Japanese gunboat Unyo
Encyclopedia
was an iron-ribbed, wooden-hulled sail-and-steam gunboat
with of the early Meiji period
, serving with the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy
. She was a two-masted brig
with an auxiliary coal-fired steam engine
driving a single screw.
by Chōshū Domain in 1868. It was built by A. Hall & Co., Aberdeen
, Scotland
, and was turned over to the Domain in February 1870 as the Un'yō Maru. On July 25, 1871, she was transferred to the Meiji government and assigned to the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy, as the Un'yō .
in 1874 during the Saga Rebellion
. In May 1875, she carried Japanese diplomats to Busan
in Korea
in an attempt by the Japanese government to open diplomatic relations with the Joseon dynasty
government. After being rebuffed in these negotiations, Japanese government again dispatched Un'yō in September 1875 under the command of Inoue Yoshika
to provoke a military response, in what was later termed the Ganghwa Island incident
, which eventually led to the Treaty of Ganghwa
, which opened the Korean Peninsula
to Japanese trade.
In 1876, Un'yō was assigned to assist in the suppression of the Hagi Rebellion
, another uprising of disaffected former samurai
. Un'yō was severely damaged by grounding off of Kii Peninsula
, and was scrapped the following year.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
with of the early Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, serving with the fledgling 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 a two-masted brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
with an auxiliary coal-fired steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
driving a single screw.
Background
Un'yō was ordered in the United KingdomUnited 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...
by Chōshū Domain in 1868. It was built by A. Hall & Co., Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and was turned over to the Domain in February 1870 as the Un'yō Maru. On July 25, 1871, she was transferred to the Meiji government and assigned to the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy, as the Un'yō .
Service under the Imperial Japanese Navy
Un'yō was one of the ships dispatched to KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
in 1874 during the Saga Rebellion
Saga Rebellion
The was an 1874 uprisings in Kyūshū against the new Meiji government of Japan. It was led by Etō Shimpei and Shima Yoshitake in their native domain of Hizen.-Background:...
. In May 1875, she carried Japanese diplomats to Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
in 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...
in an attempt by the Japanese government to open diplomatic relations with the Joseon dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
government. After being rebuffed in these negotiations, Japanese government again dispatched Un'yō in September 1875 under the command of Inoue Yoshika
Inoue Yoshika
- Notes :...
to provoke a military response, in what was later termed the Ganghwa Island incident
Ganghwa Island incident
The Ganghwa Island incident or the Japanese Battle of Ganghwa , was an armed encounter between the Joseon Dynasty and Japan which occurred in the vicinity of Ganghwa Island on September 20, 1875.-Background:...
, which eventually led to the Treaty of Ganghwa
Treaty of Ganghwa
The Japan-Korea Treaty of Amity, also known as the Treaty of Ganghwa or Treaty of Kanghwa, was made between representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Kingdom of Joseon in 1876...
, which opened the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
to Japanese trade.
In 1876, Un'yō was assigned to assist in the suppression of the Hagi Rebellion
Hagi Rebellion
The 1876 was one of a number of ex-samurai uprisings which took place in the early Meiji period against the new Meiji government of Japan-Background:...
, another uprising of disaffected former samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
. Un'yō was severely damaged by grounding off of Kii Peninsula
Kii Peninsula
The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan. The area south of the “Central Tectonic Line” is called Nankii , and includes the most poleward living coral reefs in the world due to the presence of the warm Kuroshio Current, though these are threatened by global warming and human...
, and was scrapped the following year.