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Index | Ship History | Scherzer Diary | Expedition Narrative | Sydney | Selleny |
Bibliography | Novara Expedition
Hochstetter I Blanche Mitchell Diary | Minnie Mann Diary | Hochstetter II | FitzRoy Dock |
Scherzer in Sydney
Frauenfeld Diary | Incident at Sikyana | Sydney Chronology | Appendicies
The Austrian Imperial Frigate SMS Novara
1843-99
A History of "the most magnificent vessel"
Compiled byMichael Organ
10 April 2007
Table of Contents
Introduction
Construction in Venice 1843-51
Ship of the Line 1851-7
Round-the-world Scientific Expedition 1857-9
Steam Cruiser 1861-5
The Battle of Lissa 1866
Death of Ferdinand Maximillian 1867
Final Years 1868-99
References
Introduction
"...the most magnificent vessel..." - thus wrote 16
year old Australian Mary Caroline "Minnie" Mann
in her diary on 16 November 1858 in reference
to the Austrian Imperial frigate Novara, then in
port at Sydney. The sentiment most like arose out of a guided tour of the vessel given Minnie
The Austrian frigate Novara docked in
Sydney Harbour, November 1858. Original
photograph, published in L. Lind (1988).
Picture most likely taken by local
photographer and fellow Austrian Wilhelm
Hetzer.
earlier in the day by the ship's captain, Baron Frederick von Pöck. At the time the Novara was
engaged in a round-the-world scientific expedition which was to last from April 1857 through
to August 1859. A brief stopover in Sydney during November - December 1858 provided an
opportunity for repairs to the ship, rest and recreation on the part of the crew, and some
socialising with the young ladies of the Colony.
Miss Mann,despite her youth, was well qualified to make an assessment or otherwise of the
magnificence of the Novara. She lived on the harbour foreshore, and was the daughter of
Gother Kerr Mann, engineer-in-chief of Sydney's Cockatoo Island dockyard. Prior to her
personal tour of the Austrian frigate that November morning, she had acquired a deal of
knowledge about the structural and other details of contemporary warships, being privileged
to view them at close proximity as they underwent repairs in the recently opened (1857)
FitzRoy Dock on Sydney Harbour. She had also participated in guided tours of the English
frigates then operating out of the Australia station. The Austrian Novara was forced to avail
itself of dockyard facilities whilst in Sydney due to having sustained damage in a South China
Sea typhoon encountered on 18-19 August en route to Australia out of Shanghai. As the
frigate entered Port Jackson the pumps were working hard and it was said the vessel had a
decided list.
Frontispiece to the German edition
(Scherzer, 1861-3) of the three volume
account of the Round-the-world voyage of
the Novara between 1857-59, showing the
vessel under full sail. The various localities
From her residence 'Greenwich House', located
on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour
overlooking Cockatoo Island, "Minnie" Mann was
in a position to observe many of the grand passenger and trading vessels and men-o'-war
which visited the Colony's premier port during the 1850s. Sea traffic had increased markedly
over the previous decade due to the discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in
1851. The resultant goldrushes brought thousands of fortune hunters to Sydney from all
corners of the globe, and whilst the Novara was not seeking fortune in 1858, she and her crew
were nevertheless in search of those equally valuable commodities - knowledge, experience
and reputation.
This Austrian frigate was also undoubtedly one of the finest of her class to have passed
through Sydney Heads and tied up off Cockatoo Island since the English penal colony of
'Botany Bay' had been founded back in 1788. During November 1858 the Novara, though
somewhat bruised and battered, stood out among the rag-tag fleet of British naval vessels,
immigrant and cargo ships, and small coastal trading barques and steamers then frequenting
the many coves and docks in this most picturesque of all harbours. She was the seagoing
embodiment of the Habsburg monarchy, rulers of the vast Austro-Hungarian empire which, at
the time, extended from the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea and Venice and Italy in the
west, south through Bosnia-Herzegovena towards the Baltic and Turkey, north to the German
States, and east as far as Rumania and Russia.
The circumstances which marked the Novara as the first Austrian man-o'-war to visit New
South Wales, and the largest vessel to have entered FitzRoy Dock up to that point in time, can
be traced back to the occupied Italian territory of Venice in 1843, when the Austrian
monarchy ordered a new vessel for its small, though ever-expanding, navy. Built during what
was to be the last phase of the wooden warships era - during the late 1850s and early 1860s
ironclad and steam-powered warships would taken their place - the Novara was, upon
completion in 1851, a state of the art, three-masted sailing frigate. Fast and sumptuously
fitted out with fine carpets and furnishings to serve the officers and crew of the Austrian
navy, she also carried substantial armaments for protection against enemy fleets. The need
for such firepower was real, as the Novara went on to participate in one of the most famous
sea battle of all time, namely that which took place between the Austrian and Italian fleets
off the Adriatic island of Lissa on 20 July 1866 (see below).
The Novara was built using the finest Adriatic timbers, and was meant to accommodate the
various Habsburg princes, barons, dukes and counts who would sail on her as cadets, fully
fledged naval officers, or free passengers. During the 1850s and 1860s she played an
important role as a flagship of the Austrian fleet, carrying the Austrian ensign and the
aspirations of the Habsburg monarchy to all corners of the globe, whilst in waters closer to
home serving as a sail training vessel, gunnery ship, and close fighting frigate.
The Novara was something of an oddity to the colonials when she arrived in Sydney late on
the afternoon of 5 November 1858. This magnificent vessel was sailing under a flag rarely
seen in Australia - composed of bold horizontal red-white-red stripes, it featured at its
centre the Austrian crest of a double-headed eagle. Whilst this was the official flag of the
visited during the expedition are listed
within the ornate surrounds.
Austrian Empire, the official ensign of the Austrian navy was similarly red-white-red barred,
though with ducal crown and seal at its centre.
The British colonists would have been largely unaware that the Austrian Empire possessed a
naval fleet, and that SMS (Seiner Majestät Schiff) Novara was one of the flagships of the
Austrian Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine (Imperial and Royal Navy). At the time
Austria was not recognised as a sea power in the same way as Great Britain or France, both of
whom had long and proud naval traditions. The Austrian monarchy had only started to develop
a navy in earnest during the late eighteenth century, however by the 1850s the Habsburgs
possessed the strongest fleet of the German Confederation of States.
This period of expansion during the early to middle part of the century was largely due to the
enthusiastic support of two Habsburg aristocrats. Firstly, the young Archduke Frederick who,
in 1837 - when aged just 16 - joined the navy and subsequently made it fashionable for other
members of the aristocracy to do likewise.
