Part 7

ROYAL FUJI. SOVEREIGN. Guns 4 A (12-in.). 4 A (13.5-in.). 10 D (6-in. Q.F.). 10 D (6-in. Q.F.). Steel armour deck on slopes 2½ ins. 3 ins. Belt (water-line) 18-16 ins. 18-8 ins. Length of belt 226 ft. 250 ft. Lower deck 4 ins. 4 ins. Barbettes 14 ins. 17 ins. Barbette guns Inclined thick No protection. shields. Bulkheads 14 ins. 16 ins. Casemates (main deck), thickness in front 6 ins. 6 ins. Casemate backs 2 ins. 2 ins. Coal carried normally 700. 900. Capacity 1100. 1450.

The difference in armour value, caused by the introduction of Harvey process in time to allow of its adoption on the Fuji, is very marked. Since then, of course, Harvey has given place to Harvey nickel, and this in its turn to Krupp process armour, of which 9 ins. would nearly equal 17 ins. of Royal Sovereign armour. But their fine 12-in. guns, as powerful still as any afloat, keep the Fuji class still in the ranks of good fighting ships.

[Illustration: FUJI.]

[Illustration: PLAN OF SHIKISHIMA.]

In appearance the two ships are almost identical, the only difference being in the arrangement of the ventilators.

Between them, however, an important difference exists; the Yashima has her dead wood cut away aft, while the Fugi has not. Consequently, the Yashima is much the handier vessel, but, in part from the fact that she was the first ship to have the dead wood aft cut away, in part from inherent weaknesses thereby engendered, the Fuji is regarded as the better ship of the two. The Yashima, being docked without proper precautions suitable to the case, exhibited some dropping aft, in consequence of the effect of the unsupported weight. This led to such sterns being countermanded for subsequent Japanese battleships, though in cruisers it is always applied. The turning circle of the Yoshima, it may be mentioned, is extremely small.

Finally, it may be noted that these two ships were the first to be fitted with the Elswick submerged torpedo tube. They have the earliest pattern, and it will not deliver torpedoes very successfully when the ship is at high speed.

THE “AFTER-THE-WAR PROGRAMME.”

After the war Japan decided to have a really first-class modern fleet of four battleships, six cruisers, and a proportionate number of smaller craft.

[Illustration: [_Photo, Symonds_.

HATSUSE.]

The four big battleships are practically sisters, though differing in appearance and detail. The main differences are as follows:—

FUNNELS.

Shikishima 3 Hatsuse 3 Asahi 2 Mikasa 2

Little differences in rig have been purposely introduced; thus the Hatsuse is shorter-masted than the Shikishima, and the Asahi and Mikasa have their funnels differently placed, those of the latter being more amidships.

Also, instead of casemates, the Mikasa has her 6-in. battery protected by a continuous armoured wall. Essentially, however, the ships are sisters.

They were produced as follows:—

Shikishima, by Thames Ironworks, launched 1898. Asahi, ” Clydebank, ” 1899. Hatsuse, ” Elswick, ” 1899. Mikasa, ” Vickers-Maxim, ” 1900.

Although she differs considerably from the Shikishima in appearance, the Asahi is practically a sister ship, the sole points of difference being (1) funnels; (2) distribution of the 2½-pounders; (3) absence of a bow torpedo boat; and (4) mounting of the big guns. There are, of course, certain minor structural differences—such, for instance, as the fact that the Asahi has a slightly larger wardroom, and that this wardroom is a trifle further aft—but, generally speaking, for fighting purposes they are identical, save for the points of difference noted above. There are unseen differences of detail also, such as the thickness of the armour deck, but none of these affect the fighting value. There is a difference, too, in the coal carried, but coal capacity does not show to the eye.

The details of the Asahi, with those of the Shikishima and the British Formidable, are as follows:—

