Set in the 1888 and realized on the project of the same sites, they will come online during the year. Born from the orientation of building a ship around its artillery, they were a solution very close to that of the monitor of the First World War; it was a big Armstrong cannon from 400 mm weighing 100 t installed on a large platform float, with a certain mobility.
Of 530 t of displacement, of 35 m of length and 11 of width, equipped with a reduced free edge and minimal superstructures concentrated at the stern were actually more floating self-propelled platforms than real naval units; two alternative 350 hp power engines powered by a boiler impressed about 8 nodes and 40 men made up the crew.
Both gunboats on the same date are placed under the command of the lieutenant Andrea Canale, responsible officer. The two units will be used for artillery experiments up to 1899 when the Armstrong cannon is disembarked and then switched to local use until radiation.
Source: Military Navy
