Japanese battleship Hatsuse
| Company type | Battleship |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval warfare |
| Founded | 10 January 1898 |
| Defunct | 15 May 1904 |
| Fate | Sunk by mines |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom (construction) |
Key people | Captain Yu Nakao (commander) |
| Products | Warship (battleship) |
Number of employees | 849 (crew) |
Japanese Shikishima-class Battleship: Hatsuse
Hatsuse (初瀬, Hatsuse) was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Shikishima-class class, constructed for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the late 1890s. Due to Japan's limited industrial capability at the time to produce such capital ships, the design and construction were undertaken in the United Kingdom. The vessel served as the flagship of the 1st Division and took part in the initial phase of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), including engagement at the Battle of Port Arthur on the conflict’s second day.
Throughout subsequent naval campaigns, Hatsuse remained active until 15 May 1904, when she encountered a Russian minefield near Port Arthur. The battleship first detonated one mine that inflicted serious damage. Within two hours, she triggered a second mine, which caused an explosion in one of her ammunition magazines, resulting in her rapid sinking. This disaster led to the loss of more than half of her crew.
| Hatsuse – Shikishima-class Battleship | |
|---|---|
| Nation | Japan |
| Builder | Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, Tyne and Wear |
| Yard Number | 680 |
| Ordered | 1897 |
| Keel Laid | 10 January 1898 |
| Launched | 27 June 1899 |
| Commissioned | 18 January 1901 |
| Fate | Sunk by mines on 15 May 1904 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | Approximately 14,312 long tons (14,542 t) (normal load) |
| Length | 438 feet 8 inches (133.71 m) |
| Beam | 76 feet 6 inches (23.32 m) |
| Draught | 27 feet 5 inches (8.36 m) |
| Propulsion | Two shafts powered by two triple-expansion steam engines; twenty-five Belleville boilers generating 14,500 indicated horsepower (10,800 kW) |
| Top Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Range | Around 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Crew | 849 personnel (when serving as flagship) |
| Armament |
|---|
- Two twin-mounted Armstrong Whitworth 12 inch /40 naval gun turrets (12 inches (300 mm))
- Fourteen single-mounted QF 6 inch /40 naval guns (6 inches (150 mm))
- Twenty single QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval guns (12-pounder guns, approximately 3 in (76 mm))
- Eight single QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss guns (3-pounder, roughly 47 mm (1.9 in))
- Four single QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss#Japanese service guns (2.5-pounder, approximately 47 mm (1.9 in))
- Four British 18 inch torpedo tubes (450 mm)
| Protection |
|---|
- Utilized Harvey armour
- Belt armor thickness ranged between 4 inches (100 mm) and 9 inches (230 mm)
- Deck armor measured between 2.5 inches (64 mm) and 4 inches (100 mm)
- Gun turrets protected by armor up to 10 inches (250 mm) thick
Description
The Shikishima class represented an enhanced iteration of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy Majestic-class battleship design.[1] At that period, Japan did not possess the domestic expertise or facilities to produce battleships independently, necessitating their construction overseas.[2] Measuring 438 feet 8 inches (133.7 m) in overall length, Hatsuse featured a 76 feet 6 inches (23.3 m) beam and a 27 feet 5 inches (8.4 m) draught when fully loaded. Her displacement was 14,312 long tons (14,542 t) under normal conditions, and she carried a complement of 849 officers and enlisted personnel while serving as a flagship. Propulsion was provided by a pair of Humphrys Tennant vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each linked to its own shaft and powered by steam from 25 Belleville boilers. These engines were rated at 14,500 indicated horsepower (10,800 kW) with forced draught, designed to achieve speeds up to 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). However, during sea trials, Hatsuse exceeded expectations by reaching 19.1 knots (35.4 km/h; 22.0 mph) powered by 16,117 ihp (12,018 kW).[3] The ship's coal capacity allowed for an operational range of approximately 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) cruising at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4]
The primary armament comprised four 12-inch (305 mm) guns arranged in two twin turrets positioned fore and aft of the superstructure. Fourteen quick-firing (QF) 6-inch (152 mm) guns served as secondary weapons, mounted within casemates along the hull's sides and on the superstructure.[1] For anti-torpedo boat defense, the ship was equipped with twenty QF 12-pounder (3 inches (76 mm)) 12 cwt guns,[Note 1] eight 47 mm QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss guns, and four additional 2.5-pounder Hotchkiss guns of identical calibre, all installed in single mounts. Additionally, four submerged British 18 inch torpedo tubes (two per broadside) were fitted. Protection included a waterline belt of Harvey armour ranging from 4–9 inches (100–230 mm) in thickness. Gun turret armor reached up to 10 inches (250 mm), while deck armor varied between 2.5[convert: needs unit name] and 4[convert: needs unit name] inches thick.[3]
Construction and career
