Italian cruiser Iride

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Iride probably in the late 1890s
History
Italy
NameIride
BuilderRegio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia
Laid down21 February 1889
Launched20 July 1890
Commissioned1 November 1892
FateSold for scrap in December 1920
General characteristics
Class and typePartenope-class torpedo cruiser
DisplacementNormal: 931 long tons (946 t)
Length73.1 m (239 ft 10 in)
Beam8.22 m (27 ft)
Draft3.48 m (11 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 4 ×
    locomotive boilers
  • 3,884 to 4,422 
    kW
    )
Propulsion
  • 2 ×
    triple-expansion steam engines
  • 2 ×
    screw propellers
Speed18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph)
Range1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement96–121
Armament
  • 1 ×
    120 mm (4.7 in)
    gun
  • 6 ×
    57 mm (2.2 in)
    guns
  • 3 × 37 mm (1.5 in) guns
  • 6 × 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes
Armor

Iride was a

launched in July 1890 and was commissioned in November 1892. Her main armament were her six torpedo tubes, which were supported by a battery of ten small-caliber guns. Iride spent most of her career in the main Italian fleet, where she was primarily occupied with training exercises. During the Italo-Turkish War in September 1911, she remained in Italian waters until late in the conflict; she escorted a troop convoy to North Africa in April 1912 and bombarded Ottoman positions in June and July. Iride was eventually broken up
for scrap in December 1920.

Design

Main article: Partenope-class cruiser
Plan and profile of the Partenope class

The Partenope-class cruisers were derivatives of the earlier, experimental Goito-class cruisers, themselves based on the preceding cruiser Tripoli.[1] The class marked a temporary shift toward the ideas of the Jeune École in Italian naval thinking. The doctrine emphasized the use of small, torpedo-armed craft to destroy expensive ironclads.[2]

Iride was 73.1 meters (239 ft 10 in)

normally. The ship had a short forecastle deck that terminated at the conning tower. She had a crew of between 96 and 121 personnel.[3]

Her propulsion system consisted of a pair of horizontal

locomotive boilers, which were vented through two widely spaced funnels. Specific figures for Iride's engine performance have not survived, but the ships of her class had top speeds of 18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph) at 3,884 to 4,422 indicated horsepower (2,896 to 3,297 kW). The ship had a cruising radius of about 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]

Iride was armed with a

57 mm (2.2 in) /43 guns mounted singly.[a] She was also equipped with three 37 mm (1.5 in) /20 guns in single mounts. Her primary offensive weapon was her six 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes. The ship was protected by an armored deck that was up to 1.6 in (41 mm) thick; her conning tower was armored with the same thickness of steel plate.[3]

Service history

Iride was laid down at the

King Umberto I at the commissioning of the new ironclad Re Umberto. The festivities lasted three days.[5]

In 1895, Iride was stationed in the 2nd Maritime Department, split between Taranto and Naples, along with most of the torpedo cruisers in the Italian fleet. These included her sister ships Partenope, Aretusa, Euridice, Urania, Minerva, and Caprera, the four Goito-class cruisers, and Tripoli.[6] In 1902, Iride was assigned as the station ship for Constantinople, responsible for safeguarding Italian interests in the Ottoman Empire.[7]

In 1904–1905, Iride was assigned to the Levant Station in the eastern Mediterranean.

Zuara.[13] The Ottomans eventually agreed to surrender in October, ending the war.[14]

Italy declared neutrality after the outbreak of

MAS boats, conducted raids on Austro-Hungarian ships and installations. As a result, Iride did not see action during the war.[15] She was sold for scrap in December 1920 and was subsequently broken up for scrap.[3]

Footnotes

Notes

  1. ^ "/40" refers to the length of the gun in terms of calibers, meaning that the length of the barrel is 40 times its internal diameter.

Citations

  1. ^ Fraccaroli, pp. 347–348.
  2. ^ Sondhaus, p. 149.
  3. ^ a b c d e Fraccaroli, p. 347.
  4. ^ Clarke & Thursfield, p. 202.
  5. ^ Garbett 1894, p. 1295.
  6. ^ Garbett 1895, p. 90.
  7. ^ Garbett 1902, p. 1075.
  8. ^ Garbett 1904, p. 1429.
  9. ^ Leyland, p. 78.
  10. ^ Beehler, p. 9.
  11. ^ Beehler, p. 50.
  12. ^ Beehler, pp. 65–66.
  13. ^ Beehler, p. 84.
  14. ^ Beehler, p. 95.
  15. ^ Halpern, pp. 140–142, 150.

References

External links

  • Iride Marina Militare website
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