Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, March 2, 1906
The year began with a hodgepodge of reports, none of which were anything special. January and February 1906 were among the most boring months ever for a chronicler of Imperial Japan.
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At the beginning of March, however, this changed radically. As if the Boxer Rebellion had never been a disaster for China, insurgents rose up again. Several European countries have sent armed forces to deal with the situation and Japan is interfering!
It did not do this with diplomatic notes, as it used to do, but with ships of the line. In particular, the Grande Nation did not like the massive appearance of the Imperial Japanese Navy at all and the otherwise so good relations with the British Empire went off the rails.
France's threats did not cause Japan to back down. Rather, the Japanese Navy let the rest of the world know that Japan now also had good 13inch guns and knew how to use them if necessary.
Osaki Satoshi was surprised that Japan allowed itself to jeopardize its relations with England so negligently. After all, quite a few of the most important ships in the fleet came from English shipyards. With such bad relations, there would be no more new ships built in England anytime soon and this country was still years ahead of the Japanese shipyards.
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Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Monday, April 9, 1906
>> Strongest eruption of Mount Vesuvius in almost 400 years <<
More than a hundred people died as a result of the strongest eruption of Mount Vesuvius since 1631. The eruption of the volcano, which has been active again since 1904, blew away the entire tip of the volcano, which is now almost 200 meters lower than before. Most of the fatalities were found in the collapsed church of San Giuseppe.
>> Navy announces commissioning of new ships and advances its research projects <<
The Imperial Japanese Navy has commissioned six more submarines and a new torpedo boat over the past week. Breakthroughs in shipbuilding were also reported. It is striking, however, that fleet construction seems to be stagnating. No new orders have been awarded to Japanese shipyards for several months, although the naval budget has turned significantly positive since most ships were laid ashore.
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Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Thursday, April 19, 1906
>> San Francisco devastated by severe earthquake <<
Once again, a natural disaster has claimed human victims. The most severe known earthquake in the region has razed large parts of San Francisco to the ground. There are thousands of deaths and the number of homeless people is in the six-Picture range.
Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Monday, August 13, 1906
>> Massive economic boom causes controversy <<
The Japanese economy is doing brilliantly. Now that the shackles of the war have finally been cast, Japanese industry has been on the upswing for months. Several entrepreneurs have called on the armed forces to disband more troops and decommission ships in order to meet the demand for labor.
Because of the high tax revenues, there has been a rift between the Navy and the imperial family. While the Navy wants to use the funds to build new ships, the Tennō has reiterated its demands for a new Imperial yacht in order to be able to supervise the work on the planned new palace from See.
As a laughing third, the army wants to emerge from the dispute and raise several new divisions at once. The army points out that the navy is not planning any new buildings at all and that the senior officers instead want to divert the money into their own hands.
In fact, the Navy cannot deny that it currently has only three ships under construction and that a fourth is in the process of being transferred to the equipment quay.
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>> assassination attempt on Russian Interior Minister <<
The Japanese government has denied any involvement in the assassination attempt on Russian Interior Minister Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin. In the attack on Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin yesterday, 27 people were killed, while Stolypin survived. It is rumored that Stolypin belongs to a group of revisionists within the Russian state apparatus who do not agree with the concessions to Japan and are calling for another war against Japan to bring the Liadong Peninsula back under Russian control.
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Ministry of Navy of the Imperial Japanese Navy – Friday, September 28, 1906
Minister of the Navy Saitō Makoto greeted the two journalists of the Tōkyō Shinbun in the most polite manner, but it was noticeable that he was not interested in this conversation.
As open as his predecessor Yamamoto Gonnohyōe had been to the press in order to harness it for the purposes of the navy, Saitō Makoto had been closed so far. It had taken months to be able to conduct this interview, and if it hadn't been for some pressure from the Chief of the Admiralty Staff – none other than Kaigun-Taishō Tōgō Heihachirō – this date would certainly have been postponed further.
After the inevitable greeting ritual, Osaki Satoshi began his questions bluntly, fearing that this interview would be too short.
"Minister, is it not a joy for Japan that the British King Edward VII has awarded the noble Kaigun-Taishō Tōgō Heihachirō with the Order of Merit? Was it an appropriate reaction by Japan to offend the Royal Navy so much about China just a few days later?"
"Mr. Osaki, as you have already been able to see, the waves have calmed down again since March."
"Yes, but it could have turned out differently. After all, we are dependent on English shipyards?"
"We have no efforts to make use of English shipyards at the moment."
"Yes, of course, Minister. The Navy has not ordered any new ships for months. Despite numerous new technologies, the Imperial Japanese Navy is in danger of becoming obsolete?"
"The Navy is pursuing its plans, Mr. Osaki!"
"Yes, certainly, but what are these plans? Many sailors have been dismissed, most ships are rusting away and nothing new is being built. The gap to the big European nations is getting bigger and bigger."
"We have learned our lessons from the Russo-Japanese War and will implement them."
"But even Russia already seems to feel strong enough again to seek another armed conflict?"
"If you are alluding to the revisionists, they are a small, insignificant group of eternally yesterdays. Port Arthur is ours and is currently being expanded. Nothing will change in this regard. Not by us or the Tsar or anyone else."
"And now you must excuse me, gentlemen, I have obligations."
Editorial office of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Monday, October 2, 1906
Osaki Satoshi had to admit one thing: In fact, the tensions had subsided somewhat. Nevertheless, these were not completely eliminated. He looked at the known facts about the situation of the major colonial powers and the position of Japan.
In Northeast Asia, Japan clearly had a stable situation. With Sakhalin and the Liadong Peninsula in Japanese hands, all potentially hostile positions were practically encircled. But even a look at the fleet strengths revealed that a blockade would be difficult. With the exception of Russia, all other nations were far superior and even Russia had already caught up significantly. This was all the more true since the Russian ships were state-of-the-art newbuilds, while Japan's ships were gradually getting on in years.
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Sagawa came to the editorial office and hurried to Satoshi.
"What is there such urgent Sagawa?"
"Steel!"
"Steel?"
"Yes, the prices for steel have exploded today! Resentment is spreading in the emerging economy."
"How do you know that?"
"From a colleague from the Daily Telegraph who has been looking for answers for weeks as to why Japan buys large quantities of steel from abroad, although no major project is known to explain this amount. It is more than is supported by the economic upswing. And the special thing is that it is without exception steel, as it is particularly suitable for shipbuilding."
"Oh, so? Shipbuilding steel, in other words!"
"You were with the minister, weren't you? Did he say something that no one else is allowed to know?"
"No, he didn't. On the contrary, he avoided the topic."
"Then you'll like it too: Soldiers are on the move all over the country, visiting old comrades and asking them to come back to the navy."
"What?"
"I experienced it myself."
"But if the navy needed personnel, it would place advertisements in the newspapers and put up posters everywhere."
"They are all officers and not simple sailors!"
"If you upgrade, would you perhaps start with the experienced officers to recruit them as instructors?"
"Yes, now at least you know and the colleague from the Daily found it interesting that in the room next to his in the Imperial Hotel lives another Englishman, who probably works for Sir W.G. Armstrong-Whitworth & Co. Ltd."
"Thunderstorm! And that despite the tensions?"
"Well, the navy will probably want to build something new?"
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Monday, October 8, 1906
>> Great excitement at the Japanese shipyards <<
Navy Minister Saitō Makoto announced this morning that the Imperial Japanese Navy will undergo a major overhaul of all torpedo boats in the coming years. He rejected rumors that the Navy has now also ordered new ships. The navy is only examining options of what is technically feasible. However, all available funds would flow into the modernization of existing ships. Newbuildings would take too long to supply the fleet with sufficiently competitive ships.
