Italian cruiser Dogali

Dogali

Company type	Protected cruiser
Industry	Naval shipbuilding / Military
Founded	1885
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Warship (Protected cruiser)

Overview

Dogali was a one-of-a-kind protected cruiser constructed for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during the 1880s. It holds the distinction of being the first warship to feature triple-expansion engines. Initially commissioned by the Greek Navy under the name Salamis, the vessel was acquired by the Italian navy before completion and renamed in honor of the Battle of Dogali. Her main armament consisted of six 15-centimeter (5.9 in) guns, and she achieved a top speed of 19.66 knots (36.41 km/h; 22.62 mph) during sea trials, ranking among the fastest cruisers of her era.

Service History

Dogali's service record was relatively uneventful. She operated with Italy’s primary fleet throughout her early years and made a notable visit to the United States in 1893 to participate in the opening of the World's Columbian Exposition. In January 1908, ownership transferred to Uruguay, where she was renamed first 25 de Agosto and later Montevideo. The cruiser was retired from active duty in 1914 but remained in existence until she was ultimately scrapped in 1932.

Technical Specifications

• Type: Protected cruiser
• Displacement: 2,050 long tons (2,080 t)
• Length: 76.2 m (250 ft)
• Beam: 11.28 m (37 ft)
• Draft: 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)
• Propulsion:
  • 4 × fire-tube boilers
  • 2 × triple expansion steam engines
  • 2 × screw propellers
• Power output: 5,012 ihp (3,737 kW)
• Maximum speed: 17.68 knots (32.74 km/h; 20.35 mph)
• Operational range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
• Crew complement: 224–247 personnel
• Armament:
  • 6 × 152 mm (6.0 in) guns (Model 1887)
  • 9 × 57 millimetres (2.2 in) QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss guns
  • 6 × Gatling guns
  • 4 × 356 millimetres (14.0 in) torpedo tubes
• Armor protection:
  • Deck: 50 mm (2.0 in)
  • Conning tower: 50 mm
  • Gun shields: 110 millimetres (4.3 in)

Design

Line-drawing of Dogali

The cruiser Dogali was the brainchild of British naval architect William Henry White and constructed at the Armstrong Whitworth facility located in Elswick. Measuring 76.2 meters (250 ft) in length, the vessel had a beam of 11.28 m (37 ft) and a draft of 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in). It displaced 2,050 long tons (2,080 t). Originally, the ship featured two pole masts equipped with a sailing rig that was subsequently removed. Armored, rotating spotting tops were installed on these masts. The crew complement consisted of 224 officers and enlisted personnel initially, which was later increased to 247.

Propulsion was provided by twin-shaft triple-expansion engines, marking the first implementation of this type of machinery in a warship. Steam generation came from four coal-fired cylindrical fire-tube boilers venting through two centrally aligned funnels. The engines were rated at 5,012 indicated horsepower (3,737 kW), enabling a maximum speed of 17.68 knots (32.74 km/h; 20.35 mph), though trials demonstrated outputs reaching 7,179 ihp (5,353 kW) and speeds up to 19.66 knots (36.41 km/h; 22.62 mph). Dogali could operate for 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Upon entering service, she ranked among the fastest cruisers worldwide.

Her armament comprised six individually mounted 152 mm L/32 guns positioned in sponsons: two placed side-by-side forward, two aft, and one amidships on each broadside. These Pattern M guns, produced by Armstrong Whitworth, each weighed approximately 2 t (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons) and were unique to Dogali within the fleet. Complementing these were nine 57 mm L/40 quick-firing Hotchkiss guns and six Gatling guns as secondary weaponry. Additionally, she carried four torpedo tubes measuring 356 mm in diameter. Protection included an armored deck with a thickness of 50 mm (2.0 in), while the conning tower featured side armor of equal thickness. The main battery guns were shielded by gun shields armored with 110 millimetres (4.3 in) plating.

Service history

Sketch of Dogali c. 1888

Construction began at Armstrong Whitworth with the keel laid on 13 February 1885, followed by the ship's launch on 23 December the same year. Initially commissioned by the Greek Navy under the name Salamis, she was acquired by Italy during her build and renamed first to Angelo Emo, then to Dogali prior to her commissioning on 28 April 1887. Beginning on 10 June that year, she participated in annual fleet exercises as part of the "defending squadron," alongside ironclads such as Enrico Dandolo, Palestro, Castelfidardo, and Affondatore, as well as the torpedo cruiser Folgore and various smaller vessels. The initial phase focused on strategies for attacking and defending the Strait of Messina, culminating with a fleet review by King Umberto I on June 21. In 1890, she took part in maneuvers within the First Squadron alongside the ironclad Lepanto, protected cruiser Piemonte, and several torpedo boats in the Tyrrhenian Sea, where their role was to repel an opposing "hostile" squadron's attack.

