japanese cruiser ship class armored cruisers imperial_japanese_navy built decade 20th century italy type known class ship originally ordered argentine chilean naval arms race tensions chile financial pressures caused sell delivery time tensions russian_empire rising ship offered sides purchased japanese russo japanese war participated lightly damaged subsequent addition frequently bombarded defenses port arthur ship played limited role world war escort allied convoys search german commerce raiders indian_ocean training ship late 1920s disarmed use barracks ship ship sunk shortly end world war salvaged years later broken scrap background class armored cruisers built ship completed class enjoyed considerable export success gradually improved years ships class ordered december response order chile second class battleships possibility war argentina chile vessel completed combination financial problems british pressure forced argentina dispose sister ship argentine government attempted sell ships russia negotiations failed price demanded japanese government quickly stepped purchased increasing tensions russia despite high price sisters planning attack russia government delayed surprise attack port arthur began russo japanese war ships left singapore delayed interned foreign power design description overall length meters beam meters depth meters deep draft ship meters displaced metric tons long tons normal load ship powered vertical triple expansion steam engines driving shaft steam coal fired marine boilers designed maximum output indicated horsepower speed knots mph barely exceeded reaching speed knots mph sea trials september despite ihp produced engines cruising range nautical miles knots mph complement consisted officers enlisted men main armament consisted caliber armstrong inch type gun single turret forward inch type guns twin gun turret aft quick firing inch type guns comprised secondary armament arranged casemates amidships main deck remaining guns mounted upper deck inch type guns pounder hotchkiss guns defend torpedo boats fitted submerged torpedo tubes guns removed pounder hotchkiss guns single 3rd year type anti aircraft gun added august inch guns removed addition guns ship waterline armor belt maximum thickness millimeters amidships tapered millimeters ends ship main gun barbettes covered entire ship level upper deck ends central armored citadel enclosed transverse bulkheads millimeters thick forward barbette conning tower gun turrets protected millimeter armor aft barbette millimeters armor deck armor ranged millimeters thick inch guns upper deck protected gun shields construction career ship keel laid march temporary launched october renamed vessel sold japan december renamed january newly renamed sister formally turned japan commissioned january sisters departed genoa january command british captains manned british seamen italian arrived egypt days later encountered russian protected cruiser aurora reached 16th accompanied british armored cruiser king alfred japanese ships reached singapore february slightly delayed strike russo japanese war reached february japan initiated hostilities surprise attack port arthur began working japanese crews sisters assigned reinforce battleships 1st division 1st fleet overall command admiral april effort block russian ships port arthur ordered minefield laid mouth harbor april tasked demonstration power successfully lured portion including vice admiral flagship battleship spotted japanese battleships turned port arthur flagship ran minefield laid japanese ship sank minutes magazines exploded killed addition loss battleship damaged success resumed long range bombardment missions making use long range capabilities guns bombard port arthur april southwest range kilometers early sisters fired ranges kilometers proved ineffective battleships sunk russian mines day port arthur collided fog protected cruiser capsized sank loss officers enlisted men japan battleships lost decided use line battle remaining battleships test decision occurred june sortied abortive attempt reach new squadron commander rear admiral ordered squadron return port arthur encountered japanese including shortly sunset wish engage numerically superior opponents night battle july sisters forced russian force battleship cruisers return port long range gun fire sortied provide fire support participated august played minor role rear japanese battle ship executive officer later prime minister japan significantly damaged hit times crewmen wounded fired inch shells unknown number inch shells battle battle sisters returned engaged russian fortifications battle fifth line battle opened fire battleship lead ship second column russian fleet limited visibility heavy smoke battle detailed knowledge available activities rest day action surviving russian ships located near japanese following morning reached heavily russians opted long range engagement minimize losses opened fire obsolete battleship range meters ship hit target funnel russians surrendered shortly course battle fired inch inch shells poor visibility sinking russian ships confirmed hits ship battleship inch shells broke armor aft inch turret return struck inch inch unidentified shell significantly damaged shortly assigned invasion occupation july august september ship escorted russian torpedo depot ship returned russians start overhauled boilers replaced type water tube boilers world war served flagship december september april german commerce sms wolf indian_ocean march british admiralty requested japanese government reinforce ships present australian waters ship sent south escorted allied shipping ceylon australia april based singapore november january ran aground dutch_east_indies stuck june finally refloated repairs interwar years world war arrived portland maine july centennial celebrations port visits new_york_city maryland august visited city panama canal august official reception crew heading san_francisco transport japanese soldiers supplies siberia japan time commanded future prime minister japan june ship helped rescue crew freighter naples struck rock coast japan broke crewmen later awarded silver medals gallantry rescue king training vessel engineers july rescued crew semi rigid exploded heavy weather fleet maneuvers january february ferried scientists observe total solar eclipse february disarmed july floating barracks rest pacific war capsized july air raid united_states_navy aircraft wreck salvaged august broken scrap
Japanese cruiser Kasuga