two Vettor Pisani class armored cruisers built for the Royal Italian Navy Regia Marina in the 1890s She was deployed overseas several times during her career notably to the Far East and South America The ship was used as a royal yacht by King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy in 1902 during which time she was used for radio experiments by Guglielmo Marconi Carlo Alberto served as a training ship before the start of the Italo Turkish War of 1911 12 During the war she supported Italian operations in Libya The ship was virtually inactive during World War I and was converted into a troop transport in 1917 18 Carlo Alberto was stricken from the Navy List in 1920 and subsequently broken up for scrap Carlo Alberto at anchorHistory Kingdom of Italy NameCarlo Alberto NamesakeCharles Albert of Sardinia BuilderArsenale di La Spezia La Spezia Laid down1 February 1892 Launched23 September 1896 Completed1 May 1898 RenamedZenson 4 April 1918 ReclassifiedTroop transport 4 April 1918 Stricken12 June 1920 FateSold for scrap 1920 General characteristics TypeArmored cruiser Displacement6 397 t 6 296 long tons Length105 7 m 346 ft 9 in o a Beam18 04 m 59 ft 2 in Draft7 2 m 23 ft 7 in Installed power13 000 ihp 9 700 kW 8 Scotch marine boilers Propulsion2 shafts 2 vertical triple expansion steam engines Speed18 knots 33 km h 21 mph Range5 400 nmi 10 000 km 6 200 mi at 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph Complement500 504 Armament12 single 152 mm 6 0 in guns 6 single 120 mm 4 7 in guns 14 single 57 mm 2 2 in Hotchkiss guns 6 single 37 mm 1 5 in Hotchkiss guns 4 450 mm 17 7 in torpedo tubes ArmorBelt 6 in 150 mm Gun shields 51 mm 2 in Deck 38 mm 1 5 in Conning tower 150 mm 6 in Contents 1 Design and description 2 Construction and career 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksDesign and description edit nbsp Right elevation and plan drawing of the Vettor Pisani class armored cruisers from Brassey s Naval Annual 1902 Carlo Alberto had a length between perpendiculars of 99 meters 324 ft 10 in and an overall length of 105 7 meters 346 ft 9 in She had a beam of 18 04 meters 59 ft 2 in and a draft of 7 2 meters 23 ft 7 in The ship displaced 6 397 metric tons 6 296 long tons at normal load and 7 057 metric tons 6 946 long tons at deep load 1 The Vettor Pisani class ships had a complement of 28 officers and 472 to 476 enlisted men 2 The ship was powered by two vertical triple expansion steam engines each driving one propeller shaft Steam for the engines was supplied by eight Scotch marine boilers Designed for a maximum output of 13 000 indicated horsepower 9 700 kW and a speed of 19 knots 35 km h 22 mph 3 Carlo Alberto barely exceeded her designed speed when she reached 19 1 knots 35 4 km h 22 0 mph during her sea trials from 13 219 ihp 9 857 kW She had a cruising radius of about 5 400 nautical miles 10 000 km 6 200 mi at a speed of 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph 1 The main armament of the Vettor Pisani class ships consisted of twelve quick firing QF Cannone da 152 40 A Modello 1891 guns in single mounts All of these guns were mounted on the broadside eight on the upper deck and four at the corners of the central citadel in armored casemates Single QF Cannone da 120 40 A Modello 1891 guns were mounted in the bow and stern and the remaining two 120 mm 4 7 in guns were positioned on the main deck between the 152 mm 6 0 in guns For defense against torpedo boats the ship carried fourteen QF 57 mm 2 2 in Hotchkiss guns and eight QF 37 mm 1 5 in Hotchkiss guns The ship was also equipped with four 450 mm 17 7 in torpedo tubes 2 Carlo Alberto was protected by an armored belt that was 15 cm 5 9 in thick amidships and reduced to 11 cm 4 3 in at the bow and stern 3 The upper strake of armor was also 15 cm thick and protected just the middle of the ship up to the height of the upper deck The curved armored deck was 3 7 cm thick The conning tower armor was also 15 cm thick and each 15 2 cm gun was protected by a 5 cm 2 0 in gun shield 2 Construction and career edit nbsp Carlo Alberto at anchor in 1902 Carlo Alberto named after King Charles Albert of Sardinia 4 was laid down on 1 February 1892 at the Arsenale di La Spezia in La Spezia 2 The ship was launched on 23 September 1896 and completed on 1 May 1898 1 She was deployed to South America later that year and returned to Italy on 28 February 1899 Later that year Carlo Alberto was sent to the Far East and returned on 1 June 1900 5 After her return the ship