As a sailor, Archduke Frederick was involved in successful actions at Syria and Palestine
during 1839, and in 1844 was made Commander-in-Chief of the navy. During this period he was
able to engender an enthusiasm for the development of the fleet amongst a ruling bureauracy
which had long focussed its attention on the build-up of the Austrian army. This group was
slow to answer Frederick's calls for a modernisation and expansion of the fleet. Nevertheless,
in 1843 an order was placed with the shipwrights at the Venetian Arsenal (a large shipbuilding
complex) for the construction of a new fighting frigate to service the Austrian navy. It was
unfortunate that Archduke Frederick was not around to see that vessel launch as the Novara
in 1851. He died prematurely in 1847, when aged just 26, and left the navy without leadership
or influence during a period when revolution was sweeping Europe. His eventual replacement
was to be Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian (1832-67), younger brother of the Emperor Franz
Joseph I (1830-1916). Though a person of power and influence in aristocratic Austria,
Ferdinand Maximillian, in his attempts to build up the fleet during the 1850s, also faced
opposition from a cash-strapped bureaucracy and sections of the Empire - including Hungary -
which saw no need for a substantial naval presence. With a landlocked capital (Vienna), and
forced to rely on Adriatic coastal ports containing populations or ethnic minorities actively
opposed to Austrian 'occupation', the idea of a navy for the Empire was not widely supported,
unlike the circumstance in countries such as Great Britain or even the United States of
America, where the practical considerations of securing sea-going trade routes and
maintaining a naval fleet were inextricably linked to the welfare of the nation. Fortunately, or
unfortunately, the volatile political climate of the day and Austria's involvement in a number
of wars with her near neighbors, added weight to Archduke Ferdinand's (and later
Maximillian's) efforts to build up a modern, battle-ready fleet.
As we look back on this period of nineteenth century history from a vantage point some 150
years later, we now see Austria as a landlocked state, having lost its long-held Adriatic
seaports of Trieste and Pola. The Austro-Hungarian navy is likewise just a memory. Its once
proud fleet - which in 1914 was the world's sixth largest - last saw action during World War I.
Following on the defeat of November 1918, its vessels were dispersed to the victors as war
reparations, or ignominiously scrapped. The tale of the sailing frigate Novara therefore takes
us back to a grander period in the history of the Habsburg monarchy and the Austro-
Hungarian Empire - to a time when her splendour, both on land and at sea, rivaled that of the
other great powers of the day; to a time now all but forgotten.
Construction of the Novara, Venice 1843-51
The story of the construction of the Novara is one of incident and interruption, tied in with
the political turmoil of the time and the push for Italian unification. The frigate was first laid
down at the Arsenal shipyard, Venice, as the Minerva on 20 September 1843, with her sides
pierced to accommodate 42 guns. At this point the Austrian Empire did not have its own naval
yards, but instead made use of the long tradition of shipbuilding in Venice and the skills of the
Italian shipwrights. This was to change in the late 1850s when a local industry was created,
and ships for the Austrian navy were subsequently launched from yards such as the
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino in Trieste (a private yard founded in 1857), and the nearby
Pola naval yard. Both facilities were located on the eastern Adriatic coast, somewhat removed
from the increasingly hostile Italians.
Vertical section of the Austrian frigate Novara at the time of her round-the-world voyage, 1857-59. Extratced from Scherzer (1861-3).
The building program of the Minerva / Novara was an unusually lengthy one, brought about by
the Empire's continuing conflict with Italy and its various semi-independent states, most
notably Sardinia in the south and Venetia in the north. Austria had acquired the Venetian
territory in 1797; lost it briefly to Napoleon the following decade; then regained it again in
1814. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815 resulted in a lengthy period of relative peace,
however in 1848 revolutionary fervour again spread throughout Europe, impacting upon both
Austria and its Italian neighbour. The period of construction of the Novara (1843-51)
corresponded with a developing sense of Italian nationalism amongst the disparate states and
principalities then extending from the Alps south to Sicily. Austria, as aristocratic overlord
and oppressor, was an obvious target for Italian patriots as they fought to unite the peninsula.
Venetia was a focus for their efforts, and events there a trigger.
After some fifty years as an occupied territory, on 17 March 1848 Venice rose up against
Austrian rule, as did Milan to the west later in the month. The Venetians expelled the
Austrians and, in a bid for Italian independence, set up a republic. Three Austrian corvettes,
many smaller naval vessels, along with the associated shipbuilding yards, arsenal, and stores all
fell into rebel hands. The resultant disruption to the Novara building program was one of a
number which took place between 1843-50.
Partially completed, the Minerva was renamed Italia by the Venetian revolutionaries,
reinforcing their rebellious attitude towards the Austrians and in direct defiance of orders
forbidding the use of the word. Up until this fracture, the Austrian navy had a strong Italian
character, however following the events of 1848 it was to become more multicultural, with the
Austrians forced to draw sailors from other parts of the Empire, especially eastern Adriatic
coastal provinces such as Montenegro and Dalmatia.
Early in 1848 the momentum was definitely with the rebels. During April and May the Austrian
army suffered a series of defeats at the hands of the Italians at Goito and Pastrengo. It was
not until July-August that the Empire was able to mobilise its forces under the command of
Field Marshall Joseph Radetzky and retake Milan and parts of Venetia from the Sardinians.
An armistice (truce) was signed on 9 August 1848, and the Sardinians were expelled from
Venice on the 11th, though the city continued to maintain her independence from Austria. The
armistice ended on 12 March 1849 and on the 23rd Radetzky's army was victorious over King
Charles Albert of Piedmont (Monarchy of Sardinia) at the battle of Novara, in the
northwestern part of Italy. Despite this, Venetia continued to hold out. A siege of Venice
began on 20 July, though it only lasted until the 28th, when the ancient city submitted to
Austria, due in no small part to local starvation, the outbreak of disease, and Austrian naval
bombardment. The Peace of Milan was signed shortly thereafter on 2 August 1849, thus
ending the war between Sardinia and Austria.
Following the Austrians' retaking of Venice, Field Marshall Radetzky visited the shipyard
there and officers petitioned him to have the nearly-completed Italia renamed in honour of
his victory over King Charles Albert. The ship was subsequently christened Novara and work
restarted in earnest under Austrian supervision. Her hull was finally ready to leave the slipway
by November of the following year (1850).
Events back home were also to have an effect upon the future career of the yet to be
completed frigate. 1848 - 'the year of revolution' - was a tumultuous time for Austria and her
European neighbours. Revolutions in Vienna during that year saw the ousting of Emperor
Ferdinand I, followed by the temporary installation of responsible government, the abolition
of serfdom, and the introduction of an Austrian constitution. Despite this initial promise of
change, the revolution was short-lived. The end of 1848 saw a return to the old ways, with the
abdication of Ferdinand I in favour of his 18 year old nephew Franz Joseph I. Following
installation as Emperor - a position he held until his death in 1916 - Franz Joseph immediately
appointed the Dane Rear Admiral Hans Birch von Dahlerup to the position of Commander in
Chief of the Austrian navy. With the Emperor's support, von Dahlerup spent the next two and
a half years reorganising the fleet along the lines of the British navy, setting it in good stead
for the years ahead. He put the fleet into action as part of the Venetion blockade early in
1849, and restarted the construction program which had stalled during 1848. After his
resignation in 1851 - brought about by lack of support from the ruling aristocracy and political
bureauracy who sought to replace the Dane with an Austrian - von Dahlerup was replaced two
years later by Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian, who went on to serve as Commander-in-Chief
from 1854 through to 1862.