In 1893, Dogali, together with protected cruisers Etna and Giovanni Bausan, represented Italy at an international naval review in New York held during the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, commemorating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of North America. Delegations from France, Germany, Britain, Spain, and other nations also attended this event. Later that year, both Dogali and Giovanni Bausan were stationed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil amidst the [undefined] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |minuscule= (help) (Revolt of the Fleet), alongside British, French, German, Spanish, and Argentine cruisers tasked with safeguarding their nationals' interests locally. After returning to Italy later in 1893, she was assigned to the 3rd Department based in Venice, where she remained through 1894. On 1 February 1897, she joined the Cruiser Squadron within Italy’s main fleet alongside cruisers such as Marco Polo, Umbria, and Liguria. Later that year, she operated off South America's eastern coast together with Umbria. She continued serving in this squadron until at least 1903 when it included armored cruiser Vettor Pisani, along with Giovanni Bausan and protected cruiser Etruria.

While operating in North American waters during 1906, she underwent engine maintenance at the Pensacola Navy Yard. That same year, she took part in a ceremony held in Capitán Pastene, Chile—a town established by Italian immigrants. In January 1908, Italy sold her to Uruguay; she was renamed 25 de Agosto, commemorating Uruguay’s independence day and became that nation's largest naval warship at the time. Two years later, her name changed to Montevideo, after Uruguay’s capital city. Decommissioned in 1914, she remained listed in Uruguay’s naval register until finally being sold for scrap in 1932.

References

• Beehler, W. H. (1887). "Italian Naval Exercises, 1887". Information from Abroad. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office: 164–167. OCLC 12922775.
• Brassey, Thomas A., ed. (1888). "Yearly Developments". The Naval Annual. Portsmouth: J. Griffin & Co.: 728–731. OCLC 5973332.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1979). "Italy". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 334–359. ISBN 978-0-85177-133-5.
• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
• Garbett, H., ed. (1894). "Naval and Military Notes". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. XXXVIII. London: J. J. Keliher: 193–206. OCLC 8007941.
• Garbett, H., ed. (June 1897). "Naval Notes—Italy". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. XLI (232): 788–790. OCLC 8007941.
• Garbett, H., ed. (1903

  ). "Naval Notes". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. XLVII (307). London 
  : J. J. Keliher & Co. 
  : 1058–1075 
  . OCLC [https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/8007941%20%0A%20%20%C2%A0 8007941 

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• {{cite book

  |editor1-last=Gardiner 
  |editor1-first=Robert 
  |editor2-last=Gray 
  |editor2-first=Randal 
  |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921 
  |year=1985 
  |location=Annapolis 
  |publisher=Naval Institute Press 
  |isbn=978-0-87021-907-8 
  |name-list-style=amp 
  |ref=CITEREFGardiner_&_Gray 
  | url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_z3o0 

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• {{Cite book

  |last=Marley 
  |first=David 
  |title=Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the Western Hemisphere, from1492 to Present 
  |year=2008 
  |location=Santa Barbara 
  |publisher=ABC-CLIO 
  |isbn=978-1-59884-100-8 
  |ref=CITEREFMarley 

}}

• {{cite journal

  |editor-last = Neal 
  |editor-first = William George 
  |title = The International Naval Review at New York and Opening of Chicago Exposition 
  |journal = The Marine Architect 
  |year =1899 
  |volume =XV  
     |location = London  
     |publisher = Office for Advertisements and Publication  
     |pages =97–101  
     |oclc =2448426  
     |ref=CITEREFNeal  

}}

• {{cite journal

     |title = Pensacola Navy-Yard  
     |pages =726–727  
     |journal = Annual Reports of the Navy Department: For the Year1905  
     |year =1906  
     |location = Washington, DC  
     |publisher = Government Printing Office  
     |oclc =5164555  
     |ref=CITEREFAnnual_Reports  

}}

• {{cite journal

     |editor-last = Robinson  
     |editor-first = Charles N.  
     |title = Fleets of the Powers in the Mediterranean  
     |journal = The Navy and Army Illustrated  
     |year =1897  
     |pages =186–187  
     |volume =III  
     |location = London  
     |publisher = Hudson & Kearnes  
     |ref=CITEREFRobinson  
     |oclc =7489254  

}}

• {{cite journal

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                     526–544   
              journal   
              The Messenger   
              year   
             1907   
              location   
              New York   
              volume   
              XLVII   
              ref=Template:Sfnref The Messenger   

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• {{cite journal

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      The Naval Maneuvers of1890   
      journal   
      Information from Abroad: The Year's Naval Progress   
      year   
     1891   
      location   
      Washington, DC   
      publisher   
      Government Printing Office   
      pages   
     225–278   
      oclc   
     6947124   
      ref=Template:Sfnref The Naval Maneuvers of1890   

}}

External links

• Dogali official page on the Marina Militare website (in Italian)