Kaiser Franz Joseph I class cruiser
SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kaiser Franz Joseph I class |
| Builders: | Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino Trieste |
| Operators: |
 Austro-Hungarian Navy
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| Completed: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement: | 3,967 tons |
| Length: | 103.7 m (340 ft 3 in) |
| Beam: | 14.75 m (48 ft 5 in) |
| Draught: | 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in) |
| Propulsion: | 8,450 ihp (6,300 kW), two shafts |
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h) |
| Armament: |
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The Kaiser Franz Joseph I class was a class of protected cruisers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The class comprised Kaiser Franz Joseph I and Kaiserin Elisabeth.
The ships of the class were 103.7 metres (340 ft 3 in) long, had a beam of 14.75 metres (48 ft 5 in), a draught of 5.7 metres (18 ft 8 in), and had a displacement of 4,000 tonnes (3,900 long tons; 4,400 short tons). The ships were equipped with 2 shaft engines, which were rated at 8,450 ihp (6,300 kW) and produced a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h).
Originally, the ships of the class' main guns were its two 24 cm (9.4 in) guns, on the fore and aft of the ship, and its six 15 cm (5.9 in) broadside guns, which were placed in casemates. The ships were designed to be torpedo cruisers, and as such had five torpedo tubes. The ships also had a ram built into them.
From 1905–1906, the two ships were modified by having their two 24 cm guns removed, and replaced by 15 cm guns, as the old 24 cm guns had been too heavy for their mountings. The 15 cm guns were removed from their casemates, and moved onto the deck, as the previous positioning had meant that they could rarely be used in anything but calm weather.
Kaiser Franz Joseph I was laid down in 1888 at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste. She was launched on 18 May 1889 and commissioned on 2 July 1890.Kaiserin Elisabeth was laid down also in 1888 at Pola Navy Yard and was launched on 25 September 1890. She was commissioned on 24 January 1892. A third ram-torpedo cruiser had been suggested, but as early as 1889, some members of the Austrian Imperial Council suggested postponing the appropriation of funds, due to the concerns of them being too lightly armed for them to get into range of targets in order to ram them. The two ships were built for a combined cost of 5,360,000 guldens.
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