Japanese corvette Kaimon

nihongo|IJN "Kaimon"|海門 (スループ)|Kaimon suru-pu　was a wooden armed sloop in the early Imperial Japanese Navy. The name "Kaimon" literally translates to "seagate", but the ship was actually named for Mount Kaimon (written with different "kanji)" in Kagoshima prefecture.

History

Although described by the rather ambiguous terms "gunboat" or "corvette", "Kaimon" was designed as a three-masted bark-rigged sloop-of-war. Its construction required over six years, due to numerous technical issues and problems with funding. During its launching ceremony, a flock of white doves was released, setting a precedent for all future launchings of Japanese warships. (Contrary to popular modern conception, the white dove was regarded as the messenger for the war god Hachiman, and not as a symbol of peace).

With heightened tensions with Korea after the assassination of several members of the Japanese embassy, "Kaimon" was assigned to patrols of the Korean coast in the summer of 1882.

"Kaimon" saw combat service in the First Sino-Japanese War, at the landings of Japanese forces at Chemulpo in Korea, and subsequently at the Battle of Yalu River (1894). After the war, "Kaimon" was designated a second-class gunboat, and was used for coastal patrol duties.

During the Russo-Japanese War, "Kaimon" was assigned to patrol duties between Korea and the Tsushima Strait. It struck a naval mine and sunk on 5 July 1904, off Port Arthur coord|38|50|N|121|50|E. with the loss of its captain and 22 crewmen. It was struck from the Navy List on 21 May 1905.

References

* Corbett, Sir Julian. "Maritime Operations In The Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905". (1994) Originally classified, and in two volumnes, ISBN 155-7501-297
*Chesneau, Roger and Eugene M. Kolesnik (editors), "All The World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905", Conway Maritime Press, 1979 reprinted 2002, ISBN 0-85177-133-5
*Jentsura, Hansgeorg. "Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945". Naval Institute Press (1976). ISBN 087021893X

External links

*cite web
last = Nishida
first = Hiroshi
url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0613.htm
title = Materials of IJN
format =
work = Imperial Japanese Navy
accessdate = 2007-09-03