THE PRESENCE OF FOREIGN WARSHIPS IN WATERS OF SPLIT BEFORE WORLD WAR I

Od kraja osmog desetljeća 19. stoljeća pa do početka Prvoga svjetskog rata dalmatinski tisak zabilježio je veći broj dolazaka ratnih brodova prijateljskih zemalja u Split. Prema objavljenim vijestima najčešći posjetitelji bili su njemački ratni brodovi te brodovi iz sastava Britanske sredozemne flote.It is the usual practice for foreign warships to pass through the territorial sea and dock in the harbours of another country in time of peace. These arrivals must follow strict regulations of the international law. Although the Adriatic was under the Austrian rule since 1814, the speedy development of Austrian Navy would not start until the second half of the 19th century. It was then that its war ships made their first appearance in the Adriatic. Warships of another countries, however, had already made their appearance in the harbours along the Adriatic. It was their usual practice to dock at Zadar, Vis and Dubrovnik. At this time, Zadar was the capital city of Dalmatia. Dubrovnik lost its status of naval port in 1886. The very first foreign warship that visited Split in 1886 was the Italian warship. Since then, many ships would arrive in Split. Every arrival was reported by the press, particularly if there was a member of royalty aboard the ship who served as a naval officer. Among the most prominent visitors were future kings Eward VII and George V, and, one of the most remarkable individuals of the 20th century, Winston Churchill. He visited Split in 1913 as Minister of Navy. It was the last visit of this kind due to the outbreak of the World War I in the following year. The British Mediterranean Fleet ships with headquarters in Malta, and German warships, were the most frequent visitors of the Split harbour. The arrivals of French squadron and a Russian warship were also noted before the outbreak of the war. In 1893, Austria-Hungary made specific regulations regarding arrivals of friendly foreign ships in its harbours and territorial waters. These regulations were a basis for all maritime regulations made by maritime states in the future