Japanese battleship Yashima

Yashima

Company type	Battleship
Industry	Naval warfare
Founded	December 6, 1894 (1894-12-06) in United Kingdom
Defunct	May 14, 1904 (1904-05-14)
Fate	Sunk by mines near Port Arthur during Russo-Japanese War
Headquarters	Elswick , United Kingdom
Products	Warship (battleship)

Yashima (八島, Yashima) was a Fuji-class pre-dreadnought battleship constructed during the 1890s for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Due to Japan’s limited industrial capabilities at the time, the vessel was designed and built in the United Kingdom. Yashima took part in the initial phase of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), including involvement in the Battle of Port Arthur on the war's second day. In May 1904, she struck two mines near Port Arthur, which ultimately led to her sinking. Although she did not sink immediately, she capsized later that day while being towed. The Japanese managed to conceal her loss from Russian forces for more than a year.

Background and description

Right elevation and plan illustrating the ship’s internal arrangement

The IJN’s initial battleships were the two Fuji-class ships, commissioned from Britain as a response to two German-built Chinese ironclad warships. At that period, Japan lacked the necessary technology and infrastructure to produce such large warships domestically. Designed by naval architect Philip Watts, these vessels were essentially scaled-down versions of the British Royal Sovereign class, though they featured slightly higher speeds and superior armor. Measuring 412 feet (125.6 m) in overall length, with a beam of 73 feet 6 inches (22.4 m) and a draught of 26 feet 3 inches (8 m) when fully loaded, they displaced 12,230 long tons (12,430 t) under normal conditions and carried a crew complement of 650 officers and ratings. Unlike her sister ship Fuji, Yashima was outfitted as an admiral’s flagship. Propulsion was provided by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each connected to a shaft and powered by steam from ten cylindrical Scotch marine boilers. The machinery was rated at 13,500 indicated horsepower (10,100 kW) using forced draught and designed to achieve a maximum speed of 18.25 knots (33.80 km/h; 21.00 mph), although Yashima surpassed this during sea trials by reaching 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) with 14,075 indicated horsepower (10,496 kW). Coal capacity allowed for an operational range of approximately 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) cruising at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

The main armament consisted of four Armstrong Whitworth 12-inch (305 mm) guns arranged in two twin turrets positioned fore and aft of the superstructure. Secondary firepower included ten quick-firing (QF) 6-inch (152 mm) guns; four were housed in casemates along the hull sides while six were mounted on the upper deck behind protective gun shields. For defense against torpedo boats, the ship carried smaller caliber weapons: fourteen QF 3-pounder (47 mm) Hotchkiss guns and ten additional single-mounted 2.5-pounder (47 mm) Hotchkiss guns. Additionally, five submerged torpedo tubes of British design measuring eighteen inches (450 mm) were installed—one above water in the bow and two submerged pairs on each broadside.

Protection comprised a Harvey armor waterline belt ranging from 14–18 inches (360–460 mm) in thickness. The gun turrets featured six-inch armor plating while decks were armored with plates measuring approximately 2.5 inches (64 mm). In 1901, sixteen of the ship’s smaller caliber guns were replaced with an equal number of QF 12-pounder (3-inch) 12 cwt guns, increasing crew numbers first to 652 and later up to 741.

Construction and career

Yashima during construction, approximately two months after her keel was laid

Bearing a traditional name for Japan, Yashima was commissioned under the 1894 Naval Programme. The vessel’s keel was laid on 6 December 1894 by Armstrong Whitworth at their Elswick shipyard, designated as yard number 625. She was subsequently launched on 28 February 1896 and reached completion on 9 September 1897, with total expenses amounting to ¥10,500,000. Sea trials were conducted the following month. Departing the United Kingdom on 15 September, Yashima arrived at Yokosuka, Japan on 30 November. Initially integrated into the Standing Fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy’s main combat force, she was placed into reserve status on 20 November. On 21 March 1898, she was reclassified as a first-class battleship and reassigned to the Standing Fleet. Two years later, she returned to reserve until reactivation on 28 December 1903, when she joined the 1st Division of the 1st Fleet within the Combined Fleet.