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Ministry of Navy of the Imperial Japanese Navy – Tuesday, October 9, 1906
Kaigun-Taishō Tōgō Heihachirō sat with a serious face opposite the Minister of the Navy, Saitō Makoto. The minister had just presented him with detailed construction plans of an English ship design, which the secret service had recently obtained. He didn't like what the admiral saw at all.
But he was not surprised, as it was no secret that the English shipyards were years ahead of all other nations in shipbuilding. He saw the plans of an English battlecruiser and he knew that Japan had nothing that could compete with eight 15-inch guns. He didn't find the armor particularly sensational, but it was just a battlecruiser.
What technical data did English battleships want to have?
Shipbuilding entered a new era and Japan could not keep up!
"Torpedo boats, Mr. Minister – torpedo boats!"
"Are you certainly an admiral?"
"As big as these English ships may be, enough torpedoes and they will sink just like the Russian ships of the line."
"So we're pushing torpedo research?"
"Yes, I don't have any other answer at the moment. The British can build such ships by the dozen, we can only do that with torpedo boats. If we have enough torpedo boats, it could be enough."
"And England is the destination?"
"The English fleet is the most dangerous for us, but even English ships cannot operate without bases. Let's take Weihaiwei, northeast Asia belongs to us."
"This is – as you say – a dangerous game!"
"It could be our downfall..."
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Friday, December 7, 1906
>> JAPAN IS PILLORIED BY THE WORLD <<
Visibly meek, Navy Minister Saitō Makoto had to admit at noon today that Japanese spies have been unmasked in several countries. The ambassadors of almost all European countries today jointly submitted a note of protest to the Foreign Ministry.
According to this, Japan is called upon to immediately end all intelligence activities and to limit itself to its home waters in the future. Otherwise, Japan would have to reckon with severe sanctions.
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Editorship of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, January 16, 1907
Of course, Japan would not end its espionage activities, Osaki Satoshi had immediately realized that. Therefore, it did not surprise him that plans for an American battlecruiser were leaked to him from the environment of the naval design department. Even in the past, he was always well informed about ship constructions.
Nevertheless, it was not as productive as ten years ago. It was no longer a secret that something was going on in Japan's largest dry dock, but no one knew what it was. The fact that huge quantities of steel plates have been delivered every day since the beginning of the year could not be overlooked, but nothing more either. The dock was very well shielded and the only word that could be elicited from the shipyard workers was "Large".
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Tuesday, April 2, 1907
>> Japan duped European naval powers <<
During an international regatta, the Imperial Japanese Navy caused a scandal with Russia. The captain of the Japanese ship described the Russian ship as a rotten dung heap that he would defeat even if he was forced to reverse his ship.
The envoy from France who was present wanted to moderate the dispute and was told that France should be more careful that its white bread ships did not soak up water and drown.
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Ministry of the Navy of the Imperial Japanese Navy – Saturday, May 11, 1907
Once again, Kaigun-Taishō Tōgō Heihachirō was invited to the Minister of the Navy to discuss foreign ship designs. The conversation went little better than the previous one.
"The Russians have caught up, Minister, there's no denying that."
"Yes, but did the Russians overtake us?"
"Not yet, but not much is missing. But I am more frightened by the similarity of this design to one of our designs!"
"You mean the Russians stole our draft?"
"You could almost believe that."
"And how are things progressing with us?"
"The Iwami is no longer on schedule. We simply have too little steel, Minister."
"And how can we change that?"
"Production capacities are only increasing slowly, Mr. Minister, but some of our conversions have currently been completed. The rest could be finished at the beginning of July. Then we will have capacities free."
"But only if we do without further renovations - do we want that?"
"No, Mr. Minister! Tensions are rising faster than planned. Our new ships still need almost three years before they can be taken over. We could have all the torpedo boats converted by the end of the year if we put the big projects on hold."
"Tell me, Mr. Admiral, are we overextending ourselves? Are our plans too ambitious for the capabilities of our Navy?"
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Editorship of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, June 28, 1907
Osaki Satoshi had to get used to the new situation. The navy remained stubbornly silent about its own shipbuilding plans. He didn't even have any information about what had been modified on the torpedo boats. Instead, construction plans by the British, French, Americans and Russians seemed to be doing the rounds all over the world.
Only Japan could be behind it.
So Satoshi knew what the potential enemy had, but it didn't do him any good because he didn't know what Japan had. He couldn't compare, but the assumption that Japan's new buildings were weaker was obvious.
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Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Tuesday, August 6, 1907
For lack of information, Osaki Satoshi had resorted to having errand boys count the torpedo boats that had left the shipyards one after the other in recent weeks. He concluded that most of the Japanese torpedo boats must now have been converted. No other torpedo boats had been docked so far.
The global tensions over Japan had not escalated further, but had reached an above-average level with almost all nations. Somehow this fact sounded familiar to him.
He wondered what would get the ball rolling this time?
The last time a Russian warship exploded, the navy would probably not allow itself to do that a second time. So what then?
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Thursday, September 12, 1907
In recent weeks, the Navy had issued a completely unusual firework of messages. Almost all of them concerned advances from the research departments, but one report concerned a new protected cruiser.
The Takasago belonged to the Akashi class, which had been commissioned during the war and the details of which were known. However, the fact that it was not the eponymous lead ship of the class that had been completed first made people sit up and take notice, but the second ship.
Were there any problems with the construction of the Akashi?
This would not really be something new, years ago the Japanese shipyards had to admit that they would not be able to cope with the upcoming orders. Was that the case again now? The navy remained silent.
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Thursday, December 5, 1907
The year 1907 drew to a close in a strikingly similar way to the year 1906. In November, the espionage scandal boiled up again, and in response, a dispute broke out at the beginning of December over the financing of the fleet. Osaki Satoshi sensed that troubled times were ahead.
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Friday, February 10, 1908
>> IS THERE A THREAT OF A NEW WAR? <<
Off the Korean coast, the new cruiser Takasago has run aground. Officially, the ship was on its first sea trial. Now the naval command had to admit that the ship had dropped several spies ashore and was surprised by the onset of low tide in shallow water.
The governments of the German Empire and Russia have protested in the strongest possible terms and once again called on Japan to stop its espionage activities.
The German Empire has announced that it will send a large naval force to Asia, which is able to defend Germany's interests and teach Japan the necessary respect.
Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu has rejected the increasing foreign aggression against the Japanese Empire, saying that the Imperial Japanese Navy knows how to deal with this threat without any problems.
Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, February 10, 1908
Japan is preparing for a new war. Osaki Satoshi had recognized the unmistakable signs. Constant pestering of the other nations and at the same time significantly increased financial resources for the military. At the moment, however, the money flowed less into new warships and more into the expansion of bases, the training of soldiers and war-related industries. The naval budget had already almost returned to the amount it had at the end of the war with Russia.
And there was no war yet!
For the Japanese economy and population, this expenditure was an enormous burden. In international comparison, this is also quite respectable, but too small compared to the potential closest war opponents. And these potential war opponents were far from having converted to a war economy.
Much more frightening, however, were the fleet conditions, despite the huge Japanese expenditures.
Even though some recognized shipbuilding experts were of the opinion that the technological advantage was smaller than assumed and that some warships, especially American ones, were not very frightening, it was not so much the combat power as the sheer number that worried Satoshi.