Ship of the Line 1851-7
Having survived revolution and some seven years on the stocks, the Novara was officially
launched from the Venetian slipway on 4 November 1850. At the time she was rated a three-
masted sailing frigate, 42 guns, length 165 feet, weight / displacement 2107 Austrian tonnes
(2630 English tons), and able to accommodate a complement of 403. The superficial area of
the principal sails amounted to 18,291 square feet. The precise dimensions of the vessel would
change during her lifetime, especially following a major rebuild in 1861-2 to facilitate the
installation of a steam engine. However, at the time of the vessel's 1857 refit in preparation
for a round-the-world scientific expedition, wherein no major changes to the original
dimensions were made, she was described as follows:
Length between perpendiculars - 165 ft 5 1/2 inches
Length of water line - 156 ft 5 inches
Greatest breadth - 44 ft 11 1/2 inches
Greatest breadth on water line - 43 ft 2 inches
Depth of hold - 19 ft 3/4 inches
Draught of water aft - 18 ft 9 inches
Draught of water fore - 17 ft 2/3 inches
The home port of the Novara was nominally Trieste, though she would be serviced from the
Venetian Arsenal and later the Pola naval yards. A notable feature of the vessel was the
Venetian gondola which served as one of her auxiliary boats, and was perhaps included as a
tribute to her builders. The gondola traveled with the Novara during her round-the-world
voyage between 1857-9. A young Australian girl - "Minnie" Mann - was to record in her diary
during November 1858 the thrill of cruising Sydney Harbour aboard this exotic gondola,
manned as it was by sailors from the frigate. This was undoubtedly the first such Venetian
craft to have visited Port Jackson since it was first colonised in 1788.
Though the Novara had
left the slipway in
November 1850, fitting
out was not completed
until June of 1851.
Undertaking her first
shakedown cruises on the
Mediterranean, she proved
a speedy vessel, and by
1857 was noted as the
fastest of the fleet.
During her first year in
service, the 19 year old
Archduke Ferdinand
Maximillian saw time on
board as a fledgling naval
officer. He was to develop
such a fondness for the
vessel during this period
that when he built his
residence Miramar Castle on a bluff overlooking the Adriatic Sea near Trieste, he included
within it a study room which resembled his quarters on board ship in precise detail. Daylight
entered the room through a round scuttle in the ceiling, like that on the Novara's own deck.
The room also featured richly carved wooden beams, centrally located to imitate the cramped
and crowded condition of the rooms on board the Novara which, during the course of a normal
cruise, would be called on to accommodate anywhere from 400-500 sailors.
Upon her initial period of service, the Novara acted as a sail-training vessel and ship of the
line. European powers such as Britain and France used their naval cruisers as station ships to
protect colonial possessions (e.g. the British frigates HMS Herald and HMS Iris were both
serving at the Sydney station during 1858 at the time of the Novara visit). The Habsburgs
had no such colonial aspirations and, as a result, the duties of the Austrian fleet were
relatively limited to sail training, patrol duties upon the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas,
fighting, or putting up in port in order to save expense and extend the naval budget. Due to a
large amount of indifference on the part of the Habsburg bureaucracy, this latter activity
occupied many vessels of the fleet for an inordinate period of time, resulting in an
unacceptable state of preparedness when called on to defend the Empire in battle. Archduke
Maximillian fought to overcome this, and was somewhat successful in his efforts. For example,
a report in the London Times of 2 September 1852 noted that some 2400 workmen were then
employed in the Venice Arsenal 'building new ships' for the Austrian navy, or 'rendering old
ones fit for war service.'
The 'Novara' Room, Miramar Castle, Trieste. Built for Archduke
Ferdinand Maximillian as a reminder of his years as a naval cadet
aboard the Austrian frigate.
The opportunity to show off her naval prowess came early in 1853 when a conflict broke out
between Austria and Turkey over the latter's despatch of troops into Montenegro. The
Novara and a squadron of Austrian naval vessels was despatched to the Montenegran coast to
show the flag and ward off further Turkish incursions. No action took place at this time, and
the vessels eventually returned to port and extended duties of a less exciting nature.
A Round-the-World Scientific Expedition 1857-9
Circumstances were to change for the Novara, however, when in 1856 she was selected for
duty in connection with a round-the-world scientific expedition to be sponsored by Ferdinand
Maximillian and the great German scientist Alexander von Humboldt. Instead of gathering
barnacles in port, the frigate would be dispatched on an extended voyage of discovery to the
Far East and the Pacific. This was indeed a noble task for any vessel during periods of war or
peace, and one which placed the Novara among that distinguished list of ships of exploration
which includes Captain James Cook's Endeavour, HMS Beagle with Captain FitzRoy and
Charles Darwin on board, the French Astrolabe, America's USS Peacock, and HMS
Challenger, to name but a few.
"Te Deum" Mass on board the Novara, 1857, officiated by Father von Marochini. Engraving after
original drawing by Joseph Selleny
The idea of an Austrian flag-waving exercise combined with a scientific expedition came at a
time of relative security for the Empire, and a lull in fighting on its borders. This followed on
the Italian uprising and internal revolutions of 1848-9, and a series of smaller conflicts during
the first half of the 1850s. When the Novara was launched from the Venetian stocks in 1850,
Austrian and Bavarian troops were in the process of occupying parts of Hanover, and tensions
had developed with neighbouring Prussia, the strongest of the Germanic states. However
these conflicts were resolved by 1851 when the Novara was commissioned, and there was
relative calm for a number of years. During 1853 tensions began to mount - the Montenegro
conflict flaired; there was insurrection in Milan; the Kosta affair at Smyrna was a severe
embarrasment to Austria and its navy, pointing to the simmering Hungarian indpeendence
movement; and there was an assassination attempt carried out on Franz Joseph during that
year.
Early in 1854 the Crimean War broke out. Austria tried to stay out of any direct involvement
in this conflict, though it was aligned with Great Britain and France, in defense of Turkey
against a Russia advance which sought control of the Baltic Sea and hoped to profit from the
breakup of the Ottoman Empire. Hostilities continued in the Crimea until February 1856, at
which point the allies claimed victory over the Russian incursion.
