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fighting ships of the world

IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY (JAPAN)

CRUISERS

TSUSHIMA protected cruisers (1904)

Niitaka 1905

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
新高 [Niitaka]     Yokosuka K K 7.1.1902 15.11.1902 27.1.1904 foundered 26.8.1922
対馬 [Tsushima]     Kure K K 1.10.1901 15.12.1902 14.2.1904 stricken 1936

  

Displacement normal, t

3366

Displacement full, t

3716

Length, m

102.0 pp 103.5 wl 104.1 oa

Breadth, m

13.4

Draught, m

4.92

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 VTE, 16 Niclausse boilers

Power, h. p.

9500

Max speed, kts

20

Fuel, t

coal 600

Endurance, nm(kts) 4000(10)

Armour, mm

shields: 25, deck: 38 with 64mm slopes, CT: 102

Armament

6 x 1 - 152/40 Armstrong Z, 10 x 1 - 76/40 Armstrong N, 4 x 1 - 47/30 21/2pdr Hotchkiss Mk I

Complement

320

Project history: This was the second cruiser class built to a completely Japanese design. There was little difference between these ships and the earlier Japanese designed Sumo class. They were somewhat larger and the increased displacement helped the designers to overcome certain of the faults experienced with the Suma. As before freeboard was high, but the 152mm guns, which replaced the 120mmn of the Suma, in broadside sponsons were sited slightly lower down on the hull. No fighting tops were fitted to the masts. The combination of a much heavier armament sited lower down resulted in a more seaworthy and powerful vessel, which outclassed many other contemporary protected cruisers.

Ship protection: 38mm deck had 64mm slopes, machinery was protected by 76mm glacis. Guns were protected by 25mm shields. CT had 102mm sides.

Modernizations: 1922, Tsushima: - 2 x 1 - 76/40, 4 x 1 - 47/30

1924, Tsushima: + 1 x 1 - 76/40 3-shiki

Naval service: To the First World War beginning they become outdated, however were actively attracted for patrol and cruiser service. Both ships 1.9.1921 were reclassified to 2nd class coast defence ships. Niitaka 26.8.1922 was wrecked at Kamchatka coast (284 dead) during typhoon. Tsushima was disarmed in 1930, stricken in 1936 and converted to a hulk, scuttled in 1944.

Niitaka

Tsushima

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14