was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet 6 Carlo Alberto served as the royal yacht for Victor Emmanuel III when he attended the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom in 1902 Victor Emmanuel invited Guglielmo Marconi to accompany him and conduct radio experiments en route 7 Originally scheduled for 26 June the coronation was delayed by Edward s illness and rescheduled for 9 August In the meantime the ship took Victor Emmanuel to meetings with Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in Kronstadt She returned to England before the coronation ceremony and then participated in the fleet review at Spithead on 16 August On the return voyage Marconi conducted more long range experiments with his site in Poldhu Cornwall The King then loaned Carlo Alberto to Marconi in September for more testing She then ferried Marconi across the Atlantic to Glace Bay Nova Scotia for further experiments transmitting radio messages across the ocean After 15 December when Marconi successfully transmitted messages from Glace Bay to Poldhu 8 Carlo Alberto was sent to Venezuelan waters during the Venezuelan crisis of 1902 03 when an international force of British German and Italian warships blockaded Venezuela over the country s refusal to pay foreign debts 9 She returned in early 1903 and was briefly deployed in Salonica later that year 5 From 1907 to 1910 she served as a gunnery and torpedo training ship 1 nbsp Carlo Alberto with Marconi s antenna strung between the masts When the Italo Turkish War of 1911 12 began on 29 September Carlo Alberto was assigned to the Training Division 10 She bombarded the fortifications defending Tripoli and provided gunfire support to Italian forces at Zanzur Zuara and elsewhere in Tripolitania She fired enough ammunition during these missions that her guns had to be replaced in early 1912 11 After the war the ship was transferred to the Aegean Sea where she remained until March 1913 5 Obsolescent by the beginning of World War I Carlo Alberto was not very active during the war She spent almost the entire war based in Venice 5 The ship began conversion into a troop transport there in 1917 This required the removal of her armor the addition of a new deck and internal modifications to suit her new role 2 The work was finished in Taranto early the next year she was recommissioned with the new name of Zenson on 4 April 1918 The ship was discarded on 12 June 1920 and subsequently scrapped 2 Notes edit a b c d Gardiner 1979 p 350 a b c d e f Fraccaroli 1970 p 28 a b Silverstone p 286 Silverstone p 296 a b c d Marchese Naval Notes Italy Weightman pp 132 33 Weightman pp 132 49 Robinson pp 420 21 Beehler p 10 Stephenson pp 111 13 117 225 Beehler pp 65 79 84 91References editBeehler William Henry 1913 The History of the Italian Turkish War September 29 1911 to October 18 1912 Annapolis United States Naval Institute OCLC 1408563 Fraccaroli Aldo 1970 Italian Warships of World War I London Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 0105 7 Gardiner Robert ed 1979 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1860 1905 London Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 133 5 Gardiner Robert amp Gray Randal eds 1985 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Annapolis Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 907 3 Marchese Giuseppe February 1995 La Posta Militare della Marina Italiana 5 puntata La Posta Militare 69 Archived from the original on 2015 02 16 Retrieved 2015 02 15 Naval Notes Italy Journal of the Royal United Service Institution XLV 283 London J J Keliher 1136 September 1901 OCLC 8007941 Robinson Charles N ed January 1903 Navy and Army Illustrated XV 310 London Hudson amp Kearns OCLC 405497404 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Silverstone Paul H 1984 Directory of the World s Capital Ships New York Hippocrene Books ISBN 0 88254 979 0 Stephenson Charles 2014 A Box of Sand The Italo Ottoman War 1911 1912 The First Land Sea and Air War Ticehurst UK Tattered Flag Press ISBN 978 0 9576892 7 5 Weightman Gavin 2003 Signor Marconi s Magic Box The Most Remarkable Invention of the 19th Century amp the Amateur Inventor Whose Genius Sparked a Revolution Cambridge Massachusetts Da Capo Press ISBN 0 306 81275 4 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carlo Alberto Carlo Alberto Marina Militare website Portals nbsp Italy nbsp Engineering Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Italian cruiser Carlo Alberto amp oldid 1220451276, 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