Following cessation of the war, the Austrian navy and scientific establishment could now
proceed undistracted with its plans for a round-the-world scientific expedition, no longer
fearful that her naval vessels would be attacked or confiscated by a hostile fleet. How long
this state of affairs would last remained unclear, however a window of opportunity opened in
1856 following the closure of the Crimean War.
When Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian received permission from his brother the Emperor
Franz Joseph to mount a round-the-world scientific expedition and sail-training exercise, he
immediately contacted Alexander von Humboldt, seeking support and guidance. Replying to the
request in December 1856, Humboldt was enthusiastic, as were other European scientists such
as English geologist Sir Roderick Murchison. All saw the opportunity to build upon the work of
previous non-Austrian expeditions in expanding the realms of scientific knowledge and
acquiring specimens of natural history from far off lands. It was agreed that Austria should
mount an official expedition to not only widen the skills of her most distinguished scientists
and allow them to gather items for study and display in local museums, but also to carry the
Habsburg banner to all corners of the globe, thereby proclaiming the Empire's existence as a
world power. A further task, as noted by the expedition's historiographer Karl Scherzer, was
"the practical instruction of our young and rapidly increasing navy."
Commodore Bernhard von Wüllerstorf-Urbair was given general commander of the expedition.
Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian selected the Novara to carry out this task, not only because
of his personal attachment to the ship, but also due to the practicalities of using sail as
opposed to steam on such a long voyage. A sailing frigate offered greater disposable storage
area on board, in comparison with the steaming equivalent, which required a large amount of
area below decks for coal and machinery. Also necessary on this occasion was room for the
scientific contingent, their supplies and equipment, and storage space for the many specimens
to be acquired during the course of the expedition. This was on top of the extra sailors and
marines who would also be on board. As the vessel was travelling to areas of the globe where
it was known that the winds blow freely and supplies of coal could not always be easily
obtained, sail won out over steam. The Novara was therefore given the honour of transporting
a contingent of scientists, naval officers, diplomats, sailors, marines, and even a musical band
on a two-year cruise around the world.
In order to prepare for the voyage ahead, the Novara was laid up at the Pola naval yards for a
refit early in 1857. The ventilation of the lower decks was improved and the number of cabins
increased in proportion to the number of individuals to be accommodated. The gun room was
converted into a reading room and provided with a well-selected library and various charts and
maps for use by the officers and scientists as they went about their respective tasks of
researching, recording, calculating and drawing. The store rooms for the sail and tackle were
enlarged so as to take double the normal quantity. A distilling apparatus was installed on the
gun deck, and shower-bath facilities were improved so that the health of the crew could be
maintained over a long period. Such precautions proved effective, with no major outbreaks of
disease occurring on board during the length of the expedition.
The refit was completed on 15 March 1857, at which point the Novara, accompanied by the
corvette Carolina, headed north for Trieste, the expedition's official point of departure.
Final farwells took place amid much fanfare and cannon fire on 30 April 1857. Both vessels
left Trieste not under sail, but in tow, courtesy of the steamer St. Lucia. They were taken
south as far as Sicily and the Straits of Messina, before sails were unfurled and the ships
headed west into the Mediterranean, past the Straits of Gibraltar and out into the Atlantic
Ocean. The Novara was accompanied as far as Rio de Janiero by the Carolina, and thereafter
traveled on alone to Africa, India, China, the Philippines and Indonesia, Australia, New
Zealand, and various South Pacific islands. Her precise itinerary was as follows:
SMS Novara Itinerary 1857-9
1857
April 30 - Departs Trieste
MAY 2-=30 Gibraltar 20-30
June 8-17 - Madeira
August 5-31 - Rio de Janeiro
October 2-26 - Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
November 9 - Islands of St Paul and Amsterdam
December 7 - Departs Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean
1858
January 8-16 - Ceylon
January 31 - Madras
February 10 - Leaves Madras
Library and former Gun Room on board the Novara, 1857. Engraving after original drawing by
Joseph Selleny.
February 23 - Nicobar Islands
March 26 - Departs Nicobar Islands
April 15-21 - Singapore
May 5-29 - Java
June 15-25 - Manila
July 5-18 - Hong Kong
July 25 - Shanghai
August 11 - Leaves Shanghai
September 17 - Island of Puynipet
Geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter in his cabin on board the Novara. Engraving after
original drawing by Joseph Selleny.
October 17 - Sikyana (Stewart) Island
November 5 - Sydney
December 7 - Departs Sydney
December 21 - New Zealand
1859
January 2 - Departs New Zealand
February 2-23 - Tahiti
April 24 - Valparaiso
August 1 - Gibraltar
May 3 - Santiago, Chile
August 26 - Arrives at Trieste
The officer corps for the expedition included:
Commodore Bernhard von Wüllerstorf-Urbair as Commander of the Expedition
Captain Baron Friedrich Pöck, who transferred from the corvette Carolina to the Novara on 2
December 1857
First Lieutenant Bela Gaàl de Gyula
Lieutenants - Moriz Monfroni de Monfort, Count Alexander Keilmannsegge, William Lund,
Robert Müller, Ernstest Jacoby, Eugen Kronowetter, Gustavus Battlogg and Antonio Basso
(Purser)
Principal Surgeon Dr Franz Seligmann, Assistant Surgeons Dr Karl Kuziczka, Dr Eduard
Schwarz and Dr Ave Robert Lallemant
Chaplain - Fr. Eduard von Marochini
Midshipmen - Heirich Fayenz, Joseph Natty, Gustavus von Semsey, Baron Richard
Walterskirchen, Louis Meder, Alexander Kalmar, Baron Augustus Scribanek, Count Andreas
Borelli, Baron Franz Cordon, Baron Friedrich Haan, Eduard Latzina, Michal de Mariassi, Prince
Eugen Wrede, Joseph Berthold
Engineer Wenceslas (Wenzel) Lehmann
The scientific commission comprised geologist Dr Ferdinand Hochstetter, botanists Dr Eduard
Schwarz and Anton Jellinek, zoologists Georg Frauenfeld and Johann Zelebor, ethnographer
Dr Karl Scherzer and artist Joseph Selleny
Additional crew - 315
The entire compliment, including sailors, marines, gunners, servants, and the ship's band,
amounted to 352 individuals. The vessel's itinerary would prove to be a hectic one, with
stopovers lasting anywhere from a few days to up to 4-5 weeks, depending upon the needs of
the vessel, of its scientific contingent, and any political or diplomatic considerations.
During the course of the expedition the Novara covered some 51,686 miles, and spent 551
days at sea and 298 at anchor or on shore. Some 23,700 individual natural history specimens
were collected, comprising: 440 minerals, 300 reptiles, 1500 birds, 1400 amphibians, 1330
fish, 9000 insects, 8900 molluscs and crustaceans, 300 birds' eggs and nests, numerous
skeletons, and 550 ethnographic objects, including 100 human skulls.
