HIJMS Shinano Maru (1904)
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The Shinano Maru (信濃丸?) was a 6,388 gt merchantman operated by the Nippon Yusen K.K Shipping Company. The Shinano Maru was completed in April, 1900 (built by W. Henderson Co, Glasgow, Scotland) and had a length of 135.6 m. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/5 it was converted into an auxiliary cruiser, mounting 2 x 6 inch guns (one fore and one aft), and was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy under the command of Captain Narukawa. The Shinano Maru has the distinction of discovering the Russian Fleet near Tsushima Strait, by observing the navigation lights on the hospital Ship Orel in a thick fog. This would ultimately lead to the decisive Battle of Tsushima. After the war Shinano Maru reverted to civilian use, being scrapped in 1951.
Length: 445’ Beam: 49’ 1’ Draft: 33’ 5’
[edit] References
- Wilson, H. W. (1969, 1999 revised edition). Battleships in Action. Scholarly Press. ISBN 0-8517-7642-6.
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[edit] External links
- [1] — In Japanese
