Japanese gunboat Tsukushi

nihongo|"Tsukushi"|筑紫 was a gunboat in the early Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named for "Tsukushi", the old name for Kyūshū island. Its sister ship the "Chaoyong" was acquired by the Chinese Beiyang Fleet, and was sunk at the Battle of the Yellow Sea.

History

"Tsukushi" was designed by Edward James Reed and at the Armstrong Whitworth shipyards at Newcastle upon Tyne in England as the "Arturo Prat" for Chilean Navy. However, in the middle of construction, Chile cancelled the order for economic reasons, and the Japanese Navy picked up the contract for the semi-completed vessel. It was the first vessel in the Japanese navy to have hydraulically-operated equipment and incandescent light fixtures.

"Tsukushi" arrived in Japan after its shakedown cruise from England on 16 June 1883.

"Tsukushi" saw combat service in the First Sino-Japanese War, patrolling between Korea, Dairen and Weihaiwei in a reserve capacity in the Western Fleet.

After the war, "Tsukushi" was designated a first-class gunboat patrol duties. During the Boxer Rebellion it was stationed at Amoy and Shanghai to protect Japanese civilians and interests at the Japanese concession.

During the Russo-Japanese War, "Tsukushi" served as a guard ship patrolling the Tsushima Straits between Korea and Kyūshū, and as an escort vessel covering the transport of Japanese troops to Korea. It was present as the Battle of Tsushima. Afterwards, it was assigned to the Kure Naval District and served as a guard ship at the Port of Kobe.

After the war, "Tsukushi" was used briefly as a torpedo training vessel, and was retired in 1911.

References

*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/stc0616.htm
title = Materials of IJN
format =
work = Imperial Japanese Navy
accessdate = 2007-09-03