The early Japanese warships were equipped with Krupp guns, the Naniwa
and Takachiho being so fitted. At a later date Canet guns were
introduced, but only for the heavy pieces, and the Matsushima class
carried a big 12.6 Canet and Elswick guns for the smaller pieces.
Subsequently, with the Fuji and Yashima, Elswick guns alone were
employed, and a factory for the construction of guns on the Elswick
model was established in Japan. The pieces selected were the 12-in.
40-calibre, the 8-in. 40-calibre, the 40-calibre 6-in., and the
45-calibre 4.7-in. Up to and including the Mikasa, all ships were
mounted with these guns.
In 1902-3 the Vickers 50-calibre 6-in. was experimented with and
adopted.
[Illustration: 12-IN. GUNS OF THE MIKASA.]
[Illustration: 24-CM. (9.4-IN.) CANET GUN OF 36 CALIBRES ON
DISAPPEARING MOUNTING, AS SUPPLIED FOR JAPANESE COAST FORTS. LOADING
AND TRAINING POSITION.]
The guns at present mounted in the Japanese fleet, excluding a few old
pieces about to be replaced or already removed, are as follows:—
----------+-----------+-----+----------+----------+------+---------+
Nominal | | | | | | |
calibre. | — |Long.| Initial | Initial |Shell.| Weight |
| | |velocity. | energy. | | of gun. |
----------+-----------+-----+----------+----------+------+---------+
in. cm. | |cals.|foot secs.|foot tons.| lbs. | tons. |
12.6 32 |Canet[36] | 40 | 2306 | 35220 | 990 | 66 |
12 30.5|Elswick[37]| 40 | 2423 | 34600 | 850 | 49 |
| | | | | | |
12 30.5|Krupp[38] | 20 | 1755 | 14750 | 725 | 35.4 |
| | | | | | |
10.2 26 |Krupp[39] | 25 | 1640 | 8400 | 450 | .. |
8.2 21 |Krupp | 30 | 1935 | 6167 | .. | 13 |
| | {| 2242 | 7319 | 210 |} |
8 20.3|Elswick | 40 {| 2068 | 7413 | 250 |} 15½ |
| | | | | | |
6 15 |Vickers | 50 | 3000 | 6240 | 100 | 8 |
6 15 |Elswick | 40 | 2500 | 4334 | 100 | 6½ |
6 15 |Elswick | 40 | 2220 | 3417 | 100 | 6 |
6 15 | .. | 35 | 1958 | 2554 | 100 | 5 |
| | | | | |
4.7 12 |Elswick | 40 | 2150 | 1442 | 45 | 2 |
4.7 12 |Elswick[40]| 32 | 1938 | 900 | 36 | 1⅔ |
| | | | | | |
3 7.5|Elswick | 40 | 2200 | 420 | 12 | 2 |
| | | | | | |
----------+-----------+-----+----------+----------+------+---------+
[36] Matsushima class.
[37] In Fuji to Mikasa.
[38] Chin Yen.
[39] Hei Yen, Naniwa, Takachiho.
[40] Matsushima class.
All guns of 40-calibres and over—that is to say, all the modern
pieces—fire a smokeless nitro-cellulose powder of Japanese invention,
and the maximum service velocities of all, save the 50-calibre Vickers,
are now up to the nominal initial velocity.
A.P. shot, A.P. shell, and common shell are fired by all guns, and, in
addition, those of 8 ins. or less calibre fire a special Japanese high
explosive of the lyddite type.
In smaller pieces, a 2½-pounder exists, which is to a certain extent a
Japanese invention; but it differs from models existing elsewhere only
in a few minor details of a semi-automatic nature. From what I have
seen of it, the piece would be better without these innovations.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: VICKERS 50-CALIBRE 6-IN. JAPANESE GUN.]
[Illustration: THE VICKERS 6-IN. AND 7.5-IN. OF 50 CALIBRES.
(_The former is adopted, the latter under consideration._)]
The maximum penetrations of the larger pieces through Krupp cemented
armour at 3000 yards are as follows:—
Capped. Uncapped.
Schneider-Canet 12.6-in. 16 13
Elswick 12-in. 15½ 12½
Elswick 8-in. 7½ 6
Vickers 6-in. 6½ 5
Elswick 6-in. 4 4
For coast defence, Schneider-Canet guns are mostly employed, many 9.4’s
on disappearing mounting having been supplied for forts.