Japanese cruiser Otowa
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was a
protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...
of the
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
, designed and built by the
Yokosuka Naval Arsenal was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was located at Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture on Tokyo Bay, south of Yokohama. History In 1866, the Tokugawa shogunate government established the ...
in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. The name ''Otowa'' comes from a mountain in
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, located behind
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site. History Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period. By 77 ...
. The waters from a waterfall at this temple were traditionally held to be a cure for all illnesses.


Background

Authorized under the 2nd Naval Expansion Program of 1897, ''Otowa'' was originally intended to be the third vessel in the series. However, due to budget constraints, ''Otowa'' was redesigned with 10 percent smaller
displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and Physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...
, and with considerably lighter weaponry. The ship was completed in less than 20 months; its rapid construction time set a new record for Japan. She was laid down on 3 January 1903, launched on 2 November 1903 and completed on 6 September 1904.Chesneau, '' Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905'', page 230 ''Otowa'' was the first ship to be equipped with the Japanese-designed
Kampon The was the externally operating division of the Ministry of the Navy of Japan responsible for the administration of naval vessel construction. From 1923 onward, it took on the role of a research institution for the research and development of n ...
water-tube boiler which developed compared to the pressure of the previous Niclausse boilers in the ''Niitaka'' class. The vertical
triple expansion steam engine A compound steam engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages. A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure ''(HP)'' cylinder, then having given up he ...
s were identical to those of the ''Niitaka'' class with a slight increase in power. It was intended that the reduction in armor and armament in ''Otowa'' be partially offset by higher speed, but in fact ''Otowa'' was only very slightly faster than the ''Niitaka''-class cruisers. ''Otowa'' was also the last vessel to be constructed for the Imperial Japanese Navy with a
naval ram A ram was a weapon fitted to varied types of ships, dating back to antiquity. The weapon comprised an underwater prolongation of the bow of the ship to form an armoured beak, usually between 2 and 4 meters (6–12 ft) in length. This would be dri ...
.


Service record


Russo-Japanese War

''Otowa'' was rushed into service in order to participate in the
Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
, joining the Japanese fleet blockading Port Arthur on 16 September 1904 under the command of Commander
Arima Ryōkitsu Admiral was a career naval officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy during Meiji and Taishō periods. Biography Arima was a native of Wakayama, where his father was a senior ''samurai'' retainer of the Kishū Tokugawa clan, and an active supp ...
.Warner, ''The Tide at Sunrise '', pages 187-190 On 13 December, she assisted in the rescue of survivors from , which had been sunk by a
naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any ...
. In early 1905, she was assigned to escort troop transports ferrying reinforcements from Japan to northern Korea. During the crucial
Battle of Tsushima The Battle of Tsushima (Japanese:対馬沖海戦, Tsushimaoki''-Kaisen'', russian: Цусимское сражение, ''Tsusimskoye srazheniye''), also known as the Battle of Tsushima Strait and the Naval Battle of Sea of Japan (Japanese: 日 ...
on 27 May 1905, ''Otowa'' was assigned to the 3rd squadron of the
IJN 2nd Fleet The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) created as a mobile strike force in response to hostilities with Russia, and saw action in every IJN military operation until the end of World War II. History Established on 27 October 1903, ...
, and saw combat against the
Imperial Russian Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution of 1917. It developed from a ...
cruisers , and . During the first day of battle, she did not take any damage. On 28 May 1905, ''Otowa'' and intercepted the cruiser which had been heavily damaged the day before and was attempting to escape towards Korea together with a destroyer. ''Otowa'' was hit by ''Svetlanas stern guns, killing one officer and four sailors, and injuring 23 others before the Russian cruiser sank. Later that day, at 1600 hours ''Otowa'' participated in the final combat of the battle by engaging the cruiser , during which time she was hit again, injuring two sailors. After the Battle of Tsushima, ''Otowa'' was assigned to patrols of
Tsushima Strait or Eastern Channel (동수로 Dongsuro) is a channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea. The strait is the channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima ...
and escorting transports to Korea until the end of the war. On 10 October, she captured the German merchantman ''Hans Wagner'' en route to
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
with suspected war materials.


World War I

In 1908, ''Otowa'' participated in the first post-war fleet maneuvers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, as part of the 4th brigade of Cruiser Squadron 1. From October 1910 through June 1912, ''Otowa'' was stationed in northern China together with the cruisers and to protect Japanese citizens and economic interests during the
Xinhai Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China. The revolution was the culmination of a d ...
.Mauch, ''Sailor Diplomat: Nomura Kichisaburo'', page 37-39 On 28 August 1912 ''Otowa'' was re-designated as a 2nd class cruiserNishidah, ''Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy'' During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, ''Otowa'' was the
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
of Destroyer Squadron 1 of the Combined Fleet. She fought at the
Battle of Tsingtao The siege of Tsingtao (or Tsingtau) was the attack on the German port of Tsingtao (now Qingdao) in China during World War I by Japan and the United Kingdom. The siege was waged against Imperial Germany between 27 August and 7 November 1914. ...
, and was subsequently assigned to patrol the
sea lane A sea lane, sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels (ships) on wide waterways such as oceans and large lakes, and is preferably safe, direct and economic. During the Age of Sail, they were determined ...
s between
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
,
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
and the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
from its forward base at
Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...
against the
Imperial German Navy The Imperial German Navy or the Imperial Navy () was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for coast defence. Wilhel ...
, as part of the Japanese contribution to the
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
cause under the
Anglo-Japanese Alliance The first was an alliance between Britain and Japan, signed in January 1902. The alliance was signed in London at Lansdowne House on 30 January 1902 by Lord Lansdowne, British Foreign Secretary, and Hayashi Tadasu, Japanese diplomat. A dip ...
.Howarth, ''The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun'' During the February 1915 Singapore Mutiny by Indian
Sepoy ''Sepoy'' () was the Persian-derived designation originally given to a professional Indian infantryman, traditionally armed with a musket, in the armies of the Mughal Empire. In the 18th century, the French East India Company and its oth ...
troops against the British in Singapore, ''Otowa'' was the first ship to respond to the British government's request for assistance.pg 611 - Together with ''Niitaka'' and ''Tsushima'', she landed marines to help quell the disturbances. On 25 July 1917, when en route from Yokosuka to
Sasebo Naval District was the third of five main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the western and southern coastline of Kyūshū, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Korea, as well as patrols in the East China Sea and t ...
, ''Otowa'' ran aground in dense fog off Daiozaki,
Shima Shima may refer to: Places , Japan * Shima Province (志摩), one of the old provinces of Japan * Shima, Fukuoka (志摩), a former town in Fukuoka Prefecture * Shima, Mie (志摩), a city in Mie Prefecture ** Shima, Mie (town), a former town ...
peninsula,
Mie prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to ...
(). Subsequent efforts to save the vessel failed, and ''Otowa'' broke apart and sank on 10 August 1917.


Notes


References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Otowa Cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy Ships built by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 1903 ships Russo-Japanese War cruisers of Japan World War I cruisers of Japan Maritime incidents in 1917 World War I shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean