Japanese cruiser Unebi

nihongo|"Unebi"|畝傍 was an protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, designed and built in France by Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde. The "Unebi" was named after a 199.2 meter tall mountain in Nara prefecture, located near the ancient capital of Asuka. Per Meiji period State Shinto mythology, this mountain was home to Japan's first Emperor, Jimmu Tenno.

Background

Compared with the contemporary sclass|Naniwa|cruisers built for the Japanese Navy in Great Britain, the "Unebi" was a slightly older design, which included provision for sail propulsion. The design utilized a relatively small displacement in a narrow hull with a disproportionately huge amount of armament.

ervice record

Just three months after commissioning, in December 1886, in route from France to Japan, the "Unebi" disappeared without a trace somewhere in the South China Sea between Singapore and Yokohama. No survivors and no wreckage were ever found, and theories on its mysterious disappearance have led to numerous novels and works of speculative fiction; the prevailing theory was that the design was top-heavy due to its excessive armament and was unstable in rough weather.

The "Unebi" was officially declared lost with all hands and stricken from the Imperial Japanese Navy list on 19 October 1887. The "Unebi" is the only case of a ship vanishing without a trace in the annals of the Imperial Japanese Navy. A memorial monument to the missing crew of the "Unebi" is located at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.

The Japanese government cancelled the production of a second vessel per the same design, and received compensation from the French government. The monies went towards production of the cruiser "Chiyoda". However, the Japanese navy was reluctant to continue working with French shipyard after the "Unebi" disaster, and placed its order for the French-designed "Chiyoda" to John Brown & Company of Great Britain.

Gallery

References

* Evans, David. "Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941". US Naval Institute Press (1979). ISBN 0870211927
* Howarth, Stephen. "The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945". Atheneum; (1983) ISBN 0689114028
* Jane, Fred T. "The Imperial Japanese Navy". Thacker, Spink & Co (1904) ASIN: B00085LCZ4
* Jentsura, Hansgeorg. "Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945". Naval Institute Press (1976). ISBN 087021893X
* Schencking, J. Charles. "Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922". Stanford University Press (2005). ISBN 0804749779