There was a strict regimen on board ship during the term of the expedition. The vessel's
decks and equipment would be cleaned every day and an orderliness and discipline was
maintained to assist the officers and sailors in carrying out their duties while the scientific
contingent also went about its work. During visits to port, or at anchor off South Sea islands,
the scientists would scurry about on shore investigating the local flora, fauna, geology and
geography, and collecting all manner of objects. The ship's artist Joseph Selleny busily
sketched and recorded all he saw - landscapes, peoples, botanical specimens - his images later
being reproduced in the official published accounts of the voyage.
The Novara would take on supplies where needed, or dispatch the numerous items acquired by
her scientific contingent upon vessels heading home to Europe, to be deposited in various
museums and research institutes. As the cruise was also a flag-waving exercise, the officers
and scientists on board were often involved in social functions with local politicians and
members of expatriate Austrian and German communities. This tended to lighten the home-
sick hearts of those on board, while improving the spirits of German immigrants in faraway
countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The vessel itself largely survived the trip
unscathed, apart from suffering damage in a typhoon after leaving Shanghai on 11 August
1858. This required her putting into dry dock in Sydney. A contemporary newspaper report
noted the following with regards to the work carried out there:
The Austrian Frigate Novara
This fine ship which was received into the Government Dry Dock on the 13th
instant, was again floated on the 20th after receiving a thorough overhaul,
under the superintendence of Mr. Cuthbert. Her decks and wales have been
caulked throughout, her copper repaired, and several new spars supplied; great
satisfaction being expressed by her officers at the excellent quality of the
timbers obtainable in the colony for this purpose. This is the largest ship of
war yet docked in Australia, and the resources and capabilities of this splendid
establishment have been fully developed on this occasion. The Novara carries,
when fully armed, 44 guns; she was built at Venice about eighteen years since;
the timber used in her construction being entirely live and Adriatic
oak...(Shipping Gazette and General Sydney Trade List, 29 November 1858)
After leaving Sydney on 7 December 1858, the Novara sailed easterly towards New Zealand,
then on to Tahiti and South America. Meanwhile, back home in Europe, hostilities had broken
out in April 1859 between old foes Austria and Sardinia (Italy). France joined in and declared
herself at war with Austria on 3 May. In June the Austrian army was defeated by the French
at Magenta, and shortly thereafter at Solferino by a combined French and Sardinian force.
Austria hastily concluded an armistice at Villafranca on 11 July 1859, whereby she gave up
some of her Italian territories, though held on to Venice.
The Novara was on the high seas when hostilities broke out, and faced the real possibility of
attack or confiscation by French or Italian vessels. Diplomatic efforts were immediately put
into place to arrange her free passage through the then hostile waters of the Atlantic and
Mediterranean, with all parties agreeing that the vessel's cargo of scientific treasures, and
scientists, warranted such protection. The Novara therefore arrived back in her home port of
Trieste amid much fanfare on 26 August 1859.
The celebrations were tinged with a sense of relief at her safe return, and made more sombre
by the fact of the recent defeats in the war with Italy. This mood was compounded by the
precarious nature of the Empire's finances at that time, and the fear of revolution in the
Hungarian and Slavic states. Whilst the frigate's work in regard to transporting the scientific
expedition was now complete, it was only just beginning for the scientific contingent. They
would spend the next 17 years supervising the published findings of the expedition and the
dispersal of its various collections to local museums and scientific institutions. The successes
of the Novara scientific expedition were unfortunately overshadowed by the political turmoil
of the period and the slow breakup of the Austrian Empire. By the turn of the century and
with the fall of the Habsburg dynasty during World War I, Austria would come to be
remembered best for her musical heritage rather than any scientific endeavours or the feats
of her navy during the nineteenth century, though the fleet did occasionally bathe itself in
glory.
Steam Cruiser 1861-5
In 1860, with the success of the Novara expedition behind him, Vice-Admiral Ferdinand
Maximillian pushed forward with the task of modernising the Austrian navy. His grand plans
were as ever limited by financial constraints. Nevertheless, a three-decked wooden battleship
the Kaiser (5194t) was commissioned in 1860, even though the future lay in steam propulsion
and ironclad warships. During 1861 the Novara was set down for a rebuild as a steam screw
frigate at San Rocco's, Trieste. An auxiliary steam engine was added by Stabilimento Tecnico
Triestino, and the hull was cut in two to accommodate the addition of several extra hull
frames, along with a new bow and stern. This work increased the length of the vessel by some
15 metres, though she did not undergo iron-cladding as was common for the time.
The conversion from sail to steam and sail was completed on 10 July 1862. The new
displacement was 2615 tons (2865 tons full load), with an armament of 53 guns. Dimensions
were:
Length overall - 252 feet overall
Length between perpendiculars - 221 feet 10 inches
Greatest breadth - 47 feet
Depth of hold - 19 feet
She was powered by a single-shaft 2 cylinder 400hp engine, which gave her a top speed of 12
knots. The compliment was increased to 558.
Following the refit, in October 1862 the Emperor ordered a naval division under the command
of Captain Baron von Pöck and comprising the Novara, the corvette Archduke Frederick, and
2 gunboats, to proceed to Greece in order to protect Austrian commerce and citizens there.
By the following year (1863) the Novara's armaments comprised: 2 x 24 pounder breech-
loading guns; 4 x 60 pounder Paixhans shell guns; 28 x 30 pounder Novara guns; 1 x 12 pounder
landing gun; 1 x 6 pounder landing gun.
In April of 1864 the vessel had the important task of carrying Archduke Maximillian and his
wife Charlotte to Vera Cruz in the Americas, for their installation as the new Emperor and
Empress of Mexico. The Novara arrived in Mexico on 28 May 1864 with its valuable cargo.
Approximately one year later it returned to Europe to rejoin an Austrian fleet which had, in
the meantime, been uncharacteristically active.
The Novara at Martinique in 1864, with Ferdinand Maximillian and his entourage aboard,
en route Santa Cruz, Mexico, where he and his wife were to take on the title of Emperor
and Empress of Mexico. Reproduced in Aichelburg (1976, 92).
The years 1860-4 were a period of relative peace for the Austrian Empire. However in
February 1864 Austria and Prussia entered into a war with Denmark over the territories of
Schleswig and Holstein in northern Germany. Though the dispute was settled within the year,
and Austria was granted Holstein, the repercussions would be felt almost immediately as an
expansionist and distinctly militaristic Prussia sought to make Schleswig-Holstein part of a
greater German nation, under the leadership of Count Otto von Bismark.
