ikasa_, was also of the predreadnought type,
having been built in 1900, and carrying a main battery of 12-inch
guns. Her speed was 18.5 knots.

Of the former Russian ships the rechristened _Iwami_ was of French
build, protected with Krupp steel armor to the thickness of 7.5
inches. Her displacement was 13,600 tons, and her speed 18 knots.
Like the other ships of this class in the Japanese navy, she carried
a main battery of 12-inch guns. The _Hizen_ was an American product,
having been built by Cramps in 1902. Her displacement was 12,700
tons, made a speed of 18.5 knots, was also protected with Krupp
steel and carried four 10-inch guns. She was a real veteran, for
she had undergone repairs necessitated by having been torpedoed
off Port Arthur and had been refloated after being sunk in later
action there. The _Sagami_ and the _Suwo_ had been built in 1901
and 1902. They displaced 13,500 tons, had a speed of 18.5 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. Their heavy guns measured 12 inches, and they made a speed
of 19.5 knots. Ther