------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------+ | Asahi. | Shikishima.| Formidable. | ------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------+ Displacement | 15,200 | 14,850 | 15,000 | Material of hull | steel | steel | steel | Length | 400 ft. | 400 ft. | 400 ft. | Beam | 75⅙ ft. | 75½ ft. | 75 ft. | Draught | 27½ ft. | 27¼ ft. | 26¾ ft. | Guns--12-in. Four 12-in. Mark IX. for all | 6-in. | 14 | 14 | 12 | 3-in. | 20 | 20 | 16 | ------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------+ | Six 3-pdrs. | Six 3-pdrs. |Twelve 3-pdrs.| Smaller | Six 2½-pdrs.| Six 2½-pdrs.| Eight Maxims | | Eight Maxims| Eight Maxims| | ------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------+ Torpedo tubes, submerged| 4 | 4 | 4 | ” above water | 0 | 1 | 0 | Armour belt | 9 ins. | 9 ins. | 9 ins. | ” at ends | 4½ ins. | 4½ ins. | 3 ins. | ” deck | 4 ins. | 5 ins. | 3 ins. | Lower deck | 6 ins. | 6 ins. | 9 ins. | Casemates | 6 ins. | 6 ins. | 6 ins. | Barbettes | 14 ins. | 14 ins.| 12 ins. | Bulkheads | 14 ins. | 14 ins.| 12 ins. | Armour material | Harvey nickel, all three | I.H.P., forced | 15,000 | 14,500 | 15,000 | Boilers | Belleville, all three | Speed (contract) | 18 | 18.5 | 18 | Coal (normal) | (?) 1,400 | 700 | 900 | Screws | Two in all three | ------------------------+------------------------------------------+

[Illustration: PLAN OF MIKASA.]

There is some doubt about the Asahi’s coal, 1400 tons may be the maximum and 700 the normal. Japanese ships do not need to carry much coal, being designed to operate in waters where friendly coal stations are numerous. True, ships thus kept short are likely to be out of action because they are coaling, about once a week; but, on the other hand, as they get two extra 6-in. quickfirers and four 12-pounders for this sacrifice, they are rather envied by our naval officers. After all, the primary duty of a battleship is to hit the enemy hard, and an extra 6-in. in the broadside is no mean advantage. There are other incidental advantages too—a single 6-in. shell would put all the eight 12-pounders out of action on the upper deck of the Formidable, while, thanks to the casemates acting as screens, the Asahi could only lose four of her 3-in. by a single shell. In the placing of her 3-in. guns she is altogether better off than the Formidable, the sole point in which the British ship is superior being the four guns carried on the main deck forward. The Formidable can fight all these on the broadsides; it is doubtful if the Asahi could, because of the blast from the big guns firing above them. But _per contra_ she has her other 3-in. quickfirers much better placed; they are more distributed.

The positions of these are: four on the main deck forward; four on the main deck aft; four on the upper deck amidships; two on top of the forward upper deck casemates; two beside the fore conning-tower; and four beside the after conning-tower—a total of twenty. Those of the Shikishima are placed in exactly the same fashion. Those of the Formidable are: four on main deck forward (extreme bow); four on main deck aft; and eight on upper deck amidships; a total of sixteen. Three units instead of six; or, to put it another way, work for only three shells instead of six shells.

The Asahi is an improvement on the Shikishima in the matter of the 2½-pounders—a very small detail. In the Shikishima these are grouped on top of the amidship upper-deck casemates; in the Asahi only two are over these casemates, the other four being distributed, a couple on each bridge. Two theories are at work here, and it will need a war to say which is the better. In the Shikishima it is easy to concentrate three 2½-pounders on a single torpedo boat or portion of a big enemy, while, as a price for this, they are at the mercy of a single shell. Those of the Asahi are not thus at the mercy of one shell, but it will be far less easy to concentrate them.

The next point of difference between the Shikishima and the Asahi is that the former carries a bow above-water torpedo tube, with 6-in. Harvey nickel protection to it. This tube, similarly protected, is in the Fuji, Yashima, Asama, Tokiwa, and Yakumo. After some experiments and practice the Japanese authorities decided that this tube was of no use practically, and decreed its abolition. That of the Shikishima had, however, already been built in, so this ship has it. In the Asahi the design was modified, and the bow tube dropped out. It is absent also in the Hatsuse, a sister, and in the Iwate and Idzumo.

Under certain circumstances such a tube might be of great use in action—for instance, approaching an enemy who presented his broadside while the ship possessing the tube wished to make a feint to close. But to use it it would be necessary to slow down or reverse engines—both things that might be awkward to do in an action. Still, the real objection does not lie there, so much as in the trouble with sea that a bow tube causes. Bow guns, even high up, are always liable to get “washed out,” a bow torpedo tube is still more likely to be so. In addition to this, it raises an unnecessary large bow wave.

In comparison with the Formidable, the Asahi and Shikishima have—beside the 6-in. and 3-in. guns—other points of distinct difference. They have (1) complete instead of partial belts; (2) 6-in. instead of 9-in. armour protecting the lower deck; (3) much higher barbettes; and (4) quite differently shaped hoods to the big guns.

Of these differences the armour one is of no immediate moment at present. The Asahi, in the matter of armour, is practically a Majestic with 3-in. stripped off the lower deck amidships and disposed on the ends plus some extra armour paid for in the weight of coal carried. Now, the 6-in. lower deck armour of the Asahi is proof against any 6-in. projectile at any range, and though a steel-pointed 9.2-in. common shell has been through 6-in. Harvey nickel at Whale Island, this is probably an isolated proving-ground case, and nothing but an armour-piercing shell of large calibre is ever likely to get through such armour in actual warfare. Also it is at least doubtful whether such a shell would do more harm than a solid shot, and against a 12-in. solid shot 9-in. armour is no more protection than 6-in. In either case the shot will go through and dance about inside, and it is this “dancing about” that makes shot dangerous, and all armour save the very best a snare and a delusion so far as solid projectiles are concerned. However, medium armour is imperatively needed to keep off shells, for it is good-bye to any ship inside of which a big common shell is comfortably planted. The Admiral class, for instance, would do no more fighting once a big common shell got them amidships.

[Illustration: [_Photo, West._ MIKASA.]

As for the complete belt, the Formidable, of course, has something on the bow, and this may be considered proof against 6-in. shell in action, save at short range. It is, at any rate, proof against the deadly little shell from 12-pounders and the like. As for any 6-in. shot—well, very few 6-in. shot are carried in any ship, and holes made by them are easily plugged.

The real gain of the Asahi is the extra gun-power, but since it is held essential that British ships shall have a large coal supply, it is useless to decry the Formidable over the two missing 6-in. guns. The defect of the Formidable, and one that might have been remedied, is the position of the 12-pounders. These could and should have been either more distributed, or else placed right up above everything and clear of everything, much as the French place their 4-in. quickfirers. Such a gun is extremely unlikely to be actually hit, whereas if it is crowded about with bulwarks, boats, and so on, a shell coming anywhere near is bound to burst with devastating effect.

In appearance it is difficult to tell the Asahi from our Canopus class, save for colour. A critical eye could detect the much higher barbettes of the Japanese vessel and their different shape, but that is about all, for the extra casemate would hardly be visible at any appreciable distance. Like the Canopus class, the Asahi has the huge after funnel, and the resemblance is increased by the tautness of her masts. The sign manual of a British man-of-war is the rake forward of the top masts, in the smartest Channel Fleet ships this is most noticeable; but the Asahi also is taut.

The Asahi has a slight sheer forward, like all our new ships, in consequence of which, though both pairs of guns are at the same height above the water, the after barbette looks a good deal higher than the fore one. The shields are peculiar. The plan gives a general idea of their appearance—sloping fronts but straight sides. The British pattern slopes all round, and is generally more squat—and of the two is more favourably regarded afloat. If by any off chance a big shot hit the side of the Asahi shield it would get through, from the inclined sides of the British pattern it would rebound at any range. However, a shot is very unlikely to hit the sides of the shield, and probably the mere shock of a big projectile would effectually displace everything and put the turret out of action. Wherever a big projectile hits it must do some harm, whether it gets through or not, and the old American idea of battering in preference to penetration is not so unsound as many folk are now disposed to regard it. Especially must this be so with certain foreign-built ships; the least little thing wrong and the colossal blow will find it out.

The guns and mountings of the Asahi are from Elswick. They embody some slight improvements upon those of the Shikishima, but are on exactly the same general principle. The 12-in. can easily do a round a minute, and should be able to do a round every two minutes in action. The rate of the 12.5-in. Canet gun at Yalu was one round per sixty minutes, but there were special circumstances involved. Still, there is no doubt that big guns have made enormous strides towards quick-fire in the last year or two, and two of the Asahi or Formidable 12-in. are equal to three of those in the Majestic probably.

The Asahi is fitted with the Barr and Stroud transmitters, each casemate having an indicator—in English and Japanese—to give the range automatically from the conning-tower. The official British view is against these transmitters, on the grounds that action will derange them; but there is no getting away from the fact that, even so, till deranged they will be exceedingly useful. Our methods of passing the range are cumbersome, and, in addition, by the time it is passed it has probably altered. Moreover, gunnery is not so much a matter of good shooting as knowing the range; the wrong range given accounts for most misses—at any rate, in the British Navy.

All the hoists in the Asahi are electrical, with auxiliary hand-power in case of need.

All the ships have twenty-five Belleville boilers each, fitted with economisers.

Full-speed trial results were:—

Shikishima 6 hours 16,370 = 18.78 knots. Asahi 6 ” 16,360 = 18.3 ” Hatsuse 6 ” 16,117 = 19.11 ” (maximum). Mikasa 6 ” 16,400 = 18.6 ”

[Illustration: [_Photo, Elswick._ IDZUMO.]

