Included in the First world war later than the other great (or applying for this role) powers, Italy was behind them in many branches of naval Affairs. And probably not due to a lack of creative ideas and their own theorists and designers, but because of the “little things” of a technical nature, the usual for countries that are somehow chained to the lack of resources and backwardness of the material base. This fully applies to the submarine fleet of the Mediterranean Kingdom.
THE APENNINES AT THE START
4 Dec 1867, took place at the first sight unremarkable event that opened is actually a completely new era in military shipbuilding. The stocks of the steel company “William Armstrong and company”, noted for his work in the field of armaments and hydraulics, in the waters of the river Tyne in Newcastle went first built it the ship — the gunboat “Staunch”. The value of the birth of this small gunboats designed by firm Manager George Ringelem, it is difficult to overestimate. Tiny ship, which cost just 6700 pounds, became the ancestor of a number of warships, primarily cruisers, the glory “Armstrong” and transformed the enterprises of the average breeder in this Empire arms.
The victory over France in the war of 1870 opened to the Federation of German States, formed under the auspices of Prussia, a completely new Outlook In Central Europe is variegated carpet of the numerous Duchies, counties, kingdoms and markkraft appeared a powerful state that had access to the two seas — the North and the Baltic In its composition was the seaside city, once part of the Hanseatic League, the strongest of the medieval sea trade of the company Clear the views of the rulers of a United Germany sooner or later had to turn to the ocean The more successful in almost all respects, the war with France proved to be completely ineffective for the Prussian fleet is Disproportionately weak, compared to the Navy’s second naval power of the world, he, nevertheless, was rebuilt several steamers of the Lloyd auxiliary of the cruiser and tried to use them for actions on communications of the enemy.
The French fleet of the late 80-ies of the XIX century, is familiar to specialists first of all thanks to Admiral Théophile OBU and his “young school.” Well known for their ideas of building naval forces: a Horde of destroyers, spread across ports and backed by armored coastal defense vessels.
“Time of troubles” was the 80-ies of the XIX century for the Russian Navy in General and cruising in particular. In addition to the lungs paranapanema clippers (which was already, in essence, mostly training ships), genuine domestic development remained armored frigates of the “Dmitry Donskoy” and “Vladimir Monomakh”. However, very good for the time of laying they are with their sailing mast location and battery of artillery was somewhat aloof from the world trends in the development of cruisers and gradually became obsolete. The main sea powers one after the other tended to build armored units. Some new armored cruiser was gradually lost huge “sailing” mast with a web of cable and wires, getting in return a contemporary energy and gun installation.
By the beginning of the First world war, all naval power was quite easy to divide the main with a significant naval power with diverse and numerous ships of all classes, and secondary, having only a purely local fleets, including, at best, a few dozens of small units and only a few large warships. The former, of course, include the UK, USA, Germany, Russia and France; with some doubt they can add more and Italy. In a wide range of second hits most of the rest of Europe and most developed countries in Latin America. Well, the third category of countries, the Navy of which can be seen only through a magnifying glass, treated other countries in the world, owners is that a pair or two very small gunboats (sometimes proudly referred to as “cruisers”) and other boats, military value has not possessed.
The end of the 80-ies of the XIX century was for the Russian shipbuilding a turning point. The Navy finally became “steel”; changed the materials, machinery, artillery, ammunition, tactics. Gradually began to change the approach to shipbuilding programs: separate “model” ships have passed into history, because the creation of each of the “unique” require a lot of money, and the fleet strength of such loners has increased slightly.
These small maneuverable vessels are used for long-term diving operations. With their Board examined the bottom waters is inspected the underwater part being afloat or stranded vessels. In addition, they are adapted for underwater excavation, blasting and rescue operations.
Fighting submarines “against all” (and basically struggle with the poor merchant ships), turned around after only a few months after the outbreak of the First world war. For four years, “the human massacre” of German submarines tried several types of weapons, and almost all very good indeed. On truly fateful for the British cruising fleet the use of torpedoes we have already spoken. However, the number of deadly “fish” on Board “U-Baotou” was very small. Accordingly, if their commanders could only use this kind of weapon, the number sunk in one campaign ships could not exceed a torpedo ammo, then there are 8-10 pieces.
We left sir William Armstrong and his designers, who belonged to the elite of British shipbuilding, at a time when the firm appeared on a wide road. After the completion of the new plant in Alsviki main exporter of military ships of the late nineteenth century were finally able to turn around in full force.