England alone had 36 standard ships of the line. That was more than the number of all Japanese unit ships of the line, armoured cruisers and protected cruisers combined. The fact that England already had two of these monstrous dreadnoughts and three battlecruisers was not even taken into account. The Royal Navy had almost as many large warships as Japan had torpedo boats. These torpedo boats had tipped the scales with their numerical superiority over the Russian ships of the line and cruisers.
But what if the enemy had large warships in a ratio of 1:1 to the Japanese torpedo boats?
How could the military be so crazy? And how could the politicians be so stupid? Did no one see that?
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Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Wednesday, March 5, 1908
>> Japan's first battlecruiser commissioned! <<
In Yokosuka yesterday, Japan's first battlecruiser was handed over to the Navy in a ceremonial act. This is Japan's first ship of this new class of large warships, which is far more powerful than any previous design. Even though the Tsukuba is now the largest and most powerful ship in the Imperial Japanese Navy, it will only be a matter of time before even larger ships join the fleet.
The Minister of the Navy is still silent about what is going on in the largest dry dock in the country, but it can only be a ship of the even more powerful new type battleship.
As it became known on the sidelines of the celebrations, the Russian government has described the commissioning of the Tsukuba as an act of war and called on Japan to end its rearmament.
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Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Friday, April 10, 1908
>> The British Empire warns the Japanese government <<
After the announcement by the Japanese Navy that it would start building new, larger torpedo boats this month, the British government has now also warned of the renewed Japanese warmonger and summoned the Japanese ambassador.
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Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, May 22, 1908
In the meantime, Osaki Satoshi maintained a complete army of shipyard informants. These were mainly children, whom he usually rewarded for information with sweets, but also with Rin or Sen. He even donated yen for really important information. These shipyard informants were his eyes and ears, because he could not constantly observe the goings-on in Japan's ports and shipyards and his correspondents also had more important things to do.
His wife Natsuko reproached him for this and had asked him if he would also use his twins for it, if only they would be old enough for it?
But he had no ear for these sentimentalities. He needed information. If he didn't get it from the minister, then it was in this way. Drunken bums hanging around in the harbor dives were not useful for this, because they were too inventive for a free drink and claimed to have seen the entire Royal Navy before Kure, and the shipyard workers had been silenced.
Curious children playing on the streets or on hills near the harbours, on the other hand, were hardly noticed. At best, they were harshly pushed aside if they were in the way, but there was no more attention.
This time he gave two thirteen-year-old ruffians one yen each. Which was a fortune for the two of them. However, Satoshi found the information remarkable.
The Navy had taken several armoured cruisers out of reserve and transferred them to dry docks
So there were renovations on the agenda, about which no official announcements had been heard so far.
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Morning edition of the Tōkyō Shinbun of Wednesday, June 17, 1908
>> ESPIONAGE AT JAPANESE SHIPYARDS! <<
On the 小野浜造船所 (Onohama Zōsenjo) (Kure Naval Shipyard), a spy of the German Empire was unmasked yesterday. The Japanese shipyard worker was caught trying to sell construction plans of a recently docked armored cruiser to an employee of the German embassy.
Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu then summoned the German Ambassador Alfons Mumm von Schwarzenstein to hand over a personal letter of protest from the Tennō to the German Emperor.
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, July 1, 1908
It was like a copy of the procedure from four years ago. Japan irritated the other nations to the bone and when you thought it was enough and now Japan would give in, the government or the military went one better. This was also the case in July. The German Emperor forbade reprimand for the espionage incident, as it was merely a reaction to Japanese espionage activities.
The Minister of the Navy ruled with an unusual measure. He personally informed the naval attachés of the European nations in the capital Tokyo about the latest Japanese technology that is currently being installed on Japanese ships.
Everyone knew this was a blatant lie, but the message was unmistakable!
Editorship of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, August 5, 1908
The situation with Russia and the German Empire was on the verge of exploding and the military had nothing better to do than to rekindle the recently relaxed situation with France.
It seemed as if the Japanese military itself did not know who it actually wanted to wage war against and therefore simply took on trouble with all nations.
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Thursday, December 17, 1908
The second half of the year gave Osaki Satoshi a lot of time to spend with his family. Japan left no stone unturned to start a war, but the major European powers avoided taking up arms. Once again, the Navy did not do much with new buildings, as everything was based on the further development of technology.
Behind closed doors, Satoshi had learned that Japan could not even begin to keep up with shipbuilding, so they wanted to build few but advanced ships in the future.
In the meantime, the work at the shipyards had progressed so far that everyone could see certain details. The Navy still did not provide any information, but the basic data had been leaked.
The two Iwate-class armoured cruisers would be classified as battlecruisers in the future and were otherwise only completely overhauled.
The Asama class received a new engine system and gained two knots of speed, but of the six units only two were being converted.
Much more exciting was Japan's first battleship, which was under construction. The name was presumably Iwami and there was a significant anomaly. At twenty-two knots, it would be four to five knots faster than most battleship designs from Europe.
In fact, the Iwami as a battleship was more comparable in speed to the European battlecruisers and that might be a hint.
From the rest of the data, the Iwami was rather weakly armed with ten 13inch guns.
Satoshi was most impressed, however, by the presumed information of two new armoured cruisers. It could not be overlooked, because the Iwami and the two cruisers were next to each other. The ships had practically the same dimensions and an unmistakably huge secondary artillery. The designers had actually set up the usual main caliber of armored cruisers as secondary artillery and given the two ships 12inch guns as the main artillery.
To classify these ships as armored cruisers would probably have to be an understatement and might serve political purposes. All other nations would probably put this type into service as a battlecruiser.
The two new protected cruisers were also very large and here the names have already been announced. This was hardly avoidable, as both cruisers would probably be commissioned at the turn of the year. The Akitsushima and Kasagi embodied what the Minister of the Navy described as the lesson of the war. These cruisers had a planned speed that only torpedo boats had previously had and the number of guns had been almost doubled with fourteen gun barrels.
What the Navy had not liked at all was the fact that the term "colonial cruiser" had found its way into the press. The Akitsushima class was intended to play a role outside of Japan's home waters.
Osaki Satoshi surveyed all the information and summed it up in one word:
"Speed"
The navy had clearly placed the emphasis on fast ships.
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Tuesday, February 2, 1909
The turn of the year was largely uneventful, but had personal consequences for Osaki Satoshi. The many free times towards the end of the year had led to Natsuko being hopeful again. If the twins were already keeping him on his toes, it would now get even worse.
The biggest headline came at the end of December, after an earthquake destroyed Messina in Sicily and more than 70,000 people died.
Now, at the beginning of the year, the smoldering conflict with France gained momentum, but all nations still shied away from the armed conflict.
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Monday, March 1, 1909
>> STROKE AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH! <<
Navy Minister Saitō Makoto ordered the mobilization of the entire fleet this morning. He did not give the exact reasons for this. Evasively, he stated that the seaworthiness of all ships should be checked in order to be able to determine which ships are to be overhauled and which are to be scrapped.
This is the first time that the Navy has spoken of scrapping in the last ten years, but in view of the international situation, scrapping Japanese warships is not very credible.
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, March 17, 1909
Osaki Satoshi did not want to believe what his "boys" had told him. So he went to the harbor himself. Although the fuse was already burning in Asia, the Minister of the Navy had followed his words with deeds. In fact, four armoured cruisers and almost twenty torpedo boats had been docked for shipyard overhaul.
The powder keg could explode at any time and the navy put a significant part of its ships into the shipyard for months?
Then it dawned on him!
Tensions with Europe had been at a high level for more than a year, but no one wanted to take the first step. But if Japan were to dock a fifth of its fleet, it could lure a potential enemy out of cover.
