5 knots,
and carried as their heaviest armament 10-inch guns.
In addition to these eight ships Japan had also nine protected
cruisers, all of the same type and all veterans of the war with
Russia. They were of such strength and endurance that the Japanese
admiralty rated them capable of taking places in the first line
of battle. These were the _Nisshin_ and _Kasuga_, purchased from
Italy and built in 1904, displacing 7,700 tons, and making a speed
of 22 knots; the _Aso_, French built and captured from the Russians,
and of the same design and measurements as the other two; and the
protected cruisers _Yakumo, Asama, Idzumo, Tokiwa, Aguma_, and
_Iwate_, built before the war with Russia, slightly heavier than
their sister ships but not as fast. None of this type has been
added to the Japanese navy since 1907. Japan has, instead, given
attention to scouting cruisers, with the result that she possessed
three excellent vessels of this class, the _Yahagi, Chikuma_, and
_Hirato_, with the good speed of 26 knots and displacing 5,000
tons. They were built in 1912. And not so efficient were the other
ships of similar design, the _Soya_, built in America, _Tone_ and
_Tsugaru_.
The veteran Japanese navy was supplemented with 52 destroyers and
15 submarines, all built since the war with Russia, and a number of
heavier vessels. Among the latter were the first-class battleships
_Kashima_ and _Katori_, completed in 1906, and displacing 16,400
tons.
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