SMS Admiral Spaun
Encyclopedia
SMS Admiral Spaun was a unique light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
of the Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
. Three other ships were built to similar specifications as the Admiral Spaun, but with different propulsion, and increased armament.
Overview
Around the turn of 19/20th century major navies had started to build fast scout cruisers (like British Pelorus class cruiserPelorus class cruiser
The Pelorus class cruiser was a "third-class" protected cruiser class of eleven Royal Navy warships designed by Sir William White , based on the earlier Pearl class cruisers. They were ordered in 1893 under the Spencer Program, and laid down 1896–1900...
or Italian Quarto, 1909-11).
Design of the new Austro-Hungarian ship started in 1906 and it was commissioned in 1910. The ship was fast 3,500 tons turbine driven scout with light belt armour.
Wartime experience showed the 100 mm guns were inferior but the plans to re-equip the ship were turned down because of war troubles. In 1915 number of torpedo firing tubes was increased to 8.
Admiral Spaun saw active service during First World War. After the war the ship was transferred by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to Venice and participated in the Italian V-Day fleet parade on 25 March 1919. Later, it was given to the Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as a part of reparations and sold to an Italian company for scrapping (1922).
Name
The ship was named after Hermann von SpaunHermann von Spaun
Hermann Freiherr von Spaun was a admiral in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. He was the Commanders-in-Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Navy from December 1897 to October 1904.-Background:...
(1833-1919), since 1897 commander of both the Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
and the navy section of the K.u.K.
K.u.k.
The German phrase kaiserlich und königlich , typically abbreviated as k. u. k., k. und k. , or k. & k., refers to the Court of the Habsburgs in a broader historical perspective . Some modern authors restrict its use to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918...
Ministry of War. Spaun stepped down in 1904 as a protest against redirecting large part of Navy funds to the army, the position was taken by Rudolf Montecuccoli
Rudolf Montecuccoli
Rudolf, graf Montecuccoli degli Erri was chief of the Austro-Hungarian Navy from 1904 to 1913 and largely responsible for the modernization of the fleet before the First World War.- Overview :...
. It was the first time that an Austro-Hungarian Navy ship was named after a living person outside of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
family. Spaun was present at the naming ceremony.
See also
Modified Admiral Spaun class ships:- SMS Saida
- SMS Helgoland
- SMS NovaraSMS Novara (1912)SMS Novara was a Novara class light cruiser of the Austro-Hungarian Navy which served during World War I.-Construction:In 1912, the cruiser Novara was constructed for the Austro-Hungarian Navy, of the improved Spaun class design...