The already weak Japanese fleet significantly reduced its operational ships.
It had to be!
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Saturday, June 19, 1909
Osaki Satoshi was to be proved right. Only later did he learn that he had a better vision than the military. In fact, several weeks after the events, a high-ranking Japanese officer admitted that the Navy had not expected a new war before 1911 or 1912 and was downright surprised by the events of June 19, 1909.
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Saturday, June 19, 1909
>> WAR – WAR WITH RUSSIA! <<
>> RUSSIA HAS DECLARED WAR ON JAPAN AGAIN! <<
Japan is again at war with Russia. A few hours ago, Russian envoy Nikolai Malevsky-Malevich handed over the declaration of war to Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu.
The beginning of hostilities must be expected today. Rumors say that the Navy was completely surprised by the declaration of war and that only a few ships were ready to sail.
Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu explained that Russia is demanding the return of the Liadong Peninsula and high reparations for the damage caused by the 1904/1905 war.
In fact, this time the Japanese military were taken by surprise by their own arrogance! Japan was willing to seek conflict with the British Empire towards the end of 1910 or the beginning of 1911. By this time, the most important construction projects of the Imperial Japanese Navy would have been completed. No one thought a second war with Russia was conceivable, which is why numerous ships were docked for overhaul shortly before the outbreak of hostilities. It is speculation whether this was exactly the reason for Russia to seek the fight, at least it cannot be ruled out.
The 聯合艦隊 (Rengō Kantai) was commanded by Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō, who was hastily reassigned to the command, which he had only relinquished at the end of 1908. Since then, the post has been vacant.
Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō served under Tōgō Heihachirō in the First Russo-Japanese War and made a name for himself through the development of the "Ijūin Fuse". During his first time as commander in 1908, he was feared for the fanatical drill he imposed on his subordinates.
Now it had to be shown what the constant drill was worth!
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The command on the Russian side was held by Admiral Nikolai Ottowitsch von Essen, but he was sitting in distant Europe far away from the scene of the action and could therefore only contribute with strategic guidelines. The fighting was fought by less respected officers, who saw the transfer to Asia more as punishment than as an opportunity.
Among these officers was Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Yesen, who had been reprimanded for his misdemeanours during the first war against Japan, but was nevertheless entrusted with new tasks in the Tsar's fleet at the instigation of Admiral Nikolai Ottowitsch von Essen.
Now Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Yesen led the Russian Pacific Squadron into the second war against Japan.
In June 1909, the following units were under construction:
1 Imperator Pavel I-class battleship (19,800 tons)
1 Tri Svyatitelya-class battleship (21,800 tons)
1 Pobeda-class battleship (22,100 tons)
3 Izmail-class battlecruisers (20,600 tons each)
7 corvettes of various classes (900 tons each)
10 corvettes of various classes (600 tons each)
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Comparison of forces between Japan and Russia:
In terms of tonnage, the superiority of the Russian fleet was significantly lower than in 1904 at the outbreak of the first war between Russia and Japan. This was all the more true since the heaviest units were all under construction. There were 486,000 tons in service and under construction on the Japanese side against 539,900 tons on the Russian side. This shows that the Russian fleet was still suffering from the war of 1904-1905 and that the old tonnage was far from being reached. In contrast, the Japanese Navy had a good 140,000 tons more to offer than five years earlier.
Nominally, Russia had 9 modern battleships and battlecruisers operational or under construction, while Japan could only muster 2 of these types. The number of standard ships of the line was identical, but the Russian types were all more modern and correspondingly had a larger tonnage.
Russia was already at the top of the armoured cruisers with 10 to 6 units, but the Japanese armoured cruisers were all larger. The protected cruisers were balanced with 21 Russian units to 17 Japanese units, which also affected the tonnage.
Japan's strength was again the torpedo boats with 97 to 32 units. Japan was also able to muster significantly more corvettes and had almost three times as many submarines ready for sea.
Russian superiority in 1909 thus consisted mainly on paper. If you only compared the operational ships, Japan was equal, if not superior. Russia's advantage was that most of the ships were modern newbuilds, while Japan primarily sent the old guard into battle. Although the torpedo boats in particular had been modernized, this only made them more combative to a limited extent.
Russia relied on the surprise effect because Japan had not expected a war with the supposedly weak Russia.
>> Convoy battle off Mordvinova Bay, 19 June 1909 <<
This time it was Russia that wanted to use the momentum for itself with a surprise attack. Russian spies had found out that Japan was expecting a very important convoy from the United States of America. This convoy sailed the dangerous northern route to avoid being spotted on the normal shipping routes. What exactly the cargo ships transported is still kept secret today, but it must have been so important that the convoy was escorted by heavy combat units that were unaware of the declaration of war. However, the Russians were not aware of this either. Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Jessen therefore expected to have an easy time with an unprotected convoy.
Unexpectedly, he found himself in battle with Japan's best warship – the battlecruiser Tsukuba!
On the morning of 19 June, the Tsukuba was at the head of the convoy formation, surrounded by numerous escort ships, east of Mordvinova Bay off Sakhalin.
When Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko set off with the Tsukuba and its convoy to receive the convoy near the Aleutian island of Adak, no one expected the outbreak of hostilities with Russia. With the Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla and the Japanese 3rd Reconnaissance Division, more than enough escort ships had been planned in peacetime, especially since the freighters had already been accompanied by four torpedo boats since leaving San Francisco.
In the waters off Sakhalin, two cruisers and several other Japanese torpedo boats were also on a routine patrol.
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At around nine-thirty, Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko learns of the Tsarist Empire's declaration of war from a corvette. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko immediately begins to regroup his ships and takes a battle formation in front of the convoy.
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At about ten o'clock fifteen an unknown ship comes into view. The protected cruiser Naniwa reports smoke on the horizon.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko immediately orders his small formation to intercept the unknown ship.
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Shortly afterwards, the unknown ship sets a direct course for the Naniwa.
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Protected cruiser Naniwa classifies the approaching ship as an armoured cruiser.
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Shortly thereafter, more ships come into the Naniwa's field of vision.
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At half past eleven, the cruiser is identified as a Russian Oslyabya-class armoured cruiser.
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Two minutes later, the enemy opens fire on the cruiser Naniwa.
>> Convoy battle off Mordvinova Bay, 19 June 1909 <<
The protected cruisers now detect several torpedo boats and open fire on these enemy ships. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko signals the protected cruisers to seek cover behind his formation. The Tsukuba turns around to be able to return fire with full broadside, while the torpedo boats head towards the enemy at full speed.
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The Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla begins its attempt at the Russian armoured cruiser, which in turn is shielded for the moment by its own torpedo boats. While the Japanese protected cruisers concentrate on these torpedo boats, the Tsukuba takes the enemy cruiser under heavy fire to cover the call of the 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla.
As in the first Russo-Japanese War, it is once again evident that the Russian torpedo boats are not able to effectively shield their cruiser.
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Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Yesen has to realize that he has run into the guns of an enemy who is far superior in terms of artillery. The Russian torpedo boats try to make it impossible for the enemy to find a target solution in an uncoordinated manner, but finally lose contact with their armoured cruiser. This cleared the way for the Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla to attack the armoured cruiser head-on.
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The flotilla leader begins the torpedo attack with the Harukaze. Despite the short distance, the enemy has not yet managed to hit the Japanese torpedo boats. However, this changes abruptly from one second to the next.
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The weak defense of the armoured cruiser, which is mainly concentrated on the Tsukuba, then also allows the first torpedo hit on the enemy ship.