At the onset of the Russo-Japanese War, Yashima, under the command of Captain Hajime Sakamoto, took part in the Battle of Port Arthur on 9 February 1904. During this engagement, Vice-Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō led his battleships and cruisers in an offensive against the Russian Pacific Squadron anchored near Port Arthur. Tōgō had anticipated that a preceding surprise nighttime assault by destroyers would severely disrupt Russian defenses; however, the Russians quickly recovered and were prepared for the battleship and cruiser attack. The Japanese fleet was detected by the patrolling protected cruiser Boyarin, which alerted Russian forces. Tōgō decided to target Russian coastal fortifications with his primary guns while engaging enemy vessels with secondary armament. This division of firepower proved ineffective as Japanese eight-inch and six-inch guns caused minimal damage to Russian ships, which focused their firepower effectively against the Japanese fleet. Despite hits on multiple vessels from both sides, Russian casualties totaled only 17 compared to 60 Japanese killed or wounded before Tōgō withdrew. Notably, Yashima sustained no damage during this battle.

On 10 March, Yashima alongside her sister ship Fuji, commanded by Rear-Admiral Nashiba Tokioki, launched an indiscriminate bombardment of Port Arthur harbor from Pigeon Bay on the southwestern side of the Liaodong Peninsula, firing from approximately 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) away. They discharged a total of 154 twelve-inch shells but inflicted limited damage. A subsequent attempt on 22 March met with resistance from recently installed coast-defence guns, positioned by new Russian commander Vice-Admiral Stepan Makarov, as well as fire from several Russian vessels in Port Arthur utilizing spotters overlooking Pigeon Bay. The Japanese force disengaged after Fuji was struck by a twelve-inch shell.

Yashima also took part in the action of 13 April when Tōgō successfully enticed part of the Pacific Squadron out, including Makarov’s flagship battleship Petropavlovsk. Upon sighting five battleships from the Japanese 1st Division, Makarov retreated toward Port Arthur but struck a mine laid by Japanese forces the previous night. The explosion caused one of her magazines to detonate; Petropavlovsk sank within two minutes and Makarov perished among the 677 fatalities. Encouraged by this outcome, Tōgō resumed long-range bombardments prompting Russians to deploy additional minefields.

Model of Yashima displayed at the British National Maritime Museum

On 14 May, Rear-Admiral Nashiba led his squadron consisting of his flagship Hatsuse, two other battleships including Shikishima and Yashima, accompanied by protected cruiser Kasagi and dispatch boat Tatsuta, intending to relieve Japanese blockading forces off Port Arthur. The following morning while underway, they encountered a minefield deployed by the Russian minelayer Amur. At approximately 11:10, Hatsuse struck a mine disabling her steering capabilities. While moving to assist her, Yashima triggered two mines; one caused significant damage to her starboard aft boiler room while another detonated near her starboard forward hull adjacent to the underwater torpedo room. Following these explosions, she developed a starboard list starting at nine degrees that progressively worsened throughout the day.

Efforts were made to tow Yashima north toward Japanese bases in the Elliott Islands within Changhai County. Despite these attempts, water ingress remained uncontrollable. Captain Sakamoto ordered anchoring near Encounter Rock around 17:00 to facilitate crew evacuation. After gathering his crew who sang Japan’s national anthem Kimigayo, they abandoned ship. The cruiser Kasagi undertook towing duties but was compelled to release due to increasing list; approximately three hours later, Yashima capsized at coordinates 38°34′N 121°40′E. The Japanese successfully concealed her sinking for over a year as no Russian observers witnessed it. To maintain this deception, surviving crew members were reassigned to four auxiliary gunboats tasked with guarding Port Arthur and continued correspondence as if still aboard Yashima.

References

• Brook, Peter (1985). "Armstrong Battleships for Japan". Warship International. XXII (3). International Naval Research Organization: 268–282. ISSN 0043-0374.
• Brook, Peter (1999). Warships for Export: Armstrong Warships 1867–1927. Gravesend, 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.
• Heald, Henrietta (2010). William Armstrong: Magician of the North. Alnwick, UK: McNidder & Grace. ISBN 978-0-8571-6042-3.
• Jane, Fred T. (1904). The Imperial Japanese Navy. London and 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.
• Lengerer, Hans (September 2008). Ahlberg, Lars (ed.). "Japanese Battleships and Battlecruisers – Part II". Contributions to the History of Imperial Japanese Warships (Paper V): 6–32.(subscription required)(contact the editor at lars.ahlberg@halmstad.mail.postnet.se for subscription information)
• Lengerer, Hans (March 2009). Ahlberg, Lars (ed.). "Japanese Battleships and Battlecruisers – Part III". Contributions to the History of Imperial Japanese Warships (Paper VI): 7–55.(subscription required)
• Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN 0-88254-979-0.
• 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.

External links

• "Admittance of Yashima's Loss; Japan Confirms Battleship Hit a Mine Over a Year Ago" The New York Times, June 2, 1905.

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