japanese cruiser class armored cruiser 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 damaged subsequent addition frequently bombarded defenses port arthur ship played limited role world war escort allied convoys search german commerce raiders indian_ocean deployed mediterranean escorted surrendered german submarines allocated japan britain japan war training ship sunk target ship wreck later refloated target background class armored cruisers built ship completed class enjoyed considerable export success base design 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 november despite ihp produced engines cruising range nautical miles knots mph complement consisted officers enlisted men main armament consisted inch type guns twin gun turrets fore aft superstructure 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 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 february 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 engagements entirely sided battleship scored hit day early sisters fired ranges kilometers proved ineffective battleships sunk russian mines 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 generally rear japanese brief time reversed course head hit times battle losing crewmen killed wounded battle sisters returned engaged russian fortifications subsequent flagship vice admiral sixth line battle following opened fire lead ship second column russian fleet range yards received hit russian inch shell cut forward right inch gun half japanese fleet reversed course block russian northward movement ship battle line inch shell punched armor belt foot waterline flooded coal bunker inch shell hit belt feet waterline penetrate russian protected cruiser attempted close torpedo attack driven fire armored cruiser yards japanese line reversed course placing rear inch hit struck ship significant damage inch hit forward turret sent splinters conning tower wounding hit inch shell cut left inch gun aft turret half daylight dying hit inch shell severed barrel forward left inch gun leaving single gun surviving russian ships located near japanese following morning reached heavily russians opted long range engagement minimize losses opened fire obsolete range meters russians surrendered shortly fired inch shells battle return received second largest number hits flagship battleship struck times hit shells including inch inch inch unidentified battle newly commissioned ensign later commander chief world war badly wounded lost fingers left hand shortly battle assigned invasion occupation july august september ship escorted russian hospital ship returned russians november boiler exploded aboard ship killing crewmen start overhauled boilers replaced type water tube boilers world war subsequent history search commerce raiders british admiralty requested mid september japanese forces reinforced deal threats posed germans cruiser ordered south struck rock october forced singapore repairs completion ship assigned second south seas squadron based february ship visited occupied colonies german new_guinea served flagship december september december march april german commerce sms wolf indian_ocean march admiralty requested japanese government reinforce ships present australian waters sent south response escorted allied shipping ceylon australia april ship sent mediterranean reinforce second special mission squadron escorted allied troop convoys mediterranean november flagship squadron commander bulk squadron sailed constantinople arriving december ship sailed portland escort surrendered german submarines allocated japan home arrived january squadron departed malta end march submarines squadron arrived june guns removed pounder hotchkiss guns single 3rd year type anti aircraft gun added training vessel depot ship naval district stricken naval register april sunk target ship live fire exercises naval proving ground inland sea wreck later raised january towed battleship target battleship new inch guns hiroshima hulk sunk second final time exercise
Japanese cruiser Nisshin