Japanese cruiser Naniwa
| The cruiser Naniwa | | Career | |
|---|
| Built: | Armstrong Whitworth, Great Britain |
| Ordered: | 1883 fiscal year |
| Laid down | March 27 1884 |
| Launched: | March 18 1885 |
| Completed: | December 1 1885 |
| Fate: | Grounded August 5 1912 |
| General Characteristics |
|---|
| Displacement: | 3,650 tons |
| Length: | 91.4 m |
| Beam: | 14 m |
| Draught: | 6.1 m |
| Propulsion: | 3-shaft reciprocating; 7,000 HP |
| Speed: | 18.5 knots |
| Fuel: | - | Complement: | 325 |
Armament:
*2 × 260 mm guns
*6 × 150 mm guns
*2 × 6 pound guns
*10 x quadruple Nordenfeldt guns
*4 x Gatling guns
*4 × 380 mm torpedos |
| Armor: | 50-75 mm deck; 37 mm guns shields; 37 mm conning tower |
The
Naniwa (浪速) was the first
protected cruiser built specifically for the
Imperial Japanese Navy. It was built in the
Armstrong Whitworth shipyard in
Great Britain. The name
Naniwa comes from an ancient province of
Japan, now part of
Osaka-fu.
The Japanese naval architect Sasō Sachū based its design on that of the earlier
Esmeralda-class (i.e. the
IJN Izumi), and the
British Elswick class but with superior specifications. When completed, the
Naniwa was considered the most advanced and most powerful
cruiser in the world.
She had a sister ship, the
Takachiho. The two together cost £546,980. Admiral Seki attended the launch, and the dinner in the County Hotel with
William Armstrong,
Prince Yamashine, Mr J. Hayi (naval constructor) Mr Miyabara (senior engineer). Lord Armstrong said that "the ship was destined to the service of a country which was likely never to come into collision with our own peace-loving country". A Major S.T. Bridgford received £4,000 commission on the sale of the two cruisers and was then appointed as the agent for Armstrong in
Japan.
Prior to the start of
First Sino-Japanese War, and under the command of Captain (later Admiral)
Togo Heihachiro, the
Naniwa sank the British transport ship
Kowshing, which was working for the
Imperial Chinese Navy ferrying hundreds of Chinese soldiers towards
Korea. The sinking almost caused a diplomatic incident between
Japan and
Great Britain, but it was recognized by British jurists as being in conformity with
International Law. The
Naniwa later was in combat during the critical
Battle of Yalu River (1894).
The
Naniwa was re-designated a 2nd-class cruiser on
21 March 1898. During the
Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, it participated in the
Battle of Chemulpo Bay, and was subsequently assigned to the Fourth Division of the
Combined Fleet, where it served as the flagship for
Rear Admiral Uriu Sotokichi.
After the war, the
Naniwa was assigned to patrol of the northern sea lanes. On
26 July 1910, the
Naniwa ran aground on the coast of
Urup, in the
Kurile Islands, and sank [46.30N, 150.10E].
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The Naniwa (Japanese)
