Japanese cruiser Yoshino

Yoshino was laid down in February 1892, launched on 20 December 1892 and completed on 30 September 1893. Soon after being placed into service, Yoshino was assigned to patrol duties off of the coast of Korea due to increasing tension between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of China.

On 25 July 1894, Yoshino, Akitsushima and Naniwa, met two Chinese ships off the Korean coast in the Yellow Sea. The Beiyang Fleet cruiser Jiyuan and gunboat Guangyi had sortied from Asan to meet another Chinese gunboat, Caojiang and the leased transport Kowshing transporting 1,100 troops and supplies as reinforcements to the Chinese garrison in Korea. Although not at war, the Japanese and Chinese squadrons exchanged gunfire in what was later called the Battle of Pungdo, with Guangyi driven onto rocks and destroyed, Caojiang captured, and Jiyuan taking considerable damage before retreating. Yoshino despite its vaunted superior speed, was unable to catch Jiyuan before it disappeared into a fog bank. The transport Kowshing was sunk by Naniwa during the battle.^[5]

After the formal declaration of hostilities, Yoshino continued to participate in the First Sino-Japanese War, including the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 17 September 1894. Yoshino served as flagship for Japanese Admiral Tsuboi Kōzō in a flying squadron which included Takachiho, Naniwa and Akitsushima.^[3] During the battle, Yoshino assisted in sinking the Beiyang Fleet cruisers Jingyuan and Zhiyuan and severely damaging Laiyuan.^[5]

Later, Yoshino was among the Japanese fleet units that took part in the invasion of Taiwan, and bombarded Cihou Fort, part of the coastal defences of Kaohsiung on 13 October 1895. Future admiral Yashiro Rokurō served on Yoshino during this campaign as a lieutenant.

With the start of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, Yoshino participated in the naval Battle of Port Arthur. However, soon after the start of the war, Yoshino collided with the Japanese armored cruiser Kasuga in dense fog. Kasuga's ram hit Yoshino's port side, and penetrated to the engine room; Yoshino turned turtle and sank in the Yellow Sea at (38°07′N 122°33′E / 38.117°N 122.550°E / 38.117; 122.550) on 15 May 1904 with the loss of 319 lives. Only 19 of the crew managed to survive.^[6]

As a result of this accident, the Imperial Japanese Navy removed the rams from the bows of all its warships.^[7]

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