 Itsukushima, the lead ship of theMatsushima class | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Matsushima class |
| Operators |  Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Preceded by | Naniwa class |
| Built | 1888–1894 |
| In commission | 1891–1926 |
| Planned | 4 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Cancelled | 1 |
| Lost | 1 (Matsushima) |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement | 4,217long tons (4,285 t) (Matsushima); 4,278long tons (4,347 t) (Itsukushima andHashidate) |
| Length | 91.81 m (301 ft 3 in)w/l |
| Beam | 15.6 m (51 ft 2 in) |
| Draft | 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion | 2-shaftreciprocating; 6 boilers; 5,400 hp (4,000 kW), 680 tons coal |
| Speed | 16.5knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h) |
| Complement | 360 |
| Armament |
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| Armor |
|
TheMatsushima class (松島型防護巡洋艦,Matsushima-gata bōgojun'yōkan) was aclass ofprotected cruisers of theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN), with three ships named after thethree most famous scenic spots in Japan (nicknamedSankeikan (三景艦, 'three-views ships')). TheMatsushima class was a highly unorthodox design among cruisers of the 1890s, as each ship had a primary armament of a single massive 320 millimetres (13 in)Canet gun, resulting in amonitor-like appearance.
Forming the backbone of the Imperial Japanese Navy during theFirst Sino–Japanese War, theMatsushima-class cruisers were based on the principles ofJeune Ecole, as promoted byFrench military advisor andnaval architectLouis-Émile Bertin.[1] The Japanese government did not have the resources or budget to build a largebattleship navy to counter the heavier vessels of the Imperial ChineseBeiyang Fleet; instead, Japan adopted the radical theory of using smaller, faster warships, with light armor and small caliber long-range guns, coupled with a massive single main weapon. The design eventually proved impractical, as the recoil from the huge cannon was too much for vessels of such small displacement, and reloading time on the cannon was impractically long; however, theMatsushima-class cruisers served their purpose well against the poorly equipped and poorly led Imperial Chinese Beiyang Fleet.[2]
There were originally plans to build a fourth vessel in this class, and its cancellation due to concerns over the design was one of the factors that led to Bertin's resignation and return to France.
TheMatsushima-class vessels had steel hulls with 94 frames constructed of mild steel, and a double bottom, divided into waterproof compartments, with the area between the bulkheads and armor filled withcopra. The bow was reinforced with anaval ram. The vital equipment, including boilers andammunition magazines, were protected by hardened steel armor, as were the gun shields. Themain armament consisted of one breech-loading 320-millimetre (12.6 in)Canet gun mounted in thebow of the ship (or in the stern in the case ofMatsushima), which could fire 450-kilogram (990 lb) armor-piercing or 350-kilogram (770 lb) explosive shells at an effective range of 8,000 metres (8,700 yd). The maximum rate of fire was two rounds per hour, and the ship carried 60 rounds. Secondary armament consisted ofQF 4.7 inch Gun Mk I–IVArmstrong guns, with a maximum range of 9,000 metres (9,800 yd) and maximum rate of fire of 12 rounds/minute. Ten were mounted on the gun deck, five to each side, with the 11th gun located on the upper deck of thefantail onItsukushima andHashidate, whereasMatsushima has a 12th gun on the fantail. Each gun was equipped with 120 rounds. Tertiary protection was byQF 6 pounder Hotchkiss mounted insponsons on the upper deck, with a maximum range of 6,000 metres (6,600 yd) and rate of fire of 20 rounds/minute. Each gun had 300 rounds. In addition,QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss were mounted at various locations, with range of 2,200 metres (2,400 yd), rate of fire of 32 rounds/minute, and 800 rounds per gun. Each ship in the class also had four 356-mmtorpedo tubes, three in the bow and one in the stern, with a total of 20 torpedoes carried on board.[3][4]
Propulsion was by twotriple expansion steam engines with six boilers, driving two shafts at a rated power of 5,400 hp (4,000 kW). Theoretical speed was 16.5knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h), which was seldom realistic in actual service.[3]
Built by theSociété Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée naval shipyards inFrance; launched on 18 July 1889; completed on 3 September 1891. Struck on 12 March 1926 and scrapped.[5]
Built by theSociété Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée naval shipyards in France; launched on 22 January 1890; completed on 5 April 1892.Matsushima differed from her two sister ships in that the Canet gun was mounted abaft the superstructure, rather than forward. Sunk on 30 April 1908 after an accidental explosion while at anchor in thePescadores islands offTaiwan, with the loss of 207 of her 350 crewmembers.[5]
The only ship of the class built in Japan, by theYokosuka Naval Arsenal; launched on 24 March 1891; completed on 26 June 1894. Struck on 1 April 1922 and scrapped in 1927.[5]
All three ships of theMatsushima class were completed just prior to the start of theFirst Sino-Japanese War, and saw combat in theBattle of the Yalu River and the subsequentBattle of Weihaiwei.
During theRusso-Japanese War the three ships of theMatsushima class, by then hopelessly obsolete, were assigned to the 5th squadron of the reserveIJN 3rd Fleet, together with the equally outdatedironclad battleshipChin'en, under the command of AdmiralShichiro Kataoka. All were present at the blockade ofPort Arthur, theBattle of the Yellow Sea, and the finalBattle of Tsushima. Later assigned to theIJN 4th Fleet, all were part of the flotilla that provided protection for the Japanese invasion ofSakhalin.