The vessel’s name is derived from a historic location in Nara Prefecture, linked to the Hatsuse River and the Hase-dera Temple.[5] Commissioned under a decade-long Naval Expansion Programme funded by the £30 million indemnity China paid following its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895,[6] she was laid down on 10 January 1898 at Armstrong Whitworth’s Elswick yard. Launching occurred on 27 June 1899,[7] with completion finalized on 18 January 1901.[8] Prior to her voyage to Japan, Hatsuse represented the Meiji Emperor at Queen Victoria’s funeral on 2 February.[9] The ship arrived at Singapore on 28 March for coaling,[10] underwent a repainting from grey to black, then departed on 3 April heading towards Yokosuka.[11][12]
At the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Hatsuse, under the command of Captain Yu Nakao, joined the First Division of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 1st Fleet, serving as flagship for Rear-Admiral Nashiba Tokioki. She took part in the Battle of Port Arthur on February 9, 1904, when Vice-Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō led an offensive against Russian Pacific Squadron vessels anchored near Port Arthur. Tōgō had anticipated his destroyers' nocturnal surprise attack would severely disrupt Russian forces; however, Russian defenses were quickly reestablished and prepared for engagement. The Japanese fleet was detected by the patrolling cruiser Boyarin, which alerted Russian positions. Tōgō decided to target Russian shore batteries with main guns while engaging enemy ships using secondary artillery—a tactic that resulted in limited damage inflicted by Japanese firepower as Russian vessels concentrated their return fire effectively. Despite numerous hits sustained by both sides’ ships, Russian casualties numbered only seventeen compared to sixty Japanese personnel killed or wounded before Tōgō withdrew his forces. During this engagement, Hatsuse sustained two hits causing seven fatalities and seventeen injuries among her crew.[13]
During the action on April 13, Hatsuse was involved when Tōgō successfully baited part of the Pacific Squadron out from Port Arthur—including Vice-Admiral Stepan Makarov’s flagship battleship Petropavlovsk. Upon sighting five battleships from Japan’s First Division, Makarov reversed course toward Port Arthur but struck a minefield laid by Japanese forces overnight prior to this encounter. The explosion triggered a magazine detonation aboard Petropavlovsk, sinking her within two minutes and resulting in Makarov’s death along with approximately 677 crew members. Following this victory, Tōgō intensified long-range bombardment operations that subsequently caused Russian forces to deploy additional minefields.[14]
On May 14, Rear-Admiral Nashiba sailed with battleships Hatsuse, Shikishima, and Yashima, accompanied by protected cruiser Kasagi and dispatch vessel Tatsuta, intending to reinforce blockading units off Port Arthur.[15] The following morning their squadron encountered a minefield laid by the Russian minelayer Amur. At approximately 10:50 hours, Hatsuse struck a mine which disabled her steering capabilities; shortly thereafter Yashima detonated another mine while maneuvering to assist her companion vessel. At around 12:33 hours, drifting uncontrolled into another mine caused one of Hatsuse’’s magazines to explode,[16] resulting in the loss of 496 crew members,[17] ultimately sinking her at coordinates 38°37′N 121°20′E / 38.617°N 121.333°E.[8] Rescue efforts by Tatsuta and Kasagi saved Rear-Admiral Nashiba and Captain Nakao along with approximately 334 officers and sailors onboard. Meanwhile flooding aboard Yashima proved uncontrollable; she sank roughly eight hours later after her crew abandoned ship.[18]
Notes
- ↑ "Cwt" denotes hundredweight; 12 cwt specifies the gun's weight.
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chesneau & Kolesnik, p. 221
- ↑ Evans & Peattie, p. 60
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Brook 1999, p. 125
- ↑ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 17
- ↑ Jane, p. 399
- ↑ Evans & Peattie, pp. 57–58, 60
- ↑ Brook 1985, p. 274
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 18
- ↑ Brook 1999, p. 127
- ↑ "Arrival of the Japanese battleship – Hatsuse". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Singapore. 28 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ↑ "Friday, March 29, 1901". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Singapore. 4 April 1901. p. 209. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ↑ "Untitled article". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Singapore. 3 April 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ↑ Forczyk, pp. 41–44
- ↑ Forczyk, pp. 45–46
- ↑ Warner & Warner, p. 279
- ↑ Brook 1999, p. 124
- ↑ Forczyk, p. 46
- ↑ Forczyk, pp. 46–47
References
- Brook, Peter (1985). "Armstrong Battleships for Japan". Warship International. XXII (3). Toledo, Ohio: International Naval Research Organization: 268–82. ISSN 0043-0374.
- Brook, Peter (1999). Warships for Export: Armstrong Warships 1867 – 1927. Gravesend, Kent, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-89-4.
- Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
- Evans, David & Peattie, Mark R. (1997). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887–1941. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-192-7.
- Forczyk, Robert (2009). Russian Battleship vs Japanese Battleship, Yellow Sea 1904–05. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 978 1-84603-330-8.
- Jane, Fred T. (1904). The Imperial Japanese Navy. London, Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. OCLC 1261639.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Warner, Denis & Warner, Peggy (2002). The Tide at Sunrise: A History of the Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905 (2nd ed.). London: Frank Cass. ISBN 0-7146-5256-3.
Further reading
- Brook, Peter (1985). "Armstrong Battleships for Japan". Warship International. XXII (3). International Naval Research Organization: 268–82. ISSN 0043-0374.
External links
Template:Shikishima class battleship Template:1904 shipwrecks