S.M. Korvette Fasana

The Austro-Hungarian Navy invested in scientific-research and educational voyages with their sailing ships. In addition to several ships that sailed around the world collecting different experience and spreading information about the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, a beautiful steam-powered sailing ship promoted the name of Fažana all over the world. This was the three-masted wooden ship “Fasana”. Constructed and launched at the Trieste shipyard, with 70 meters in length and displacement of 2500t, she carried 256 crew members and 18 officers. On September 1, 1891 she sailed from Pula harbor, passing Algiers and Gibraltar, across the Atlantic Ocean and in mid-November sailed into Rio de Janeiro. After Montevideo, Punta Arenas and Valparaiso, on April 23, 1892 she arrived in San Francisco. En route to Hawaii Captain Schweisgut dies and is buried in Honolulu. The voyage continues with the new captain Julius Ripper towards Japan where she is caught in a typhoon. Then she sails into Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka, and finally in January 1893 sails into the Gulf of Aden. After 17 months, on February 14, 1893 she returns and sails into Pula harbor. From July 1871 to March 1895 “Fasana” sailed around the world six times, after which she remained in active service for two more years. In 1897 she was converted into a hulk and used as a school ship for training special diversionists. In 1902 the ship’s name was changed to “Gamma” and was also used as a school ship for underwater mine-laying training and educating telegraphists.