Japanese cruiser Matsushima

and made a 160-day, 7000 nautical mile cruise off the shores of China, Korea and Russia.

After the start of the First Sino-Japanese War, the "Matsushima" was the flagship of Admiral Ito Sukeyuki. It played a central role in the Battle of the Yalu River, where an ammunition explosion killed 90 crewmen, more than half of the Japanese casualties during the battle. During the battle, the "Matsushima" got off only 4 rounds of her 320 mm cannon, the "Itsukushima" 5 rounds, and the "Hashidate" 5 rounds. Of these shots, it appears that only one was a direct hit on any ships in the Chinese fleet. The "Matsushima" saw subsequent action in the attack on Weihaiwei.

After the end of the war, the "Matsushima" was reclassified as a 2nd class cruiser on 21 March 1898. Prince Arisugawa Takehito (1862-1913) was later appointed captain, followed by Uryu Sotokichi.

From 3 May 1898 to 15 September 1898, the Matsushima was assigned to patrolling the sea lanes between Taiwan and Manila, during the period of heightened tension between Japan and the United States during the Spanish-American War.

In 1900, the Matsushima escorted Japanese transports to China during the Boxer Rebellion.

In 1902, the "Matsushima" was dispatched to Minami Torishima, in response to American claims that the island was US territory.

In 1903, the Matsushima made the first of its long distance navigational training voyages, visiting Southeast Asia and Australia. It would later repeat this voyage in 1906, 1907 and 1908.

During the Russo-Japanese War, the hopelessly obsolete "Matsushima" and her sister ships were assigned to the 5th squadron of the reserve 3rd Fleet, together with the equally outdated ironclad battleship under the command of Admiral Shichiro Kataoka. It was present at the blockade of Port Arthur, the Battle of the Yellow Sea and the final Battle of Tsushima. Later assigned the Japanese 4th Fleet, it was part of the flotilla that provided protection for the Japanese invasion of Sakhalin.

On 30 April 1908, while on a training cruise for the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, an accident in the ammunition storage locker of the "Matsushima" caused a massive explosion, which sank the vessel while in route in the Pescadores islands off of Taiwan, with loss of 207 of her 350 member crew.

A memorial to the "Matsushima"-class ships in general, and the "Matsushima" in particular is located at the temple of Omido-ji in Mihama, Aichi prefecture. The memorial contains one of the "Matsushima's" 320 mm shells, weighing 450 kg, and standing 97.5 cm tall.

Gallery

References

* Evans, David. "Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941". US Naval Institute Press (1979). ISBN 0870211927
* Howarth, Stephen. "The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945". Atheneum; (1983) ISBN 0689114028
* Jane, Fred T. "The Imperial Japanese Navy". Thacker, Spink & Co (1904) ASIN: B00085LCZ4
* Jentsura, Hansgeorg. "Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945". Naval Institute Press (1976). ISBN 087021893X
* Schencking, J. Charles. "Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922". Stanford University Press (2005). ISBN 0804749779