Japanese cruiser Naniwa
Encyclopedia
was the first protected cruiser
built specifically for the Imperial Japanese Navy
. She was the lead ship
of the s, built in the Armstrong Whitworth
shipyard in Great Britain
. The name Naniwa comes from an ancient province of Japan
, now part of Osaka-fu. Naniwa had a sister ship
, the .
General Sasō Sachū (佐双左仲; 1852-1907) based the design on the best features of several contemporary cruisers, but with superior specifications, and the design was ordered to Great Britain. When completed, Naniwa was considered the most advanced and most powerful cruiser
in the world .
During the naval review
of February 1887, Emperor Meiji
boarded Naniwa in Tokyo, and rode her to Yokohama
.
In 1893, Naniwa made two voyages to Honolulu, Hawaii
to provide protection for Japanese citizens and to indicate Japanese concern during the Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
by American marines and colonists. The second voyage led to an incident which became known as the "Black Week
".
Prior to the official declaration of war in First Sino-Japanese War
, and under the command of Captain (later Admiral) Tōgō Heihachirō
, Naniwa sank the British transport ship
Kowshing at the Battle of Pungdo
. Kowshing was working under contract for the Imperial Chinese Navy
ferrying Chinese reinforcements
towards Korea
. The sinking caused a major diplomatic incident between Japan and Great Britain, but it was recognized by British jurists as being in conformity with international law
of the time.
Later in the First Sino-Japanese War, Naniwa was in combat during the critical Battle of the Yalu River
and in operations off of Port Arthur
.
Naniwa was among the Japanese fleet units that took part in the invasion of Taiwan
in 1895, and saw action on 3 June and 13 October 1895, during the respective bombardments of the Chinese coastal forts at Keelung
and Takow (Kaohsiung)
.
Naniwa was again sent to Hawaii from 20 April-26 September 1897, when the new Republic of Hawaii
banned Japanese immigration and anti-Japanese sentiment
appeared to endanger the Japanese population.
Naniwa was re-designated a 2nd-class cruiser on 21 March 1898, and was based in Taiwan
, partly as a counter point to the build-up of American forces in Asia during the Spanish-American War
. From 1898-1900, her role was primarily to patrol the sea lanes between Taipei
and Manila
. However, she was assigned to help cover the Japanese landings in China during the Boxer Rebellion
of late 1900.
During the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905, Naniwa was based at Tsushima
, and participated in the Battle of Chemulpo Bay
. She was subsequently assigned to the Fourth Division of the Combined Fleet
, where she served as the flagship for Rear Admiral
Uryu Sotokichi
and was thus present at most major encounters of the war, including the crucial Battle of Tsushima
.
After the war, Naniwa was assigned to patrol of the northern sea lanes around Hokkaidō
. On 26 July 1910, while on a surveying mission, she ran aground on the coast of Urup
in the Kurile Islands, and sank at 46°30′N 150°10′E.
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
built specifically for the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. She was the lead ship
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
of the s, built in the Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
shipyard in Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The name Naniwa comes from an ancient province of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, now part of Osaka-fu. Naniwa had a sister ship
Sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
, the .
Background
The Japanese naval architectNaval architecture
Naval architecture is an engineering discipline dealing with the design, construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture involves basic and applied research, design, development, design evaluation and calculations during all stages of the life of a...
General Sasō Sachū (佐双左仲; 1852-1907) based the design on the best features of several contemporary cruisers, but with superior specifications, and the design was ordered to Great Britain. When completed, Naniwa was considered the most advanced and most powerful cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
in the world .
Service Life
Naniwa arrived at Shinagawa, Tokyo on 26 June 1886. She was the first warship purchased by Japan overseas to be brought to Japan with an entirely Japanese crew. Soon after reaching Japan, her main battery of 260 mm (10.2 in) guns was replaced with smaller 150 mm (5.9 in) guns for stability, and for standardization of ammunition with other ships of the Japanese Navy.During the naval review
Naval Review
A Naval Review is an event, where the whole of the US Navy is paraded to be reviewed by the president or the Secretary of the Navy. It often includes delegates from other national navies. It is more regular and frequent than its British equivalent, the Fleet Review, and often occurs on a Navy...
of February 1887, Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
boarded Naniwa in Tokyo, and rode her to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
.
