Page 59 - Adriatico 1848. Ricerca e significato della contrapposizione marittima - Atti 25 settembre 1998
P. 59
THE AUSTRIAN NAVY IN THE ADRIATIC SEA IN 'l'HE REVOI.UTlONARY YEAR 1848 49
After the death, one month laler, 01' his successor, the 82-years old vice-admi-
ral Dandolo, captain Marinovich took ovcr the intermedimy high-commancl 01' the
navy. End 01' 1847 the Emperor appointed the director 01' the l'amous military acca-
clemy 01' Wiener Neustadt, licutenant-fieicl-marshal von Mattini as high-comman-
cler and vicc-admiral 01' thc Austro-Venctian navy. This appointment was made
against thc will 01' Martini himself, as hc realised that he had no experience what-
soever in naval matters ancl as he would have preferrecl by far the command 01' a
cavahy-brigade. He thcrel'orc heavily miscalcutecl also the coming revolutionary
clanger in the navy. In such an unusual and unsatisfying way l'or the imperial navy
ended the year 1847.
The Austrian navy in the revolutionary year 1848
The europewide revolutionary evcnts 01' 1848 had multip!e, mainly econo-
mica!, libcration, national and democratic-republican roots.
After first population movements in Milano in January 1848 and after popu-
lar upheavals in Paris, Milano, Padua ancl Brescia, the rcvo!ution finally broke !oose
in Vienna on March 13th, on which day thc mighty chanccllor 01' the Austrian empi-
re, Metternich, had to resign ancl to l1ee. Soon many 01' the COllntries 01' the Austrian
il11periulI1 stoocl in revollitionaty namcs.
In Venice the revollition, which hacl mainl)' national ancl republican roots,
broke its way in the arsenal 01' the Austro-Venetian navy on March 22nc!. The direc-
tor 01' the arscnal, the alreacly mentionecl ancl hated captain Marinovich was mur-
clerecl in a very cruel wa)', thc commancler 01' the marincs-b,attalion, major Gabriel
baron Bllcly de 13ator, a I-Iungarian, was hcavily wounted. Finally the high-com-
mander 01' thc navy vice-admiral von Mattini was imprisoned ancl thc revolutio-
nar)' repllblicans 01' Venice took control 01' thc port, thc arsenal, the ships ancl the
Italian personal 01' the Austro-Venetian navy located in Venice. The dvil governor
01' Venice, thc Hllngarian COllnt pallry ancl the cOl11mander 01' the military fortress
01' Venice, thc Hungarian count Zichy, aftcr desertion 01' the Italians l'rom the troo-
ps hacl to sign a capitulation document ancl were allowecl to leave Venice with
their non Italian troops,
On thc sa me day 01' the 22ncl 01' March, the army 01' thc Kingdom 01' Sardinia
crossed thc border to the I-Iabsburg Kingclom 01' Lombarcly and forced the governor
and military commanclcr fielcl-marshal Racletzky to leave Milano with his troops ancl
lo relreal in lo the prolecting fortress syslem 01' Verona-Lcgnano-Mantua-Pcschiera.
I-Iow was the situation on the Austro-Venctian l1eet at sea outsicle 01' Venice?
Alreacly before the revollition in Venice startecl, the navy under Marinovich hacl
cautiously cletachecl a major part 01' the operational l1eet to more clistant waters so
that it was I~lr away l'rom the events in Venice ancl without direct communication
with them. Alter the starting success 01' thc rcvolution in Venice the loyal remainig
parts 01' the Austrian navy restructurecl themselves quickly in Trieste under the