ARMOURED CRUISERS

The armoured cruisers are of two classes. The first comprises the British (Elswick) built Asama, Tokiwa, Idzumo, Iwate; the second the Stettin-built Yakumo, and the St. Nazaire-built Azuma.

These last were the original Japanese design; Elswick put the extra guns at its own discretion, and rearranged the positions as the plans indicate.

Particulars are:—

ASAMA TYPE. AZUMA TYPE. Displacement 9750. 9436. Length 408 ft. 446 ft. Beam 67 ft. 59 ft. Draught (mean) 24¼ ft. 24½ ft. Guns Four 8-in. Four 8-in. Fourteen 6-in. Twelve 6-in. Twelve 3-in. Twelve 3-in. Seven 2½-pdrs. Twelve 1-pdrs., etc. Torpedo tubes (submerged) Four. Four. ” ” (above water) One.[28] One.

[28] Not in Iwate and Idzumo.

All six have four of the 6-in. guns unprotected, the other 6-in. and the 8-in. guns are in casemates and turrets (for the 8-in.).

All have 7-in. belts reduced to 3½ ins. forward, with 5-in. armour on the lower deck side. Their decks reinforce the belts.

[Illustration: PLAN OF THE ASAMA.]

[Illustration: [_Photo, Steinitz._ YAKUMO.]

The Iwate, Idzumo, Azuma, and Yakumo have Belleville boilers, the other two cylindrical. The type ship had very high horse-power; in the later vessels this was reduced, and the saving effected spent in substituting Krupp process armour for Harvey nickel on the sides.

Trial (full-speed) results were:—

Designed Indicated Trial speed. horse-power. result.

Asama 22 knots 19,000 = 22 knots. Tokiwa ” (?) = 22.7 ” Idzumo 20.75 knots 15,739 = 22.04 ” Iwate ” (?) = 21.8 ” Yakumo 20 knots 15,500 = 20.7 ” Azuma 21 knots 18,000 = 21 ”

The first two have a pair of funnels only.

The ships are very good ones, equal in many ways to second-class battleships, but not calculated to stand battleship fire, I fancy.

The Kasuga and Nisshin were launched for Argentina in 1902 and 1903 respectively, by Messrs. Ansalds, of Genoa, Italy. They were purchased by Japan immediately before the war with Russia.

Details are—

Displacement 7700 tons. Length 357 ft. Beam 61½ ft. Draught (mean) 23 ft. Guns (in Kasuga) One 10-in. 45 cals. Two 8-in. 45 cals. ” (in Nisshin) Four 8-in. 45 cals. The secondary armament is in both Fourteen 6-in. 45 cals. Ten 12-pdrs. 2 Maxims. Two field-guns. Torpedo tubes Four (above water). Designed horse-power 13,500. Speed 20 knots. Coal (normal) 650 tons. ” (maximum) 1100 tons. Boilers Cylindrical.

[Illustration: AZUMA.]

[Illustration: [_Photo by favour of C. de Grave Sells, Esq._

NISSHIN.]

These ships belong to the well-known Garibaldi class. The belt is 6-in. Terni armour reduced to 4½ ins. at the ends, and reinforced by a deck 1½ in. on the slopes.

Above the main belt is a 6-in. redoubt, with 4¾ in. ends, above again a 6-in. battery containing ten 6-in. guns.

The primary guns are protected by 5½-in. armour.

The remaining 6-in. guns are carried without protection on the upper deck. Six 12-pounders are carried between them, the remainder under the poop and forecastle.

The torpedo tubes are in special casements.

The ships originally had a single military mast, but just before completion the fighting-tops were removed.

They are the heaviest-armed armoured cruisers of their size in the world. Compared to the Russian Bayan, of about the same displacement, this superiority is manifest.

NISSHIN. KASUGA. BAYAN. Four 8-in. One 10-in. Two 8-in. Fourteen 6-in. Two 8-in. Eight 6-in. Ten 12-pdrs. Fourteen 6-in. Twenty 12-pdrs. Ten 12-pdrs.

[Illustration: NISSHIN AND KASUGA.

(_Nisshin has two 8-in. in forward turret where Kasuga has a single 10-in. The fighting-tops were removed on completion._)]

[Illustration: [_Photo by favour of C. de Grave Sells, Esq._

KASUGA.]

