class ironclad class ironclads pair armored built imperial_japanese_navy british shipyards 1870s british offer purchase ships russo turkish war refused training ships training cruises mediterranean countries edge pacific_ocean ships returned active duty sino japanese war participated class ships resumed training duties war played minor role russo japanese war reclassified survey ships sold scrap background tensions japan china heightened launched expedition taiwan retaliation murder number sailors china possibility buying ironclad warships great_britain japan negotiating brazilian government purchase ironclad construction britain japanese terminated negotiations october ship badly damaged launching expeditionary force withdraw taiwan crisis illustrated need reinforce budget request submitted month acting navy minister million purchase warships abroad japanese shipyard able build ships size ordered great_britain rejected expensive revised request million approved later month march proposed buy ironclad half money authorized use rest gun production shipyard response prime minister office proposal revised use allocated money buy ships armored frigate armored composite construction designed prominent british naval architect sir chief royal_navy reed supervise construction ships percent construction cost prime minister office approved revised proposal notified japanese consul navy officers visiting negotiate contract reed commander arrived london july gave reed specifications ships reed responded september offer excluding armament exceeded allocated budget signed contracts ships september despite problem reed scheduled depart trip russia matter concluded departure informed navy ministry costs signing response postpone order armored frigate arrive october totals contracts came include armament ordered krupp percent payment government struggled provide necessary money additional expenses approved prime minister office june especially money necessary fully equip ships sea provision delivery voyage japan description class feet long perpendiculars beam feet forward draft feet drew feet aft ships displaced long tons crew officers enlisted men reduce hulls copper propulsion class ships single cylinder double expansion horizontal return connecting rod steam engine driving single bladed foot propeller cylindrical boilers provided steam engine working pressure bar kpa psi engine designed produce indicated horsepower ships speed knots mph sea trials ships reached maximum speeds knots mph carried maximum long tons coal steam nautical miles knots mph ironclads barque rigged sail area square feet reduce wind resistance sail funnel semi retractable removed ships naval arsenal received steel double ended cylindrical boilers new boilers type original ones new boilers proved powerful ships sea trials reached maximum speed knots mph ihp significantly slower knots mph ihp armament armor ships fitted millimeter krupp rifled breech loading guns millimeter krupp guns millimeter guns positioned chase guns forward aft forward chase guns pivot mounted traverse degrees straight ahead ship aft gun traverse total degrees millimeter guns mounted broadside ship carried short millimeter guns use ashore mounted ships boats armor piercing shell gun weighed pounds muzzle velocity credited ability penetrate inches wrought iron armor muzzle data millimeter gun available 1880s armament class ships reinforced addition quadruple millimeter millimeter machine guns defense torpedo boats time ships received millimeter torpedo tubes torpedoes tubes mounted waterline torpedo provided tube anti torpedo boat armament reinforced addition pair pounder hotchkiss guns end russo japanese war armament reduced russian pounder guns pounders class wrought iron waterline armor belt inches thick amidships tapered inches ends ship ships service february russo turkish war british willing accept occupation ottoman turkish capital constantinople russian forces began prepare war british government informal inquiries purchasing firmly rejected japanese government ships sailed britain february march arrived months later sailed japan hired british crews lacked necessary experience ships formally turned navy july formal ceremony held attended senior government officials ships opened public tours ceremony hosted duke genoa visited japan late port visits china following year ships assigned training ships training cruise mediterranean cadets ferried survivors wrecked turkey ships officers received ships carried class naval cadets end century class ships annual cadet cruise usually countries bordering pacific_ocean honolulu cruises hawaiian revolution ship played affair returned hawaii year briefly patrol ship start sino japanese war later participate heavily engaged chinese ships damaged forced break action repaired battle ships present early saw significant combat class ships redesignated 3rd class coast defense ships continued training duties played minor role russo japanese war reclassified survey ships stricken sold year scrap struck navy list years sister ship sold march
Kongō-class ironclad