Whilst the Novara was engaged in her mission transporting Ferdinand Maximillian to Mexico,
on 9 May 1864 the Austrian fleet - with assistance from some Prussian gun boats - was
involved in an encounter with the Danish squadron at Heligoland Bight, off the German port of
Hamburg. The prize was control of North Sea shipping lanes and trade with Germany. The
battle was a notable one - it was the first on the high seas since Trafalgar in 1815, and the
last to be fought solely between squadrons of wooden ships. During the encounter, the
Austro-Prussian flotilla suffered more damage and casualties than their Danish counterparts -
most notably the foremast of the Austrian flagship Furst Felix Schwarzenberg was burnt to
a stump. However the Austrians justly claimed the strategic victory as they succeeded in
lifting the German blockade. The reputation of the young Austrian commander Post-Captain
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff (1827-71), was also made as a result of the encounter. He was
immediately promoted to Vice-Admiral by the Emperor.
Though the Novara had departed for Mexico on 14 April 1864, she was not to return to
Trieste until May 1865. In the interim, the frigate was stationed off Mexican waters as a
precaution should the Mexican situation deteriorate and Ferdinand Max be required to quit
the country. It is also possible that the vessel visited the American east coast during this
period. After retuning from Mexico, the Novara was laid up at Pola, awaiting new orders. Now
entering her third decade since being laid down in Venice during 1843, the ship was rapidly
approaching the end of her time as a front-line fighting frigate. Though she had been involved
in the build up of the fleet and a round-the-world scientific expedition, her guns had never
been fired in anger. This situation, however, was to change rather quickly.
The Battle of Lissa 1866
Having returned to port in May 1865 after an extensive period of activity, the Novara could
look forward to a period of rest and refit. Unfortunately this was not to occur at the usual
leisurely pace, for two events were to dramatically effect the frigate over the following
twelve months - firstly, a fire on board whilst in port, and secondly, the war with Italy. A
contemporary engraving of the fire, published in an Italian illustrated newspaper during 1866,
perhaps reveals the fire to be worse then it was, for the vessel was repaired in time to take
part in the battle of Lissa during July of that year.
The Novara on fire at port during a refit. Contemporary
engraving from an Italian illustrated newspaper. 1866.
During April of 1866 Prussia concluded an alliance with Italy against Austria, sweetened with
the promise of passing on the Venetian territory if the allies should defeat the Austrian army
in battle. Italy subsequently declared war with Austria on 20 June. Things began to move
rapidly, and on the 24th Austrian troops defeated the Italians at Custozza. The victory was
short-lived, however, as on 3 July the Prussian army defeated the Austrians at the battle of
Königgrätz. Facing the enemy on two fronts, the picture looked grim for the Austrian military
forces and they were ready to capitulate. However the navy supplied a temporary morale
boost when, just over two weeks after the devastating defeat at Königgrätz, it was victorious
over the Italian fleet.
The Battle of Lissa, 20 July 1866. View of the triple-deck Austrian battleship Kaiser ramming
one of the Italian ironclads.
On 20 July 1866, off the island of Lissa in the eastern Adriatic, the Novara was one of 27
Austrian warships, carrying some 532 guns and commanded by the 38 year old Rear Admiral
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, which defeated the Italian fleet of 37 ships (645 guns) under the
command of Admiral Persano. This was the first major naval battle on the high seas since
Trafalgar, and the first between squadrons of ironclad vessels. The largely wooden fleet of
the Austrians was forced to take on both wooden and ironclad vessels of the Italian navy - a
navy which had specifically been built up over the previous 6 years to take on the Austrian
fleet. The Novara's commander, Captain Erich von Klint (actually Swedish officer Erik af
Klint), was killed by a cannonball during the early stages of the engagement. The London Times
newspaper of 26 July reproduced a lively Viennese report of the encounter, as follows:
Vienna, 22 July 1866
"Admiral Tegethoff, the same who on May 12, 1864, had to retire before the brave little
squadron of Danes in the action off Heligoland, was on board the armour-plated frigate
Archduke Maximillian, lying off the port of Pola, when a signal from a sloop which had been
sent out to cruise denoted some movement of importance. There were then under steam only
two wooden ships of the line, the Kaiser, three-decker, and a two-decker, and an iron-plated
frigate. With this moderate force the Admiral put to sea, and was joined soon after by
several armoured gunboats.
When in sight of Zara he received intelligence that the Italian fleet, comprising 23 vessels,
most of them iron-plated, were about to attack Lissa. Three other vessels, of which two had
belonged to the fleet of the Austrian Lloyd's, but had recently been converted into vessels of
war, and an armoured corvette, joined the Admiral's squadron. This force, of which the three-
decked Kaiser formed the centre, took up its station at some distance from Lissa, the guns of
which town had on the previous evening crippled an Italian armoured frigate.
Upon the squadron coming into sight the firing both on sea and land became appalling. Four
Italian armoured vessels, two frigates, and two corvettes bore down under full steam upon the
Austrian three-decker. The action became furious, the three-decker, enveloped in smoke,
appeared like some monstrous animal standing at bay against a pack of hounds. Her gunners,
nearly all Dalmatians, and who were not under fire for the first time, replied to the
broadsides of their antagonists by a fire less rapid, but better aimed. The admiral, seeing the
danger in which that ship was placed, went to its aid and directed his own vessel at full speed
upon one of the large Italian frigates. This frigate, already damaged at the water line, was
stove in a little above the deck. A great cry was heard, a loud clamour, an immense gulf
seemed to open amid the waves, and then wide spreading circles were seen upon the surface
of the water which had again become smooth. The frigate had been swallowed up. Its
engulfment was, however, marked by a glorious episode. A half battalion of Bersaglieri, who
were on board, climbed up on to the tops, and, while holding on by the ropes, shouldered their
rifles as on a parade ground and sent a final volley upon the deck of the Archduke Maximillian.
The parting farewell produced terrible effects - 20 killed and 60 wounded falling around the
Admiral, who seemed to be invulnerable.
Scarcely had this event been concluded, when a fearful explosion was heard. A shower of iron
and wooden fragments, mingled with portions of human bodies, fell upon the decks of the
vessels, and an immense wall of water appeared to rise up near the Kaiser. The Austrian
Admiral then found that a hollow shot from one of the guns of the three-decker had caused
the explosion of a second Italian frigate. Thus, two vessels were destroyed, two crews lost,
besides other serious damage to the fleet. On board the Austrian ships the killed were
numerous, among them being one of the most distinguished officers of the Austrian marine,
the Irishman, Captain Eric O'Klin.
Trieste has been illuminated; Spalatro, Zara, and Ragusa, which have furnished the fleet with
many of its combatants, have been decked out with flags. This battle will have a great moral
effect, for it is no mystery that in all the towns just mentioned there exists a party which is
seeking to promote annexation to Italy."