The Bayan is the product of La Seyne. She is somewhat faster, better protected by 2 ins. on the water-line, but less protected on the guns, and with only half as many. She would take more punishment than the Nisshin and Kasuga; but, given equal crews and tactics, the heavy fire of the Nisshin type would seem to convey an immense advantage.

PROTECTED CRUISERS

The three ships Takasago, Kasagi, and Chitose, are slightly improved editions of the Yoshino already described. The first was built at Elswick, the other two in America.

There are slight differences in dimensions, otherwise the description of the Yoshino stands for them. The armament is not quite the same as in the Yoshino, as these three later vessels carry two 8-in. guns in heavy turrets, ten 4.7’s on the broadsides, and 12-pounders instead of 6-pounders.

They are very fast, but the heavy gun turret forward does not improve their behaviour at sea. _Per contra_, the 8-in. guns give them the power to deal a knock-out blow to other cruisers of their size; so their value depends on whether scouting or fighting is the more important _métier_ for a second-class cruiser. The Yoshino type is intended to be both, and the Yoshino herself in a great measure is; the others are too heavily armed to be ideal scouts.

The Niitaka and Tsushima were launched in 1902. A sister, the Otawa, was laid down in 1903. They are improved Sumas, and entirely of Japanese design and construction.

[Illustration: KASAGI.]

[Illustration: TAKASAGO.]

Particulars are:—

Displacement 3420 tons. Length 334½ ft. Beam 44 ft. Draught 16½ ft. Guns Six 6-in. Ten 12-pdrs. Four 2½-pdrs. Machinery Two sets triple expansion. Screws Two. Designed I.H.P. 9500. Speed 20 knots. Coal (maximum capacity) 600 tons.

A 2½-in. steel deck protects the vitals.

The ships embody no novelty, except in the selection of armament. The Suma’s 4.7’s disappear, and 6-in. and 12-pounders take their place.

[Illustration: PLAN OF NIITAKA.]

TORPEDO GUNBOATS

The Miyako was launched in 1897.

Details are:—

Displacement 1800 tons. Length 304 ft. Beam 35 ft. Draught (mean) 13 ft. Armament Two 4.7-in. Eight 3-pdrs. Indicated horse-power 6130. Speed 20 knots. Coal 400 tons. Boilers Cylindrical. Complement 220.

The Chihaya was launched in 1901.

Details are:—

Displacement 850 tons. Length 314¾ ft. Beam 36 ft. Draught 13 ft. Armament Two 4.7-in. Four 12-pdrs. Three torpedo tubes. Indicated horse-power 6000. Speed 21 knots. Coal 250 tons. Boilers Cylindrical.

There is no armour protection.

[Illustration: MIYAKO.]

[Illustration: CHIHAYA.]

DESTROYERS

Japan has selected two types of destroyers, the Yarrow and the Thornycroft. The Thornycroft boats are practically replicas of similar boats in the British Navy, and the Yarrow boats do not greatly differ, except that they have the usual Yarrow stern.

Details will be found in the Appendix.

The feature of most interest concerns the disposition of the guns—the 12-pounder being carried aft instead of forward. This is a preferable system to the usual one of the 12-pounder forward, as the bow is thus less weighted down.

Mention may also be made of the fact that a railway is fitted on deck for the conveyance of torpedoes. This is convenient, but the raised rails are apt to get in the way of the crew a good deal.

In the war with Russia the Japanese destroyers appear to have stood the strains to which they have been subjected remarkably well, and no cases of “broken backs” and similar catastrophies which had been foretold seem to have occurred.

TORPEDO BOATS

Till recently, the fastest Japanese torpedo boat was one captured from the Chinese at Wei-hai-wei. Some very fast boats were built in the period 1898-1901, the types being Normand and Yarrow (Viper type), mostly the former. Details will be found in the Appendix. Some recent boats reached 29 knots on trial, and they are practically small destroyers.

The early Japanese torpedo boats were of the “second-class” variety, usually of the Normand or some similar French type, and the boats which sealed the fate of the Chinese Fleet at Wei-hai-wei were mostly of this pattern.

[Illustration: THE FIRST TORPEDO BOAT BUILT IN JAPAN.

(Nos. 5-19 are of this type.)]

SUBMARINES

Japan had no submarines when the war with Russia broke out, but orders for an experimental Holland type boat are said to have been placed.

IX THE NEW PROGRAMME

The new programme began, in 1904, with the ordering of two 16,400-ton battleships at Elswick and Barrow respectively. They have been named Kashima and Katori.

The following description of the Elswick battleship appeared in the _Engineer_:—