Page 55 - Adriatico 1848. Ricerca e significato della contrapposizione marittima - Atti 25 settembre 1998

THE AUSTRIAN NAVY IN TI-lE ADRIATIC SEA IN TBE REVOLUTIONARY YEAR 1848 45

the smuggling 01' tobacco ancl salt, jealously protectecl monopoly goocls 01' the
Austrian government. In one case it was even assumed, that a commander 01' a
navy scbool/eJ; ordered by bis superiors to l'ollow a trabaccolo in property 01' his
father and presumably smuggling salt, even steered his navy scbooner deliberately
on a reef to save his t~ttber from prison.
Anotber example: when in one year the scbooners, cloing service in Dalmatia
had to be callee! back to their naval bases, it took a steam boat five (l) months to
fine! ali scbooners in Dalmatia, because their commane!ers, leae!ing a comfortable
lil'e, were evidently not keen at ali to givc up their pleasant yacbting life in the
beautiful archi pelago 01' Dalmatia.
I have mentioned these confirmed examples because they represent an atti-
tude 01' the officers and crews in the Austro-Venetian navy, which is important to
know in arder to undersland the later strong reaction 01' the Austrian Government.
Al'ter some successful sea operations 01' Austro-Venetian naval squaclrons again-
st Marocco and so cali ed Greek pirates had founcl the interest or tbe public in Austria
after 1830, slowly a small number of young Austrians from its mainlancl startecl to
choose a career in the Allstro-Venetian navy. Amongst them tbe most important
was a member 01' the imperial family, archicluke Friedricb VOI1 Osterreich, a son 01'
tbe Etmous ancl well known archiduke Cari, a former high-commancler 01' the Austro-
Venetian navy and tbe first victor over Napoleon in a battle al Aspen near Vienna.
It was eviclent lhat, as I have written in my biography about Priedrich, tbe yOllng
man took his professional clecision in love for the sea ancl l'or ships, but it coulcl
well bave been, lbat the personal policy 01' the imperial family ancl 01' his father
greetecl his decision very strongly in order lo have a representative 01' lhe imperial
family also in this new Austro-Venctian navy. The young archicluke startecl his naval
schooling at the age 01' 14, being educated by the later Scbifl7?cljJititn (Captain) von
Marinovich, who shoulcl al so play a major role in lhe events before ancl cluring
1848. With the age of 16 Friedrich boarcled the fleel in Venice ancl was educateci
nautically at sea cluring various sea travels. Be took actively part as ship comma n-
ciel' in the war 01' European allies againsl the islamic conqueror Mehmet Ali l'rom
Egypt in the Levant in 1840. Being the first Austrian Habsburg, who chose a pro-
fessional career as navy oflker, be was as lhe first naval olTicer 01' the Austro-Venetian
navy awarclecl with the Prussian Order "POllI' le merite" ancl the Order of Maria
Theresia, the higest Austrian mililary award. The decision 01' Priedrich to take the
profession as a naval officer founcl also public interest in the Austrian population
ancl a number 01' further Austrians entered the navy as cadets folIowing him,
amongst them lhe young ancllater l~l1nous Tegetthoff.
Meanwbile in the whole 01' the Italian peninsllia the political movement 01'
the "Giovane Italia" (Young Haly) with the program to liberate ancl unite the Italian
speaking countries under one government hacl developped successfully ancl l'mll1e!
many followers also in lhe Austro-Venetian navy. The two brothers von Bancliera,
both commissioned Austro-Venetian naval officers, clecic\ed to join actively this