SMS Zara

SMS Zara early in her career
History
Austria-Hungary
Name:	Zara
Namesake:	Zara
General characteristics
Class and type:	Zara class

SMS Zara was a torpedo cruiser of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, the lead ship of the Zara class.

Zara's construction marked the first major use of domestically produced Bessemer steel by the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

In September 1882, Zara participated in a demonstration of the fleet's torpedo vessels for Kaiser Franz Joseph I in Pola. Franz Joseph came aboard Zara to observe a group of torpedo boats launch an attack against an old schooner.