Nisshin (cruiser)

Nisshin (cruiser) was an armored cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, originally ordered by the Regia Marina as the ''Giuseppe Garibaldi''-class cruiser Rivadavia. Purchased by Japan during the Russo-Japanese War, she became a critical asset in the Imperial Japanese Navy's fleet. The vessel played a significant role in several major naval engagements, most notably the Battle of the Yellow Sea and the decisive Battle of Tsushima. After a long service life that included modernization and roles in World War I, *Nisshin* was ultimately expended as a target ship.

Design and description

*Nisshin* was the third of four ''Giuseppe Garibaldi''-class armored cruisers acquired by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her design, by the Italian naval architect Edoardo Masdea, emphasized a powerful armament and respectable protection on a moderate displacement. The ship's primary armament consisted of a single 203 mm/45 gun in each of two gun turrets, one fore and one aft, supplemented by a secondary battery of fourteen 152 mm/40 guns mounted in casemates and sponsons. Protection was provided by a Harvey steel armored belt up to 150 mm thick and an armored deck. Propulsion was supplied by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines fed by eight Scotch marine boilers, driving two shafts for a designed speed of 20 knots.

Construction and career

The ship was laid down on 29 March 1902 at the Gio. Ansaldo & C. shipyard in Genoa for the Regia Marina, under the name Rivadavia. She was launched on 9 February 1903. With tensions rising between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire, the Japanese government, through the Mitsui conglomerate, purchased the nearly complete cruiser and her sister ship, ''Kasuga'', in December 1903. Renamed *Nisshin* after the merchant vessel *Nisshin Maru*, she was formally commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy on 7 January 1904 under the command of Captain Yashiro Rokurō.

Service history

*Nisshin* arrived at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in February 1904 and was immediately assigned to the 1st Fleet. She saw extensive combat during the Russo-Japanese War, participating in the Battle of Port Arthur and the Battle of the Yellow Sea, where she engaged the Russian battleship *Tsesarevich*. Her most famous action was at the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, where she served as the flagship of Vice Admiral Misu Sotarō's 3rd Squadron and sustained multiple hits from the Russian Baltic Fleet. Following the war, *Nisshin* was reclassified as a first-class coast defense ship in 1912. During World War I, she patrolled sea lanes and participated in the Siege of Tsingtao. She was later used as a training ship for naval cadets from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy.

Armament and modifications

As built, *Nisshin*'s main battery featured two 203 mm/45 guns in Armstrong Whitworth-built turrets. Her secondary armament of fourteen 152 mm/40 guns was arranged in a broadside configuration. Minor anti-torpedo boat defense was provided by ten 76 mm/40 guns and four 47 mm Hotchkiss guns. She also carried four submerged torpedo tubes. In 1914, her 76 mm guns were replaced with four 76 mm/40 anti-aircraft guns, reflecting the new threat from aviation. Further modifications in 1923-1924 removed several of her secondary casemate guns and all torpedo tubes as part of her conversion for training duties.

Fate

After over three decades of service, *Nisshin* was stricken from the naval register on 1 April 1935. On 1 February 1936, the old cruiser was towed to a position off Izu Ōshima to serve as a target for naval aircraft from the Yokosuka Air Group. She was sunk by aerial bombing during these exercises, finally concluding her long career. Her wreck was later salvaged for scrap.

Category:Cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy Category:Giuseppe Garibaldi-class cruisers Category:Ships built in Genoa Category:1903 ships