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Shortly afterwards, the Russian squadron begins to break away. The water around the Oslyabya-class is crisscrossed by the trajectories of Japanese torpedoes.
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The armoured cruiser has no chance. It doesn't matter in which direction he dodges, everywhere he gets caught in the path of torpedoes and is hit again several times. A Russian torpedo boat can just about avoid such a torpedo.
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The enemy armoured cruiser is badly hit and drastically loses speed.
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The enemy armoured cruiser has no chance of escaping and the resistance is almost non-existent. More torpedoes seal the fate of the Russian warship.
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For the first time, shells from the Tsukuba hit the doomed cruiser and shredded the superstructure.
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The armoured cruiser tries to ram it, but is unsuccessful. The Namikaze escapes by a hair's breadth.
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The protected cruiser Itsukushima narrowly escapes its own Japanese torpedo, while the guns of the Tsukuba finally turn the armoured cruiser into a sieve.
>> Convoy battle off Mordvinova Bay, 19 June 1909 <<
The Tsukuba had zeroed in on the enemy cruiser. Even though it was of no significance because of the numerous torpedo hits, the higher hit rate compared to the previous conflict could be considered a welcome development.
The cruiser was ready and the Tsukuba now tried to hit the enemy torpedo boats, which were much more difficult to hit.
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The Russian torpedo boats fled after the Tsukuba rained down on hers. However, the hit rate was modest for these targets. This was not least due to another well-known Japanese problem, a malfunction in the turrets' mechanics.
While the Tsukuba turned so as not to get out of range, Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko was able to watch through his binoculars as the Russian armoured cruiser capsized and sank.
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Now the danger posed by the enemy torpedo boats had to be eliminated. Due to the speed of the enemy, it was hardly to be expected to be able to sink the boats, but it was enough to push the enemy away to know that the convoy was safe.
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Around half past eleven, the Tsukuba set course for the position of its own cargo ships. The torpedo boats were clearly uncatchable for the Japanese battlecruiser and so it was safer to have the battlecruiser back with the freighters in case another group of enemy ships should be in the vicinity.
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The Japanese torpedo boats pursued the enemy, but fired their ammunition more or less without sufficient results.
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Shortly before twelve o'clock the order was given to break off the hopeless pursuit.
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At half past one, the Tsukuba resumed its position in front of the convoy, and after several hours of no further enemy unit being sighted, Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko officially declared the battle officially over at four o'clock in the afternoon.
>> Memorandum of Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō on the convoy battle off Mordvinova Bay 19 June 1909 <<
Distinguished officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei),
to my shame, I must confess that I was completely surprised by the outbreak of hostilities with Russia. The 聯合艦隊 (Rengō Kantai) has been drawn into an unprovoked war unprepared. In my defence, I would like to point out that the high level of training of our sailors and officers, which I initiated, has more than compensated for this disgrace.
It was also a wise providence to escort this important convoy from the United States, which will greatly advance our Navy, from the beginning.
In the end, there is no doubt about the courage and determination of the noble Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko, who led the battlecruiser Tsukuba excellently in his baptism of fire and always had the fight as his goal. Once again, it has been shown that our torpedo boats, also thanks to the extensive modernizations, are up to date and were the decisive factor for success.
Whatever goals Russia may pursue, the 聯合艦隊 (Rengō Kantai) will know how to prevent them. As an incentive, I can confirm that among the survivors of the battle is Russian Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Yesen. This gives us a valuable pledge for the negotiations that will certainly soon be forthcoming, when the enemy seeks peace.
Thus, the officers of the 軍令部 (Gunreibu) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the 参謀本部 (Sambō hombu) of the Imperial Japanese Army, and the 海軍省 (Kaigun-shō) may take good note of the prepared and illustrated course of the battle for the convoy battle off Mordvinova Bay on June 19, 1909 of that year.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō, June 20, 1909
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Sunday, June 20, 1909
>> RUSSIA SUFFERS HUMILIATING DEFEAT! <<
After the unprovoked declaration of war by the Russian Tsarist Empire, the Russian East Asia Squadron has suffered a humiliating defeat in a cowardly attack on a Japanese trade convoy.
The pride of the Japanese fleet – the new battlecruiser Tsukuba – has taught the enemy to fear. The responsible Russian fleet commander was captured. Vice Admiral Karl Petrovich Jessen could have to answer to a war tribunal today.
Russia does not seem to have learned the lessons of the past war and will now be reminded once again by our heroic fleet led by the noble Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō who is in charge in Japanese waters.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Sunday, June 20, 1909
Russia must be crazy, even Osaki Satoshi was aware of that! In the last war, Russia was clearly superior and had to accept a bitter defeat that the country was far from overcoming. But it was incomprehensible that this same Russia sought conflict even with inferior forces.
According to all known information, significant parts of the Russian war fleet were in the Baltic Sea. Japan, on the other hand, had a fleet of torpedo boats modernized from the ground up, which Russia had already brought to its knees in the last war.
The first battle in this new war had impressively demonstrated this. For the Japanese torpedo boats, it was easier than ever to sink a large warship at the technical level of the turn of the century without causing much damage or even losses. The battlecruiser Tsukuba did not come within range fast enough to prove itself. Four torpedo boats had caught a big fish – on their own.
Russia had to be truly crazy!
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Ministry of the Navy of the Imperial Japanese Navy – Monday, June 21, 1909
Kaigun-Taishō Tōgō Heihachirō was the last to arrive at the Minister of the Navy.
Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō saluted in a befitting manner, then Navy Minister Saitō Makoto began the confidential meeting.
"Well, noble Kaigun-Taishō, what did your visit to the shipyards reveal?"
"There is a lack of everything, workers, materials, overseers, designers. The completion of all ships is repeatedly delayed. It is not clear whether the conversion of the Nisshin will be completed next month as promised."
"This is a disaster Kaigun-Taishō Heihachirō, how am I going to fight this war if my most important ships are not finished? Can you tell me?"
"Dear Kaigun-chūjō – of course those responsible at the shipyards are aware of the problem, but Japanese industry is still lagging behind the European powers by at least ten years. If our steel mills are not able to supply sufficient quality steel, the shipyards simply have nothing to use to build the ships we demand."
"Noble Kaigun-Taishō – that's a brazen lie from the shipyards. You know that exactly! A total of three ships of all ships in the shipyards are newbuilds. Only these need new steel. Two of these three ships are nearing completion, so strictly speaking, only the Ashigara needs steel from the blast furnaces. Everything else is conversions."
"Kaigun-chūjō, moderate yourself," Navy Minister Saitō Makoto interrupted the dispute between the two most important admirals of the fleet. "That's not how we make progress."
"Mr. Minister – two days ago we were lucky. If the Tsukuba had not used its training trip to accompany the convoy for a while, our valuable cargo would have been lost now. Who knows if this happiness will continue?"
"Yes, Kaigun-chūjō, we need more and better ships. Let's hope that the Nisshin and the Kako will be handed over next month, but until then you will have to make do with the Tsukuba as the core element."
"The Tsukuba is a good ship, but Russia already has three battlecruisers. And they are new ships, while we only have the Tsukuba. The Iwate and Nisshin are merely reclassified. The combat power of these two cruisers is no higher than before."
"But the two armoured cruisers of the Kako class are particularly strong in combat."
"At the expense of speed."
"These ships should also fight and not flee!"
"We won't get any further like this, gentlemen," interrupted Navy Minister Saitō Makoto again. "We are adjourning and waiting to see whether the two ships will be delivered as promised. Then we will reassess the situation."
