Armored-casemate, double-turreted monitor ships. Ram bow, overhanging stern. The casemate surrounds the boilers, engines, and turrets, occupying about one third of the ship. The lower edge of the casemate is carried forward and aft in a steel deck three inches thick, the deck curving down forward below the point of the ram. The upper deck is also plated fore and aft with two-inch steel plates. The turrets are placed diagonally to open full fore-and-aft and beam fire. The two sets of boilers and engines are grouped one abaft the other, the boilers being arranged transversely between the sets of engines. Twin screws, no sail-power, no superstructure. Designed by Admiral Brin. [Illustration: DUILIO.] PALESTRO. PRINCIPE AMADEO. Armored belt and double casemate. Swan breast, ram bow, straight stern. The belt encloses the water-line to the height of the main-deck beams. Forward is a double casemate or traverse (the rear being unprotected) rising to the top of the topgallant forecastle, and giving protection to two heavy guns on the main-deck, working each in two ports for bow and beam fire, and one heavy rifle on the upper deck working in two ports over the forward main-deck ones for bow-fire. The bow-frames are distorted to open the fire on the main-deck. Aft is a long main-deck traverse protecting four heavy rifles, giving two guns for stern-fire and, if desired, three for beam-fire (one gun may be shifted from side to side). The stern-frames, like those of the bow, are distorted to get stern-fire. Single screw, full sail-power. [Illustration: PALESTRO.] VENEZIA. ROMA. [Illustration: VENEZIA.] Armored belt, long main-deck casemate, and upper-deck bow and stern traverses. Straight bow, round stern. The belt encircles the water-line to the height of the main-deck beams. The casemate is long and trapezoidal in shape, with the corners cut to allow angular ports for fore-and-aft fire. The side forward and abaft the casemate is given a rank tumble home to open the fore-and-aft fire. The casemate surrounds the boilers and engines. On the spar-deck are bow and stern traverses, each protecting a gun working in a single port. The bow and stern upper rail is cut off by the traverses sufficient to give them square fronts. Single screw, full sail-power. ANCONA. CASTELFIDARDO. MARIA PIA. SAN MARTINO. CONTE VERDE. MESSINA. [Illustration: MARIA PIA.] Armored-belt and long-casemate, broadside frigates. Ram bows and round sterns. The armored belt encloses the water-line to the main-deck beams, and is carried up in the casemate to the spar-deck beams. No fore-and-aft fire except from light upper-deck guns. An armored pilot-house just forward of the mizzen-mast. Single screw, full sail-power. TERRIBILE. FORMIDABILE. VARESE. Old-type floating batteries. The Varese has the corners of her casemate cut to give fore-and-aft and beam fire. Walls of casemate tumble home at a sharp angle. Ram bows, twin screws, no sail-power. AFFONDATORE.