JAPANESE SUBMARINES
The Imperial Japanese Navy includes a submarine flotilla of seventeen
vessels, all except two of which are of the British Holland or Vickers
type. Japan commenced the construction of what is now a rapidly
increasing and powerful flotilla in 1904 by the purchase of five
elementary Holland boats. These, however, are still in the active
flotilla and are designated Nos. 1‒5. They have a submerged displacement
of 120 tons, and are 65 feet in length and 12 feet in beam. Petrol
motors of 160 H.-P. drive them at 9 knots on the surface and electric
motors of 70 H.-P. at 7 knots when submerged. Their armament consists of
one bow expulsion tube with three 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes.
NOS. 6 AND 7.
(Completed 1906.)
These two vessels were the first submarine boats to be built in Japan,
but are of the same type as Nos. 1‒5, only larger and faster. They have
a submerged displacement of 180 tons, a length of 100 feet and a beam of
10 feet. The petrol engines are of 300 H.-P. and the electric motors of
100 H.-P. The surface and submerged speed is 10 knots and 8 knots an
hour, respectively. Their armament consists of one torpedo tube with
three 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes.
NOS. 8 AND 9.
(Completed 1907‒8.)
These two vessels are very similar to the British “C” class, and were
built by Messrs. Vickers Ltd. They have a submerged displacement of 320
tons; petrol motors of 600 H.-P., and a surface and submerged speed of
13 knots and 8 knots an hour, respectively. Their armament consists of
two bow tubes with four to six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their
complement is sixteen officers and men.
Nos. 10‒15.
(Completed 1909‒12.)
These six vessels are the same in almost every respect as the later “C”
class of British submarines (pages 70‒71).
Nos. 16‒17[4].
(Completed 1912‒14.)
These two vessels are of the _Schneider-Laubeuf_ or French type.
(British “W” class.) Their submerged displacement is about 500 tons, and
the horse-power of their surface engines 2,500. The surface and
submerged speed is 18 knots and 9 knots respectively. Their armament
consists of six torpedo tubes with eight _Schneider_ torpedoes. The
complement is about 30 officers and men.
The natural adroitness with which Japanese sailors manipulate
complicated machinery, combined with their absolute fearlessness, make
them ideal for torpedo work.
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Footnote 4:
It is very doubtful if these two boats were delivered before the
outbreak of war.