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Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, July 2, 1909
July began with the usual war reports. Advances in research, convoy warfare and a famously cowardly Tsar's fleet.
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Therefore, Osaki Satoshi began to think about what there was for Japan to gain in this war against Russia, and the result was sobering:
NOTHING!
Occupying the Russian heartland was out of the question. The other European nations would certainly never tolerate that either. Only Kamchatka remained, and that was out of reach of the landing craft.
Satoshi wondered whether the Japanese military would take this war as an opportunity to invade Korea as a kind of protecting power, in order to deny Russia this land grab now or in the future? But invading a neutral country without cause could also result in undesirable reactions from European nations.
He would probably have to wait and see how things developed.
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
At the beginning of July 1909, Russia took the initiative again. Now the objective of the renewed conflict has become clear.
Russia was desperate to regain control of Sakhalin.
Japanese agents had managed to capture information about an imminent invasion of Sakhalin. On July 7, the Russian transporters left Vladivostok. Russia itself had made the whole world believe in advance that the Korean Peninsula was the target of the enterprise. Russian warships showed up off Korea to force Japan to act.
Japan responded and sent most of the Rengō Kantai towards Korea, following the Russian squadron. The Tsukuba, however, patrolled north in the Sea of Japan with some escort. The Russian escort fleet could not be too strong and Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō assumed that the Tsukuba would be enough to stop the troop transport.
The afternoon had long since dawned when the two opponents met.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko was again in command of the Tsukuba. He was assisted by the Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla as an escort for his battlecruiser, as well as the Japanese 3rd Reconnaissance Division with the protected cruiser Izumi, which had been accompanied by the Japanese 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla.
Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko followed the reconnaissance division at a distance so as not to let the enemy immediately recognize who he was dealing with.
There was a calculated meeting point to the enemy, towards which both Japanese columns were heading.
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Twenty minutes to four o'clock in the afternoon of July 7, 1909, the expected enemy came within sight of the Izumi. The Tsukuba followed the Izumi group just at the limit of visibility and was therefore undetectable by the enemy.
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However, it took almost fifteen minutes before more ships came into view. On board the Izumi, it was believed that only the rearguard could be found. But then the enemy was classified as a battleship.
That couldn't be a rearguard – on the contrary – that was a nightmare!
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At sixteen o'clock and six minutes, the Japanese torpedo boat Kuroshio reported the sighting of two battleships and another ship. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko signaled "stay the course – attack the enemy". What better reinforcement test could there be for the Tsukuba than a battle with two modern battleships?
He asked himself whether Russia had been able to complete these ships so quickly, after all, Russia should also only have battlecruisers, but in the end it didn't matter.
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As they approached, numerous escort ships now appeared. Had the enemy deceived the Japanese? Was the core fleet of the Russian Pacific Squadron located here and not a transport fleet?
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Then the crew of the Kuroshio realized their mistake. These were enemy armoured cruisers and not battleships. No sailor of the Kuroshio actually had any idea of what Russian battleships looked like, but the idea of the approaching battle fired the imagination of the young men.
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"The order is attack!"
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Fifteen minutes after four o'clock, the first troop transporters appear. However, the enemy cruisers shielded only one of the two groups. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko commands the Izumi group to the north to lure the enemy away from the transport ships. The Tsukuba was still out of sight of Russian warships.
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The enemy does not go along with the maneuver and approaches his transport ships. However, there is now the tactical possibility of being able to put the enemy in the pincers. The Tsukuba group comes into sight of the enemy, who now has to decide whether to block the way of the Tsukuba or intercept the Izumi, who now performs a flanking maneuver.
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
The Japanese 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla is approaching the northern column of transport ships. The enemy reacts and seems to start an interception maneuver. Shortly afterwards, shells hit in front of the Japanese 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla and the torpedo boat Hayashio reports engine damage due to the high speed level.
South of the enemy's main force, another armoured cruiser is reported. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko decides to attack this affiliated unit.
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Protected cruiser Izumi turns south to connect with Tsukuba. The protected cruiser would be inferior to two armoured cruisers, so it is supposed to lure the enemy into the gun range of the Tsukuba and thus also allow the torpedo boats to attack the northern convoy line. This identifies the first modern enemy ship – an Iskusni-class torpedo boat.
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The third armoured cruiser is now only referred to as a torpedo boat. The Izumi is under heavy fire from the Russian squadron. The lure of the enemy ships does not succeed, they effectively shield the transports from the Japanese torpedo boats and force them to turn away.
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The torpedo boat Hayashio receives a hit from the enemy armoured cruisers. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko reassesses the tactical situation. The Japanese 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla is now supposed to lure the enemy to the north and try to keep the enemy at a distance at the same time due to the superior speed. This would clear the way for the Tsukuba to attack the transport ships.
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The flotilla leader of the Japanese 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla decides to run the pursuing Russian warships into a volley of torpedoes. With a bit of luck, a hit will be scored, or at least the enemy formation will be thrown into disarray.
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The tactic seems to be working. The two southern convoy lines are practically unprotected. Only two Russian torpedo boats are within range, but are now facing the protected cruiser Izumi.
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The enemy armoured cruisers have recognized the danger and are now running towards the Izumi. However, this puts them within range of the Tsukuba, which immediately opens fire on the enemy cruisers. The Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla turns around to be able to shield the Tsukuba from the enemy cruisers.
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The tactical situation has changed abruptly again. The Russian torpedo boats have lost contact with their cruisers. On the other hand, the two Japanese torpedo boat flotillas are now able to lead a pincer attack on the armoured cruisers, while they are distracted by the Tsukuba and Izumi.
The two individual Russian torpedo boats try to lay a smoke screen between the Tsukuba and the transports.
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The two enemy armoured cruisers do not seem to recognize the danger and run directly into the combat area of the Japanese torpedo boats. When the enemy finally assesses the situation correctly, it is too late. The starting position of the Japanese is excellent and the Russian shielding is once again not on the spot. For this, the Japanese torpedo boats now have to endure the furious artillery fire of the enemy cruisers.
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The situation is ideal! The two southern convoy lines are completely unprotected. The Russian armoured cruisers try to outmaneuver the approach of the Japanese torpedo boats, while the Izumi inflicts heavy fire on the two individual Russian torpedo boats.
Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko announces the transport ships as a new target!
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Just in time, the Russian torpedo boats manage to shield their two cruisers.
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
The enemy had a problem!
The Tsukuba was able to shoot down the troop transports completely unmolested, the Izumi scared away two enemy torpedo boats and her own Japanese torpedo boats led a textbook torpedo attack on the enemy main force.
In fact, it was the indecision of the Russian commander that led the Russian fleet to this terrible position. If the Russian commander had not timidly considered whom to attack, but had resolutely chosen a target and attacked from the beginning, the battle would have been different.
What was about to happen was a slaughter among the Russian transport ships and the soldiers on them!
One of the most modern and powerful battlecruisers in the world was able to start effective shooting unmolested and the Japanese knew no mercy. The first volleys were already covering, followed by the inevitable hits on the enemy.
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The 12inch guns of the Tsukuba had an almost catastrophic effect on the unarmored troop carriers. Even before the first ships were hit so badly that they threatened to sink, the Russian infantrymen sought their salvation in the sea and jumped overboard.
On the other hand, the torpedo boat Kuroshio stood in the best tradition of the samurai and continued its attack in defiance of death despite immense damage. Only after the torpedoes were in the water did the commander ask to be allowed to leave the formation.
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But the enemy also had a new quality and dealt out a lot with his artillery. The Kuroshio turned into a floating wreck and sinking would probably only be a matter of minutes. The torpedo boat was ablaze with flames!
