| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Takasago |
| Ordered: | 1896 Fiscal Year |
| Builder: | Armstrong Whitworth, United Kingdom |
| Laid down: | April 1894 |
| Launched: | 18 May 1897 |
| Completed: | 17 May 1898 |
| Fate: | Mined off Port Arthur, 13 December 1904 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement: | 4,160 long tons (4,227 t) |
| Length: | 118.2 m (387 ft 10 in) w/l |
| Beam: | 14.78 m (48 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 5.18 m (17.0 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2-shaft VTE; 12 boilers; 15,500 hp (11,600 kW); 1,000 tons coal |
| Speed: | 23.5 knots (27.0 mph; 43.5 km/h) |
| Complement: | 425 |
| Armament: | • 2 × 203 mm (8 in) quick firing guns • 10 × 120 mm (4.7 in) quick firing guns • 12 × 12-pounder quick firing guns • 6 × 2½-pounder quick firing guns • 5 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes |
| Armor: | Deck: 114 mm (4.5 in) (slope), 63 mm (2.5 in) (flat) Gun shield: 203 mm (8 in) (front), 62 mm (2.4 in) (side) Conning tower: 114 mm (4.5 in) |
Takasago (高砂) was a 2nd class protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, designed and built by the Armstrong Whitworth shipyards in Elswick, in the United Kingdom. The name Takasago derives from a location in Hyōgo Prefecture, near Kobe.
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The Takasago was an improved design of the Argentine Navy cruiser 25 de Mayo designed by Sir Philip Watts, who was also responsible for the design of the Izumi and the Naniwa-class cruisers. The Yoshino is sometimes regarded as a sister ship to the Takasago, due to the similarity in their design, armament and speed.
On 7 April 1902, the Takasago and the Asama were sent on an epic 24,718 nautical mile voyage to Great Britain, as part of the Japanese delegation to the coronation ceremonies of King Edward VII,[1] and in celebration of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. After visiting numerous European ports, the ships returned safely to Japan on 28 November 1902.
With the start of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Takasago participated in the naval Battle of Port Arthur. It is noted for having captured the Russian merchant vessel Manchuria (which was renamed the Kanto and placed into Japanese service as a transport).
However, the Takasago struck a mine and sank off Port Arthur () on 13 December 1904, with the loss of 273 officers and crew.
The cruiser Takasago should note be confused with the later Takasago-maru auxiliary hospital ship of the same name.