Unfinished Italy - CIG

[cig1705]

After the Austro-Spanish wars over northern Italy (which ended with the Rome Peace Accord of 1843), the remaining Italian states, sick of foreign hegemony and vicious infighting between what were comparatively tiny states, made the first tentative steps towards unification. Some proposed unification on the grounds of re-creating the Roman Empire of old, others for economic and militarial union. Naturally, the larger states wanted unification to happen sooner, whilst the smaller kingdoms vociferously resisted the notion of losing their independence. Some states fought for unification, others against. There were popular uprisings against governments in many states, where either nationalists or unionists disagreed with their nation's policy. Bitter fighting ensued.

Following the Carbonari, Sicilian and Piedmont insurrections of 1845-1847, the Treaty of Trento (ratified in all states between October 21st and November 3rd, 1847) effectively established an external union. Foreign affairs and defence against the outside world were to be pooled, whilst internal defence and affairs remained the remit of nation states. This was a transitional phase, scheduled to last until the Congresso su unificazione dell'Italia, which met from January 12th to February 4th, 1848. The Statute of union, passed  simultaneously by the delegates of all nations, upheld the external union until full union. The King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emmanuele II, was chosen following a vote to be the new king of Italy. It was decided that the new union should come into being on the King's birthday, April 6th, 1848. To compensate for their loss of kingdoms, the remaining monarchs were given princely titles and became members of the Italian royal family (regardless of their connections with Vittorio Emmanuele).

Several of the Italian states had established colonies and these became colonies of the new Italian kingdom. Uruguay and the Novo Lipari islands in the Atlantic and Burundi in East Africa were the principle colonies. At the Berlin conference of 1883, Italy gained Eritrea in East Africa and Libya in North Africa.

Since then, Italy has gone from strength to strength.

[cig1705]

Today, the people of Italy and the Italian Empire celebrate the founding of Italy on April 6th 1848. We wish all nations peace and success in their endeavours.

[cig1705]

For his hard work in assisting the Italian naval and home ministries, Borys is awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Rome. The King congratulates him for his efforts.

[cig1705]

The names in brackets are division names. There are no cavalry or artillery corps - each Army Corps has an artillery brigade and a cavalry brigade.

1st Army


I  Corps
- 1 (Taurinense)
- 2 (Cuneo)
- 3 (Julia)

II Corps
- 4 (Garibaldi)
- 5 (Cavour)
- 6 (Falco)

III Corps
- 7 (Livorno)
- 8 (Cosseria)
- 9 (Cuneo)

150,000 soldiers

2nd Army (Based in Southern Italy)

IV Corps
- 10  (Superga)
- 11. (Sforzesca)
- 12. (Ravenna)

V Corps
- 13. (Taranto)
- 14. (Siracusa)
- 15. (Catania)

VI Corps

- 16 (Napoli)
- 17 (Cosenza)
- 18 (Catanzaro)

150,000 soldiers

5th Army (dispersed in Colonies)

Somalia/Eritrea

VII Corps
- 19. (Somalia)
- 20. (Somalia)
- 21. (Modena)

40,000 soldiers

Burundi

VIII Corps

- 22. (Burundi)
- 23. (Burundi)
- 24. (Acqui)

40,000 soldiers

IX Corps

Uruguay/Novo Lipari

- 25. (Uruguay)
- 26. (Novo Lipari)


26,000 soldiers

X Corps

Libya

- 27. (Libya)
- 28. (Libya)
- 29. (Forli)

40,000 soldiers.

146,000 soldiers

N.B. Colonial divisions are made up of locally-recruited troops. Their artillery and cavalry brigades are reduced to one regiment of each.

Regulars Total: 446,000 men.

4th, 5th and 6th Armies are the components of the Reserve Army. They are techinically a part of Reserve Army Command but may be employed by the Regular Armies on an ad hoc or regular basis.

4th (Reserve) Army

XI (Reserve) Corps

-30. (Julia)
-31. (Taurinese)
-32. (Cavour)

XII (Reserve) Corps

-33. (Falco)
-34. (Livorno)
-35. (Cuneo)

XIII (Reserve) Corps

-36. (Ravenna)
-37.(Superga)
-38. (Ulstero)

150,000 men.

5th (Reserve) Army

XIV (Reserve) Corps

-39. (Siracusa)
-40. (Napoli)
-41. (Catanzaro)

XV (Reserve) Corps

-42. (Veneto)
-43. (Modena)
-44. (Piedmont)

XVI (Reserve) Corps

-45. (Vicenza)
-46. (Pavia)
-47. (Messina)

150,000 men.

6th (Reserve) Army

XVII (Reserve) Corps

-48. (Ferrara)
-49. (Bologna)
-50. (Assietta)

XVIII (Reserve) Corps

-51. (Brescia)
-52. (Calabria)
-53. (Marche)

150,000 men.

Colonial Units

54. (Colonial): Made up of the following reserve brigades. These brigades are not a part of Reserve Army Command as such but are a component of 3rd Army.

205 (Libyan)
206 (Eritrean)
207 (Somalian)
208 (Uruguayan)
209 (Burundi)

10,000 men.

Total:

446,000 regulars (including colonial regulars)
460,000 reservists (including colonial reservists)

Grand total: 908,000 men.

[cig1705]

Post Deleted

[cig1705]

Laid down today at Taranto was the Regia Nautica's newest ship, the Impero. A "dreadnought" type battleship, and the first of two, her specifications are available to view below:

Impero, Italia Battleship laid down 1907

Displacement:
   14,317 t light; 15,258 t standard; 15,933 t normal; 16,473 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   590.00 ft / 590.00 ft x 85.00 ft x 16.00 ft (normal load)
   179.83 m / 179.83 m x 25.91 m  x 4.88 m

Armament:
      10 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (4 mounts), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
      8 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 32.00lbs / 14.51kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
      12 - 0.80" / 20.3 mm guns in single mounts, 0.26lbs / 0.12kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 8,899 lbs / 4,037 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 125

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   10.0" / 254 mm   364.00 ft / 110.95 m   10.73 ft / 3.27 m
   Ends:   3.50" / 89 mm   195.98 ft / 59.73 m   10.73 ft / 3.27 m
     30.02 ft / 9.15 m Unarmoured ends
     Main Belt covers 95 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   10.0" / 254 mm   8.00" / 203 mm      8.00" / 203 mm
   2nd:   1.00" / 25 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 3 shafts, 25,739 shp / 19,201 Kw = 21.00 kts
   Range 3,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,215 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   708 - 921

Cost:
   £1.661 million / $6.643 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1,112 tons, 7.0 %
   Armour: 4,098 tons, 25.7 %
      - Belts: 1,994 tons, 12.5 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 2,104 tons, 13.2 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 1,609 tons, 10.1 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 7,498 tons, 47.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,616 tons, 10.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     18,735 lbs / 8,498 Kg = 21.7 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 2.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.08
   Metacentric height 4.6 ft / 1.4 m
   Roll period: 16.7 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 54 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.84
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.08

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has low forecastle
   Block coefficient: 0.695
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.94 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 24.29 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 41 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26.03 ft / 7.93 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   18.57 ft / 5.66 m (20.57 ft / 6.27 m aft of break)
      - Mid (50 %):      18.57 ft / 5.66 m
      - Quarterdeck (12 %):   18.57 ft / 5.66 m
      - Stern:      18.57 ft / 5.66 m
      - Average freeboard:   19.47 ft / 5.93 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 86.0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 204.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 40,017 Square feet or 3,718 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 98 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 147 lbs/sq ft or 720 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.81
      - Longitudinal: 0.90
      - Overall: 0.82
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent