japanese ironclad lead ship class ironclad built imperial_japanese_navy 1870s class built united_kingdom ships constructed japan completed briefly served training ship making training cruises mediterranean countries edge pacific_ocean ship returned active duty sino japanese war participated battle resumed training duties war played minor role russo japanese war ship reclassified survey ship sold scrap design description brief japanese occupation taiwan tensions heightened china japan possibility war impressed japanese government need reinforce navy following year government placed order armored frigate class british shipyards japanese shipyard able build ships size ships designed british naval architect sir contract awarded hull england september price exclusive armament vessel named feet long perpendiculars beam feet forward draft feet drew feet aft ship displaced long tons crew officers enlisted men hull composite construction iron framework wood propulsion single cylinder double expansion horizontal return connecting rod steam engine driving single propeller steam cylindrical boilers engine designed produce indicated horsepower class ironclads speed knots mph sea trials december ship reached maximum speed knots mph ihp earn builder bonus carried coal steam nautical miles knots mph ironclad barque rigged sail area square feet ship naval arsenal new boilers proved powerful sea trials reaching maximum speed knots mph ihp removed armament armor fitted millimeter krupp rifled breech loading guns millimeter krupp guns millimeter guns positioned chase guns forward aft millimeter guns mounted broadside ship carried short millimeter guns use ashore mounted ships boats 1880s armament ship reinforced addition quadruple millimeter millimeter machine guns defense torpedo boats time received millimeter torpedo tubes torpedoes anti torpedo boat armament reinforced addition pair pounder hotchkiss guns end russo japanese war armament reduced russian pounder guns pounders class wrought iron armor waterline belt inches thick amidships tapered inches ends ship history japanese sources universally date keel laying september awarding contract historian describes arguing shipyard order material begin construction cash hand launched april wife secretary japanese cut retaining rope hammer completed january sailed japan february command british captain british crew ready long voyage arrived april classified class warship july formal ceremony held ship attended senior government officials ship opened tours nobility families invited guests days ceremony july general public allowed tour ship week hosted duke genoa visited japan late ship assigned port visits port arthur china korea following year training ship naval district sister ship sailed tokyo august training cruise mediterranean cadets returning february october sister ships departed pick survivors wrecked ottoman frigate transporting homeland constantinople turkey january ships officers received ships carried class naval cadets mission return voyage port visited king george greece son making stops alexandria singapore hong_kong sister ships arrived resumed training duties began cadet cruise september visited vancouver san_francisco return voyage stopped honolulu present hawaiian revolution playing affair remained protect japanese interests relieved cruiser reached home april began cadet cruise april arrival honolulu transferred cadets cruiser june relieved patrol ship tenure brief recalled home july rising tensions ahead sino japanese war participate september present january february war alternated annual cadet training cruises making cruise china southeast_asia april september cruise australia march september cruise march designated 3rd class coast defense ship retained training duties cruise manila hong_kong australia february july ships cruise manila australia february august played minor role russo japanese war reclassified survey ship stricken navy list july sold scrap
Japanese ironclad Kongō