An Elswick cruiser derived from Esmeralda

Giovanni Bausan was laid down while Esmeralda was still new, so the Italian ship reflected an evolving Elswick concept rather than operational experience from an established predecessor. The two shared a pair of 10-inch guns and similar side batteries, yet Bausan was larger and longer. Her Italian-service 150 mm guns, 3,500-nautical-mile range at 10 knots, and slower maximum speed distinguished the new design. Deck protection varied from 0.75 inch toward the ends to 1.5 inches over the machinery, compared with roughly one inch across most of Esmeralda's deck. Their visible family resemblance masked differences substantial enough for the ships to be treated as separate classes.