Italian cruiser Euridice

Euridice was a torpedo cruiser of the Partenope class built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in the 1880s. She was built by the Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia shipyard, with her keel laying in February 1889, her launching in September 1890, and her commissioning in May 1891. Her main armament were her six torpedo tubes, which were supported by a battery of ten small-caliber guns. Euridice spent most of her career in the main Italian fleet, where she was primarily occupied with training exercises. She was withdrawn from service in 1907 and sold for scrapping.

Euridice in the late 1890s
History
Italy
Name: Euridice
Namesake: Eurydice
Laid down: 14 February 1889
Launched: 22 September 1890
Commissioned: 1 May 1891
Fate: Sold for scrapping in March 1907
General characteristics
Class and type: Partenope-class torpedo cruiser
Displacement: Normal: 904 long tons (919 t)
Length: 73.1 m (239 ft 10 in)
Beam: 8.22 m (27 ft)
Draft: 3.48 m (11 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:
Speed: 18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph)
Range: 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 96–121
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:

Design
Main article: Partenope-class cruiser

Euridice was 73.1 meters (239 ft 10 in) long overall and had a beam of 8.22 m (27 ft) and an average draft of 3.48 m (11 ft 5 in). She displaced 904 long tons (919 t) normally. Her propulsion system consisted of a pair of horizontal triple-expansion steam engines, each driving a single screw propeller, with steam supplied by four coal-fired locomotive boilers. Specific figures for Euridice'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). She had a crew of between 96–121.[1]

Euridice was armed with a main battery of one 120 mm (4.7 in) /40 gun and six 57 mm (2.2 in) /43 guns mounted singly.α 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.[1]

Service history

The keel for Euridice was laid down on 14 February 1889 at the Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia (Royal Dockyard in Castellammare di Stabia). The completed hull was launched on 22 September 1890. After fitting-out work was completed, the ship was commissioned into the fleet on 1 May 1891.[1] Euridice took part in the annual fleet exercises in 1893 in the "attacking squadron", which also included six ironclads, her sister ship Iride and the torpedo cruisers Goito and Monzambano. During the maneuvers, which lasted from 6 August to 5 September, the ships of the Active Squadron simulated a French attack on the Italian fleet.[2]

In 1895, she was assigned to the 2nd Division of the Permanent Squadron, which included her sister ship Calatafimi, the ironclad battleship Francesco Morosini, and the protected cruiser Etruria. The Squadron was based at La Spezia at the time, though Euridice was stationed primarily in Taranto and Naples, along with most of the other torpedo cruisers of the Italian fleet.[3] In 1896, she took part in the annual summer maneuvers in July as part of the Second Division of the Reserve Squadron, which also included the ironclads Italia and Ruggiero di Lauria and the protected cruiser Stromboli.[4]

In February 1897, Euridice deployed to Crete to serve in the International Squadron, a multinational force made up of ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, French Navy, Imperial German Navy, Regia Marina, Imperial Russian Navy, and British Royal Navy that intervened in the 1897–1898 Greek uprising on Crete against rule by the Ottoman Empire. She arrived as part of an Italian division that also included the battleships Sicilia (flagship of the division′s commander, Vice Admiral Felice Napoleone Canevaro) and Re Umberto and the protected cruiser Vesuvio. At the time, she was assigned to the 1st Division, which included the three Re Umberto class ironclads, Vesuvio, and the protected cruiser Giovanni Bausan.[5]

Euridice served in the active squadron in 1902.[6] In 1903, Euridice was assigned to the 1st Squadron, along with her sister Minerva. The unit also included eight battleships, six other cruisers, and six destroyers. The 1st Squadron was kept in active service for seven months of the year for training, and had reduced crews for the remainder of the year.[7] The ship was sold for scrap in March 1907 and subsequently broken up.[1]

Notes
^α "/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.
  1. Gardiner, p. 347
  2. Clarke & Thursfield, pp. 202–203
  3. "Naval and Military Notes – Italy", pp. 89–90
  4. Barry, p. 133
  5. Robinson, p. 187
  6. "Naval Notes", p. 1075
  7. Brassey, p. 60

References
  • Barry, E. B. (1897). "The Italian Manoevres". Notes on Naval Progress: 131–140. OCLC 5140928.
  • Brassey, Thomas A., ed. (1903). "Comparative Strength". The Naval Annual. Portsmouth: J. Griffin & Co.: 57–68. OCLC 5973345.
  • Clarke, George S.; Thursfield, James R. (1897). The Navy and the Nation, or Naval Warfare and Imperial Defence. London: John Murray. OCLC 669157022.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
  • "Naval Notes". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. London: J. J. Keliher. XLVI: 1060–1079. 1902. OCLC 8007941.
  • "Naval and Military Notes – Italy". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. London: J. J. Keliher. XXXIX: 81–111. 1895. OCLC 8007941.
  • Robinson, Charles N., ed. (1897). The Navy and Army Illustrated. III (32). London: Hudson & Kearns. OCLC 7489254.
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