----------
According to the official Austrian account, the battle had lasted some five hours, after which
period the Italian fleet was forced to retire in the direction of Ancona, followed by the
Austrian squadron. Those Italian vessels sunk during the action included the flagship ironclad
Re d'Italia and the cruiser Palestro. The outcome was reported quite differently in the
Italian papers, as the following notice from the same edition of the Times reveals:
Milan, 22 July 1866
"The [Italian] fleet has at last shaken off its immobility. After quitting the waters of Ancona
it proceeded towards the island of Lissa, which it bombarded. The Austrian fleet, although
inferior in number, offered battle to the Italian squadron. The information already received is
very confused, but from dispatches recently arrived, we gather some interesting facts.
It appears that on board the Austrian ships were embarked a number of Tyrolese
sharpshooters, whose fire inflicted much damage to the Italians. Two of the Italian vessels
are lost, but one the Palestro - although the official account is silent upon the point - was
captured by the enemy and blown up by its crew rather than haul down its flag. Besides the
two vessels lost, three others were entirely hors de combat.
The action in its results was indecisive, but the retirement of the Austrians gave an
appearance of victory to the Italians. One result of the action, however, was to demonstrate
the superiority of the French ironplating over that of other countries. The Italian squadron
comprised several vessels built and plated in France, not one of which has suffered,
notwithstanding the terrible fire of the Austrians. On the contrary, all the vessels
constructed in England are in a deplorable condition, and have their armour-plating pierced.
The Re d'Italia, which sunk almost at a stroke, was a vessel of very large dimensions, quite
new, and entirely constructed in English yards."
The official Italian account stated that, upon siting the Austrian fleet, Admiral Persano put
out to meet them, whereupon he "... hoisted his flag on the Affondatore, and bore down upon
the Austrian fleet under a heavy fire. The stern of the Austrian Admiral's vessel was
destroyed. The fight was very severe. We lost the ironclad Re d'Italia, which the Admiral
had left, and which sank from a collision with the enemy at the commencement of the battle.
The ironclad gunboat Palestro caught fire, and the commander and crew refused to leave the
vessel. She blew up amid their cries of "Long live the king! Long live Italy!" No other vessel
was lost or fell into enemy hands. The Admiral renewed the attack upon the Austrian
squadron, which retired to Lesina without waiting for our fleet to come up, and the Austrians
continuing their retreat the Italian squadron remained mistress of the scene of action. The
damages sustained by the enemy are considerable."
----------
The initial Italian reports of the engagement were erroneous, and it was not until three days
after the event that the true scale of their defeat was revealed. The Italian fleet was less
than five years old, having been specifically built up to face the Austrians. Unfortunately
Admiral Persano was not up to the task - he was old, and did not have the support of his
officers. He also made decisions during the Lissa campaign - decisions often forced upon him
by the government - which led directly to the defeat. For example, prior to the campaign he
had all the Italian vessels painted grey. This made it easier for Tegethoff to identify the
enemy during the heat of battle, as the grey stood out from the darker Austrian ships. As he
late boasted: "It was hard to make out friend from foe, so I just rammed away at anything I
saw painted grey."
In actual fact, the Italian fleet had been soundly defeated, in no small part due to the
incompetent leadership of Admiral Persano, the ill-preparedness of the Italian vessels and
crew, the absence of support from junior officers, and the tactical skill of Admiral
Tegetthoff. On the other side, and despite losses of men and extensive damage to the fleet,
Lissa was seen as an overwhelming victory for the Austrians. An Italian historian in 1895
spoke of their squadron's 'annihilation' at Lissa. A contemporary commission of inquiry put the
blame squarely at the feet of Admiral Persano, though he was merely a scapegoat - an old man
who never wanted the job anyway, and who had been forced to take on the Austrian fleet or
loose his rank. The Austrian victory did much to secure a sense of camaraderie and allegiance
to the Empire amongst the many disparate ethnic groups which made up the sailors of the
fleet, right through until the time of World War I. Unfortunately the Austrian navy's glorious
victory could not nullify the defeats of her land-based forces at the hands of the Italian and
Prussian armies. A week after the sea battle of Lissa, Austria concluded a peace with Prussia
and with Italy the following month. By the end of 1866 Schleswig-Holstein had been
incorporated into Prussia and Italy had gained the Venetian territory. In 1867 the Habsburg
Empire was split into the Empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary, with a subsequent
cutback in support for the navy as a result of Hungarian indifference towards the fleet.
Unfortunately the navy's glorious victory at Lissa did not translate into a glorious peace.
Death of Ferdinand Maximillian 1867
While the Novara's fighting days were over following Lissa, other duties of import were on
the horizon. At a time when the country's morale was at an ebb following on the loss of the
war with Italy and Prussia, a further blow which hit hard at the navy came when their staunch
supporter and late Commander in Chief, Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian, was executed by
firing squad at Queretaro, Mexico, on 19 June 1867. His attempt to impose a European
monarchy upon the Mexican people was doomed from the start. It ended most tragically with
his execution by firing squad on the order of rebel leader Benito Juarez, and the descent into
insanity of his young wife Charlotte. The Archduke's favourite ship theNovara was called on
to perform the solemn task of bringing his body back to Austria for a State funeral. With
Admiral Tegetthoff travelling on ahead to make the necessary arrangements, the stately
frigate sailed to Vera Cruz to retrieve the former cadet and brother of the Emperor.
The Novara (left) at Vera Cruz receiving the body of Emperor Maximillian. The HMS Niger is seen at anchor in the right of
picture. Engraving from the Illustrated London News.
Tegetthoff had a great deal of difficulty in retrieving the body from the Mexicans, and its
condition upon receipt was far from ideal. Upon returning to Trieste on 16 January 1868, the
Archduke's body was transferred to a funeral barge and, amid much ceremony, buried in the
Habsburg imperial crypt under Vienna's Capuchin Church.
Thousands of people lined the piers and quays of Trieste as the Novara drew up on the
evening of the 15th, followed by other vessels of the squadron. On hand to accompany
Maximillian's body through the streets of Trieste was the Novara's former commander and
late Austrian Minister for Commerce, Vice-Admiral Baron Wüllerstorf-Urbair.
The reception of the body of Emperor Maximilian from the Novara at Trieste harbour. Engraving from the Illustrated London News.
American Visit 1871
At the time of Ferdinand Maximillian's death the Novara was coming to the end of her period
of active service. Modern ironclad and steam-powered vessels were taking her place as front-
line fighting frigates. Despite this, in 1868 her armaments were again upgraded, and
comprised: 13 x 24 pounder Wahrendorf breech-loading guns, and 32 x 30 pounder muzzle-
loading guns.