In 1893, Naniwa made two voyages to Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to provide protection for Japanese citizens and to indicate Japanese concern during the Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy
Until the 1890s the Kingdom of Hawaii was an independent sovereign state, recognized by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Germany. Though there were threats to Hawaii's sovereignty throughout the Kingdom's history, it was not until the signing, under duress, of the Bayonet...
by American marines and colonists. The second voyage led to an incident which became known as the "Black Week
Black Week (Hawaii)
The Black Week was a crisis in Honolulu, Hawaii that nearly caused a war between the Provisional Government there and United States.-Background:President Grover Cleveland of the United States denounced the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom...
".
Prior to the official declaration of war in First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, and under the command of Captain (later Admiral) Tōgō Heihachirō
Togo Heihachiro
Fleet Admiral Marquis was a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He was termed by Western journalists as "the Nelson of the East".-Early life:...
, Naniwa sank the British transport ship
Ship transport
Ship transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
Kowshing at the Battle of Pungdo
Battle of Pungdo
The Battle of Pungdo or Feng-tao was the first naval battle of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on 25 July 1894 offshore of Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Korea between cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy of Meiji Japan and components of the Beiyang Fleet of Qing China.-Background:Both Qing...
. Kowshing was working under contract for the Imperial Chinese Navy
Beiyang Fleet
The Beiyang Fleet was one of the four modernised Chinese navies in the late Qing Dynasty. Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored by Li Hongzhang, one of the most trusted vassals of Empress Dowager Cixi and the principal patron of the "self-strengthening movement" in northern...
ferrying Chinese reinforcements
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
towards Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The sinking caused a major diplomatic incident between Japan and Great Britain, but it was recognized by British jurists as being in conformity with international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
of the time.
Later in the First Sino-Japanese War, Naniwa was in combat during the critical Battle of the Yalu River
Battle of Yalu River (1894)
The Battle of the Yalu River , also called simply 'The Battle of Yalu' took place on September 17, 1894. It involved the Japanese and the Chinese navies, and was the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War...
and in operations off of Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
.
Naniwa was among the Japanese fleet units that took part in the invasion of Taiwan
Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)
The Japanese invasion of Taiwan was a conflict between the Empire of Japan and the armed forces of the short-lived Republic of Formosa following the Qing Dynasty's cession of Taiwan to Japan in April 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War...
in 1895, and saw action on 3 June and 13 October 1895, during the respective bombardments of the Chinese coastal forts at Keelung
Battle of Keelung
The Battle of Keelung was the first important battle of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan . The battle was a Japanese victory.- Background :...
and Takow (Kaohsiung)
Cihou Fort
Qihou Fort or Qihou Battery – 19th century fort, formerly guarding northern entrance to Kaohsiung harbour.- History :First fortifications were built in 1720, during Kangxi's reign. After Japanese expedition in 1874 Chinese authorities constructed a modern fort, which in 1880 had new Armstrong's...
.
Naniwa was again sent to Hawaii from 20 April-26 September 1897, when the new Republic of Hawaii
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
banned Japanese immigration and anti-Japanese sentiment
Anti-Japanese sentiment
Anti-Japanese sentiment involves hatred, grievance, distrust, dehumanization, intimidation, fear, hostility, and/or general dislike of the Japanese people and Japanese diaspora as ethnic or national group, Japan, Japanese culture, and/or anything Japanese. Sometimes the terms Japanophobia and...
appeared to endanger the Japanese population.
Naniwa was re-designated a 2nd-class cruiser on 21 March 1898, and was based in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, partly as a counter point to the build-up of American forces in Asia during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. From 1898-1900, her role was primarily to patrol the sea lanes between Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. However, she was assigned to help cover the Japanese landings in China during the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
of late 1900.
During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905, Naniwa was based at Tsushima
Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese Archipelago situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal...
, and participated in the Battle of Chemulpo Bay
Battle of Chemulpo Bay
The Battle of Chemulpo Bay was an early naval battle in the Russo-Japanese War , which took place on 9 February 1904, off the coast of present-day Incheon, Korea.-Background:...
. She was subsequently assigned to the Fourth Division of the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
, where she served as the flagship for Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Uryu Sotokichi
Uryu Sotokichi
Baron was an early admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, active in the Russo-Japanese War, most notably at the Battle of Chemulpo Bay and the Battle of Tsushima...
and was thus present at most major encounters of the war, including the crucial Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
.
After the war, Naniwa was assigned to patrol of the northern sea lanes around Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. On 26 July 1910, while on a surveying mission, she ran aground on the coast of Urup
Urup
Urup is an uninhabited volcanic island near in the south of the Kuril Islands chain in the Sea of Okhotsk in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Its name is derived from the Ainu language word for salmon trout.-Geography and climate:...
in the Kurile Islands, and sank at 46°30′N 150°10′E.