Japanese battleship Yashima

Yashima before the Russo-Japanese War
History
Empire of Japan
NameYashima
Namesake"Many Islands", a name for Japan
Ordered1894 Naval Programme
BuilderArmstrong Whitworth, Elswick
Cost¥10,500,000
Yard number625
Laid down6 December 1894
Launched28 February 1896
Completed9 September 1897
FateSank 15 May 1904 after striking two mines
General characteristics
Class and typeFuji-class pre-dreadnought battleship
Displacement12,230 long tons (12,430 t) (normal)
Length412 ft (125.6 m) (o/a)
Beam73 ft 6 in (22.4 m)
Draught26 ft 3 in (8 m) (deep load)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 triple-expansion steam engines
Speed18.25 knots (34 km/h; 21 mph)
Range4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement650
Armament
Armour

Yashima (八島, Yashima) was a Fuji-class pre-dreadnought battleship built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the 1890s. As Japan lacked the industrial capacity to construct such vessels, the ship was designed and built in the United Kingdom. She participated in the early stages of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, including the Battle of Port Arthur on the second day of the war. Yashima was involved in subsequent operations until she struck two mines off Port Arthur in May 1904. The ship did not sink immediately, but capsized while under tow later that day. The Japanese were able to keep her loss a secret from the Russians for over a year.