In 1870-1 the Novara was refitted a final time. She could now accommodate a crew of 447,
whilst her new armaments included: 20 x 24 pounder breech-loading guns; 10 x 24 breech-
loading guns on deck; 2 x 24 pounder breech-loading guns on pivots; 2 x 3 pounder landing
guns. Following the refit, she crossed the Atlantic to visit the American east coast, and was
morred in New York harbour when news came through of the premature death of Admiral
Tegetthoff on 7 April 1871. A memorial service in his honour was held on board the Novara on
1 May and attended by both naval and diplomatic dignitaries. The New York Times on 26 April
published a brief history of the ship and of its present mission - a fitting epitath to a grand
old vessel. It reads as follows:
Our Austrian Visitor
Honors to the Frigate Novara - Description and History of the Vessel - Her Officers and
Equipment
As stated in the Times yesterday, the Austrian screw-frigate Novara, now lying at anchor off the Battery,
arrived at this port on Monday, from Annapolis, and saluted the United States with twenty-one guns. The
military authorities, through some misunderstanding, did not return the salute until noon yesterday. During the
day a salute of nine guns was fired from the frigate in honor of the visit of the Austrian consul,and at 4 o'clock
the flag of Port-Admiral Stringham was saluted, which was duly and promptly returned by the United States
corvette Ticonderoga, Commander Oscar C. Badger.
The Times naval reporter visited the Novara yesterday, and was most courteously received by the officers,
who furnished him with much interesting information. The Novara was originally a sailing frigate, but when
the navy was reorganized she was converted into an auxiliary screw. Under canvas she has a speed of fourteen
knots, while under full steam she makes twelve knots. her engines are of 500 horse-power. her battery
consists of fifteen breech-loading rifles on the spar deck, and thirty muzzle-loading guns on the gun deck. the
rifles are 52 pounders, while the smooth bore guns are 42 pounders. The hull of the vessel is 215 feet in
length; 45 feet beam; draft, 20 feet 5 inches aft; 17 feet 9 inches forward. Her tonnage is 2.497 tons Austrian
measurement.
The Novara is a fovorite ship in the Austrian navy, having distinguished herself in the famous battle of Lissa.
The first shoot fired in this engagement was by the Italians, and that shot proved fatal to the commander of
this ship. He was standing on the bridge; the shot struck him fair in the breast, and a brave and noble officer
was no more. The identical spot is now marked on the bridge by a brass plate, inscribed as follows:
"Errik of Klint, Lissa, 20 Juli 1866"
To the officers this is a sacred spot, and is to them a constant reminder of the fate of war, and how a nation
will preserve the memory of her brave men. The plate is polished bright and will ever be an object of interest
to visitors.
The naval student, as well as the general visitor, will find much on board to interest and instruct him - among
other things, a mechanical arrangement fro firing an entire or any combination of either battery at a given
instant, which is under the control of the commanding officer on the bridge. The fifteen guns which have been
previously trained upon an object can, at the proper time, be firedsimultaneously.
The ship possesses no little attractiveness and interest from the fact that it was on her decks that the lamented
ex-Emperor Maximillian learned his rudiments of seamanship, and on whose books his illustrious name was
for a long time borne. He made a cruize around the world and to the brazils in her, and one of the officers on
board at the present time, Baron von Haun, was attached to his personal staff.
The vessel at the time of our visit was in fine order., considering the work going on. Her crew consists of 520
men, speaking no less than seven different languages. The official language is German, and the orders are
transmitted in that tongue; still, comparatively few of the crew speak it, therefore the junior officers repeat the
order in Dalmatian, Italian, and variations of other tongues. A finer or heartier set of men are seldom seen on
a foreign man-of-war in our port. The following is a list of her officers:
Captain Josef Aucruhamer von Auconstein; First Lieutenant Frauz Tichisnatch; Lieutenant-Commanders
Baron von Haun, Josef Wostag and Carl Barth; Watch Officers Arthur Muldner,Josef Telchl and Moritz
Bachs; Surgeons Franz gregor, Josef Weil and Carl Marouschek; Paymaster Carl Masena; Midshipmen
Archduke Ritter von Raunam, Adolf Gotz, Gustav Kork, Julius James Haflner, Josef C. Nemling, Herman
Schruber, Euench Gyjerjso von Saint-Szepei Martonos, Max Kubscheva, August Marno Rebler von
Eichenhorst, Rucien Zeigler, Carl Frees, Richard Tizzighelli, Richard Basso and Hugo von Balmote;
Engineers jacob Furcho, Auben Frey, Carl Rehberger, Henrich Binger and Avdio Celbrecht.
The Novara was named in honor of the battle of Novara, fought and won by Redetsky in 1848. In 1856 she
made a voyage around the globe, having on board Prince Maximillian, who was then a lieutenant under
instructions. She has a class of active midshipmen, fifteen in number, on board; many of whom are from the
noblest families in Austria. The midshipmen are all nominated by the Admirals. None of the officers have
ever visited the United States before.
The Novara will remain in port about three
weeks, when she will proceed to the
eastward, and possibly will call at Boston.
New York was visited by an Austrian man-
of-war in 1832 and again in 1867, these
times being the only ones, we believe, that
a naval vessel of that country has been in
our waters. Most of the officers speak
English very fluently, and are a fine lot of
gentlemen. It is understood that a veriety of
festivities will takep lace on board the
vessel during her stay here.
----------
Gunnery Trainer: Final Days
Following the Novara's return to Pola
from America, sail-training duties
continued until 22 August 1876 when
the vessel became a hulk. In 1881 her
engines were removed and she was transformed into a gunnery training ship on 22 June 1881.
The Novara saw out her final days in this role, before being stricken on 22 October 1898, and
scrapped the following year.
Thus ended the career of a once grand sailing frigate of the Austrian navy. A favourite of the
Commander-in-Chief Ferdinand Maximillian, she had been built to the highest standards by
Venetian shipwrights, and as such during the 1850s was a seagoing personification of the
Habsburg monarchy and Austrian society of the day. The Novara goes down in history as the
first German warship to undertake a round-the-world scientific expedition, and for this alone
is perhaps remembered before any other vessel of the once proud Austrian navy. Her
association with the unfortunate Ferdinand Maximillian is also noteworthy; whilst she played a
significant support role in the victory at Lissa in 1866.
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The Novara as a gunnery training ship at Pola circa
1890. Original photograph, reproduced in Aichelburg
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Turner, Brian, 'Novara: Austria's Ship of Fate', in 'Heligoland Bight - Wooden Ship's Last Sea
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Williams, N., Chronology of the Modern World: 1863 to the Present Time, Barrie & Rockliff,
London, 1966.
Index | Ship History | Scherzer Diary | Expedition Narrative | Sydney | Selleny |
Bibliography | Novara Expedition
Hochstetter I Blanche Mitchell Diary | Minnie Mann Diary | Hochstetter II | FitzRoy Dock |
Scherzer in Sydney
Frauenfeld Diary | Incident at Sikyana | Sydney Chronology | Appendicies
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