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Then the Japanese torpedo boats began a new tactic, which they had to train again and again under Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō. Two flotillas approached the enemy in unison and then swerved at a ninety-to-hundred-and-twenty-degree angle and took the enemy under fire. The enemy could not simply continue, as the first direct torpedoes were guaranteed to hit him. He could only dodge. No matter which way he swerved, he would offer either his port side or his starboard side to one of the two flotillas as a huge target.
It took unbelievable bad luck not to score in this situation.
The sailors almost insultingly called the maneuver the "Gorō tongs" due to the brutal drill.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko saw only smoke. The burning Kuroshio blocked the view. To the fierce battle. So he could hardly give his torpedo boats reasonable orders and concentrated on the task they were here – troop transports – the first capsized and sank!
So he couldn't see that the Russian torpedo boats were trying very hard to protect their armored cruisers this time – they succeeded very well for the moment – they constantly blocked the way of the Japanese attackers.
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The Japanese torpedo boats obviously had trouble finding gaps to get a clean firing solution with the torpedoes, but they always succeeded.
Then the Russians resorted to their most successful tactic to date – ramming strikes!
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An enemy cruiser wanted to continue the work of its torpedo boat and took the Hayashio as its target. However, it also drove in front of the torpedo tubes of the Japanese torpedo boat. However, the cruiser was faster.
One broadside was enough to pulverize the Hayashio.
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However, two torpedoes of the Hayashio also found their target and inflicted heavy damage on the Russian cruiser. It was the last thing the crew of the Hayashio saw before the torpedo boat was finally torn apart and sank by another shell from the cruiser.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko did not notice the drama of his torpedo boats. He was pleased with the extremely good performances of his gun crews. A hit rate of about ten percent with the heavy artillery was a new record in the Imperial Japanese Navy, even if the targets were only slow and cumbersome cargo ships.
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Battered torpedo boats were probably the specialty of the Russian cruiser commander. The Kuroshio was a floating torch and now became the target of this cruiser, which had just sunk the Hayashio.
However, the crew of the Kuroshio did not think of giving up and already had a torpedo in the water. A second one followed immediately!
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
North of the transports, a naval battle was raging between the Japanese torpedo boats and the Russian cruisers. Slowly, the torpedo hits on the Russian armoured cruisers made themselves felt, and the Japanese torpedo boats attempted another coordinated attack.
The Tsukuba continued its work of destruction undisturbed.
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The enemy cruisers did everything they could to counter the danger, and the Arashi narrowly escaped a ramming blow.
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The Kuroshio continued to face a cruiser, but at least it did not come any closer when it saw the torpedoes coming towards it in the water. However, two Russian torpedo boats have now been added to support the cruiser.
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Success came faster than the flotilla leaders expected. Several torpedoes caused severe damage to one of the cruisers.
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On the Kuroshio, the situation became dramatic. The enemy had long since recognized this and pulled away. The torpedo boat could explode at any time.
Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko ordered the Izumi to turn away in the meantime and attack the third convoy group.
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The Kuroshio had to be abandoned, but most of the sailors just got off the ship.
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Then the familiar behavior became apparent. Once the large warships were hit, the Russian torpedo boats kept a respectful distance instead of intervening to save what could be saved.
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The Japanese torpedo boats were in their element and the enemy armoured cruisers had long since been doomed. The Tsukuba made short work of the troop transports and hundreds, if not thousands, of infantrymen were already swimming in the sea, also facing death.
The protected cruiser Izumi came within effective range of the previously unmolested transport ships.
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The Bayan-class armoured cruiser hardly made any speed, so the battle-ready torpedo boats switched to the Oslyabya-class armoured cruiser, which was also already considerably damaged, but nevertheless posed a greater danger.
The Izumi opened fire.
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Several Russian torpedo boats again laid smoke screens, but the wind drove the smoke away in uncritical directions.
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Protected cruiser Izumi can sail undisturbed along the enemy column and carry out a torpedo attack. An enemy torpedo boat makes no attempt to intervene.
The fight for the Kuroshio was over. A large column of water vapor rose into the sky above the sinking site and burning debris continues to float on the water.
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At least one commander of a Russian torpedo boat understood how to protect a cruiser. However, he was alone on a lost cause. If all enemy torpedo boats had acted like this one Bistri-class boat, it would have been questionable whether the armoured cruisers would have been hit at all.
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
Like the Tsukuba in the south, the Izumi can also attack the northern column undisturbed. The Oylyaba-class armoured cruiser is now again on its own against the Japanese torpedo boats, but defends itself to the best of its ability.
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The torpedo boat Yamagumo scores the final torpedo hit. Immediately after the torpedo hits, a powerful explosion occurs on the enemy armoured cruiser and tears the ship in half.
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The enemy is now completely disorganized and all the fighting is a local measure.
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Only now that the Russian armoured cruiser has sunk do the Russian torpedo boats intervene in the fight and a fierce torpedo boat battle develops.
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An enemy torpedo boat now pursues the Tsukuba, but is immediately under massive defensive fire from the Japanese battlecruiser and turns away.
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Several Japanese torpedo boats receive hits and are massively impaired in their combat capability. The Hatsukaze is about to sink. The badly hit Bayan-class cruiser capsizes and sinks. Incomprehensibly, the will to fight of the remaining enemy ships has awakened right now.
The Tsukuba leaves a trail of annihilation, misery and suffering behind it. Russia has already recorded thousands of dead infantrymen. Even if the Tsukuba were to be stopped by a miracle, the Russian invasion has failed.
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The Japanese torpedo boats are now trying to catch up with their cruisers. But they are suddenly exposed to brutal shelling.
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The enemy is focused on the badly damaged Hatsukaze. While the Tsukuba again sends several salvos towards the intrusive torpedo boat. Cruiser Izumi is now supported by the torpedo boat Arashi.
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Then the inevitable happens and the Hatsukaze is hit again and sinks.
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The protected cruiser Izumi leaves the transports to the Arashi and seeks out the fight with the enemy torpedo boats himself. However, it is the Tsukuba who gives these opponents the first direct hit.
The Tsukuba is now trying to keep its distance and fight the enemy with clearly superior artillery, without him being able to defend himself.
In the meantime, almost all enemy torpedo boats in the north are back in orderly formation and pursue the Japanese torpedo boats.
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The enemy torpedo boats break off the pursuit of the Tsukuba. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko does not think about letting these ships escape so easily, however, now turns around and pursues the enemy with the Tsukuba. However, this is too fast for the battlecruiser.
The Japanese 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla is now again under heavy fire and is clearly inferior to the enemy due to existing damage. The Hagikaze cannot keep up with the drop-off maneuver and loses touch.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko decides to run towards his torpedo boats to support them in the fight against the Russian torpedo boats.
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The Hagikaze is now being shot down by the enemy.
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There is no salvation for the Hagikaze. The torpedo boat is hit hard and begins to sink. For Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko it is completely incomprehensible why the Russian torpedo boats are only looking for the fight now, when the disaster for Russia is already a fact!
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko gives orders to all units to rally. All Russian troop transports are sinking or have already sunk and due to the approaching dusk it is too dangerous to maneuver with the cruisers alone without cover.
The Russian torpedo boats recognize the situation and keep their distance.
At ten minutes past nineteen, the last Russian troop transport sinks.
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The Japanese ships begin to take survivors on board. The opponent keeps his distance, but does not stray too far either.
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The cruisers Tsukuba and Izumi cover the rescue operations of the torpedo boats and prevent the enemy from attacking with their presence. With the onset of dusk, contact with the enemies is lost.
Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko orders as many survivors as possible to be taken on board before nightfall. As soon as complete darkness spreads, further rescue measures are too dangerous.
This is proven when several silhouettes appear at the edge of the line of sight, heading for the Japanese ships.
This can only be the Russian torpedo boats, which smell their chance in the darkness - night battle is looming!
>> Battle of the Convoy at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy 7 July 1909 <<
The detected enemy ships came closer, but remained clearly out of range of the Tsukuba's guns. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko therefore gave the order to bring all units into formation and run away. The mission was fulfilled, sinking more enemy torpedo boats was of little use, but the danger of being torpedoed itself could still compensate for the excellent result so far.
But then the enemy was too bold to attack the Arashi and the Izumi immediately reacted with barrage fire.
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Now the opponent wanted to know and he started his run-up. The Russian torpedo boats approached the Izumi at high speed. That would clearly be a torpedo attack. The Izumi, for her part, tried to break up the enemy formation with torpedoes.
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Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko brought the Tsukuba into attack position and fired one broadside after another. He didn't want to score any hits at all to fight down a single torpedo boat. It was enough for him if the enemy reconsidered his request and gave up because of the heavy defensive fire.
However, it turned out that Russians could be just as stubborn as Japanese!
For the infantrymen, who were still swimming for their lives in the water, however, the shell impacts finally meant death.
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Now, however, the Russians felt the full potential of the Tsukuba. The battlecruiser's large number of small 3inch guns were built in precisely to be able to fight enemy torpedo boats at short range. How sensible this design decision was could no longer be denied. The Russian torpedo boats literally sailed through "boiling" water.
Nevertheless, the enemy came into position to complete its torpedo attack.
+ + +
Only a broadside of the medium artillery at the shortest distance made the Russians turn away. Even though no one had observed the firing of torpedoes, Die Tsukuba and Izumi turned away immediately if torpedoes were in the water.
+ + +
The onset of complete darkness was imminent. Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko ordered all units to sail for Japan at the highest possible speed. Another torpedo attack in complete darkness would not be thwarted as successfully as with the current residual light of twilight.
The artillery would very soon be as good as useless.
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The mission was fully fulfilled, now it was only necessary to get back to Japan without further damage.
+ + +
An hour after the last enemy sighting, the situation seemed to be safe and Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko studied the damage reports of the remaining ships.
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Another two hours later, Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko declared the battle over!
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Thursday, July 8, 1909
>> TENS OF THOUSANDS DEAD – RUSSIAN INVADING ARMY DROWNED! <<
Yesterday the noble Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko led the Japanese battlecruiser Tsukuba into battle again. The Kaigun-daisa Hirose Katsuhiko succeeded in sending a complete Russian invasion fleet to the bottom of the Sea of Japan. Tens of thousands of Russian infantrymen drowned along with the transport ships.
Furthermore, the Tsukuba managed to sink two enemy cruisers.
The enemy has suffered a proverbial brutal defeat!
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From the War Chronicles of Imperial Japan:
>> Memorandum of Kaigun-chūjō Ijūin Gorō on the convoy battle at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy on 7 July 1909 <<
Honored officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei),
a few words may suffice. The strategy and tactics of our plans have been impressively confirmed. The enemy was defeated. At least one entire Russian division drowned off Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy.
Once again, the beginning of the battle showed the familiar Russian face of the battle leadership. At the same time, it is remarkable to point out that this face has completely changed after the loss of the two Russian armoured cruisers. From this point on, the Russian flotilla leaders did with their torpedo boats what torpedo boats are for.
I cannot state this circumstance clearly enough. The flotilla leaders of the tsarist navy have learned to fight.
Now the distinguished officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei) may ask why this happened only after the loss of the armored cruisers?
My explanation is simple!
With the loss of the armored cruisers, all the senior officers of the Russian Pacific Squadron had also fallen or at least were unable to give orders.
I believe that the failure of the Russian torpedo boats so far is solely due to the failure of the higher ranks within the Russian Navy!
After the lower ranks were left to their own devices, these young commanders were able to prove what they are capable of and they did so impressively. I must confess that it was a fortunate circumstance that neither the Izumi nor the Tsukuba were not hit by torpedoes in the last minutes of the battle.
I ask you to take this fact into account in the coming battles against the Russian fleet.
Thus, the officers of the 軍令部 (Gunreibu) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the 参謀本部 (Sambō hombu) of the Imperial Japanese Army, as well as the 海軍省 (Kaigun-shō) may take good note of the prepared and illustrated course of the battle for the convoy battle at Cape Mayak Ostrovnoy on July 7, 1909 of the year.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, July 9, 1909
Osaki Satoshi had to acknowledge that the last two battles had brought impressive victories for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Nevertheless, the war was not yet won. Reports that large parts of the European fleet units of the Russian fleet were on their way to Asia could be confirmed.
A large squadron of Russian warships had made some impression off West Africa. As soon as these ships reached Asia, the balance of power was markedly different.
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Editors of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Monday, August 2, 1909
August brought important progress for the Navy in the expected great battle of the battle fleets. The converted Nisshin came out of the shipyard and was now classified as a battlecruiser. Certainly this did not correspond to the facts. A true battlecruiser was something different from a combat value upgrade, but on paper it looked good for Japan's nominal strength.
+ + +
However, it also became clear that the navy again placed greater emphasis on small units. In this case on the U-boat Force, because 10 more U-boats were ordered.
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Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Friday, September 3, 1909
>> PUNCH IN TŌKYŌ – RUSSIA CAPITULATES! <<
Russian envoy Nikolai Malevsky-Malevich made the formal surrender of Russia to Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu this morning!
According to unconfirmed rumors, serious riots broke out in the European part of Russia after the population learned of the senseless deaths of thousands of soldiers. It is said that the Russian army itself took part in the protest marches in Saint Petersburg.
According to Foreign Minister Hayashi Tadasu, Russia has acknowledged sole war guilt and will compensate Japan for all damage caused by this three-month war. In addition, Russia recognizes Sakhalin as Japanese territory.
Editorial office of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Monday, October 4, 1909
The Navy's celebrations of its renewed victory over the Tsarist Empire were short-lived. War-weary Japan's budget cuts were drastic, and many observers wondered if the latest commissioning’s would be the last for a long time?
+ + +
Osaki Satoshi got an overview of what the result of the war was? And the result was short:
NOTHING!
Most of the ships in the shipyards before the war were still there.
And the number of torpedo boats had decreased due to the losses suffered. There were no land gains, nor had Russia really been weakened.
There were thousands of dead soldiers, that was all.
An intermezzo without sense or reason!
+ + +
So what would come next? For Osaki Satoshi, it was clear that the warmongers were stronger than ever before. But the Japanese people would never tolerate a new war. You could feel that. But it could also be assumed that this would soon be forgotten.
Osaki Satoshi had to admit: He had no idea what would happen next!
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Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, December 22, 1909
Osaki Satoshi couldn't believe it. Editor-in-chief Kamata Itachi had actually had it thrown out of the building. It is soon Christmas and New Year and he should kindly spend time with his family.
Osaki Satoshi had just sorted out the last reports of the past few months when the editor-in-chief burst into the editorial office and asked everyone to leave the building.
Something had happened – that much was clear – not all men were simply sent home without cause. But there was no rumor, no hint, no clues.
Osaki Satoshi grabbed his bag, packed some documents and left the editorial office. His wife would certainly not be pleased if he turned his home chambers into his office, but what was left for him?
