 The assistance of the Austro @-@ Hungarian fleet was called upon by the German Mediterranean Division , which consisted of the battlecruiser SMS Goeben and light cruiser SMS Breslau . The German ships were attempting to break out of Messina , where they had been coaling prior to the outbreak of war — British ships had begun to assemble off Messina in an attempt to trap the Germans . By this time , the Austro @-@ Hungarians had not yet fully mobilized their fleet , though the three Radetzkys and three Tegetthoffs , along with several cruisers and smaller craft , were available . The Austro @-@ Hungarian high command , wary of instigating war with Great Britain , ordered the fleet to avoid the British ships , and only to support the Germans openly while they were in Austro @-@ Hungarian waters . On 7 August , when the Germans broke out of Messina , the Austro @-@ Hungarian fleet , including the Tegetthoff @-@ class battleships , sailed as far south as Brindisi , before returning to port . 
