Japanese cruiser Tsushima
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 The Japanese cruiser Tsushima in 1901 |
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Built: | Kure Naval Yards, Japan |
| Ordered: | 1897 Fiscal Year |
| Laid down | October 1 1901 |
| Launched: | December 15 1902 |
| Completed: | February 14 1904 |
| Fate: | Scrapped April 1 1939 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 3,366 tons |
| Length: | 102.0 meters at waterline |
| Beam: | 13.44 meters |
| Draught: | 4.92 meters |
| Propulsion: | 2-shaft VTE reciprocating engines, 16 boilers, 9500 HP |
| Speed: | 20 knots |
| Fuel: | 600 tons coal |
| Complement: | 320 |
| Armament: |
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| Armor: |
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The Tsushima (対馬) was an protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, designed and built in Japan by the Kure Naval Yards near Hiroshima. It was the lead ship of the Tsushima-class, which also included Tsushima's sister ship Niitaka.
This was the second cruiser class built to a completely Japanese design. The Tsushima class was very similar to, but somewhat larger and the earlier Japanese-designed Suma. The increased displacement, heavier armor and lower center of gravity resulted in a more seaworthy and powerful vessel than the Suma, and enabled the Tsushima to outclass many other contemporary protected cruisers. The Tsushima-class cruisers were fitted with 16 213 Niclausse boilers, a great improvement on the locomotive boilers of the Suma.
The Tsushima was commissioned too late to see much service during the Russo-Japanese War. However, in WW-1, it was assigned to the First Southern Expeditionary Squadron based in Fiji from December 1914 to protect British shipping around Australia and New Zealand from German attack. The First Southern Expeditionary Squadron also consisted of the battlecruiser Kurama, two destroyers, and later the cruisers Chikuma, Yahagi and Ikoma. Together with the Japanese-American Expeditionary Squadron (which also contained the cruisers Izumo and Asama. and battleship Hizen, in the pursuit of the German East Asia Squadron under German Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee.
In February 1915, the Japanese Navy also helped suppress a mutiny by Indian Sepoys in Singapore, sending 158 marines from the cruisers Otowa and Tsushima.
From mid-1915 to 1918, Tsushima and the Niitaka, were permanently based at the Cape of Good Hope, assist the Royal Navy in patrolling the sea lanes linking Europe to the east.
On 01 September 1921, the Tsushima was re-designated as 2nd Class Coastal Defense Vessel. The Tsushima was re-armed in 1922 to carry six 152 mm and eight 12-pdr guns, but later an extra l2-pdr anti-aircraft gun was added. She was the partially disarmed in 1930, and struck from the Navy List in 1936. Redesignated as a training hulk Hai Kan No. 10 at Yokosuka until 01 April 1939, it was scrapped by 1944.
Imperial Japanese Navy  |
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