The Elbert County tribune., 1905-09-21

The Japanese battleship Mikasa,
which was the flagship of Vice Ad-
miral Togo during the battle of the
Sea of japan, caught fire and sank,
Sept IL.
The loss of life by the sinking of
the Mikasa totals 256 officers and men,
including detachments from other war
ships which went to the rescue of the
vessel and were caught when the mag
azines exploded
Had Borne Brunt of War.
The Mikasa was the flagship of the
Japanese navy, flying the flag of Vice
Admiral Togo, the commander-in-
chief. 1t was present at all the prin-
cipal engagements during the war and
on several occasions was reported Sc
verely damaged in action.
In the battle of the Sea of Japan
1t led the fleet into action and its
name was mentioned in connection
with some of the most stirring events
of the famous sea fight.
The Mikasa was first-class battle
ship of 1920 tons displacement. 1t
was built in England and was launched
in 1902. The battleship was 400 feet
long, had speed of over IS knots,
and carried crew of 935 officers and
men. It was heavily armored and
carried four 12-inch guns, fourteen G.
inch guns, twenty 12-pounders and
number Of smaller rapid-fire guns. 1t
had four submerged torpedo tubes.
Pride of the Japanese Navy.
One of the officials of the Navy de-
partment at Washington, who has
given long study to the organization
of the japanese navy, said of the loss
of the Mikasa:
with its companion ship, the Asa
hi, it was the pride of every Japanese
naval officer and bluejacket In fight
ing capacity and resistant strength
the Mikasa compared with our Wis
consin, one of the most powerful bat
tleships afloat.
"The Mikasa was the literal success
sor by nearly ten years of develop
ment of the Naniwa, commanded in
1894 by the same silent Togo, who
won the battle of the Japan Sea. 1t
was the Mikasa that rounded the
shoulder of Tsu-shima when Rojest-
vensky and the Russian fleet ap-
peared. The day before this sangui-
nary encounter, calling his officers
about him on the deck of the Mikasa,
Admiral Togo said to them:
L have the honor to announce to
you, gentlemen, that the enemy of our
country flies the Russian flag
''In front of the admiral and the Off
GERS gathered there-always on the
deck of the Mikasa-there was a
white paullownia wood tray called
sambo. Upon 1t always rested an
ancient dagger. 1t was the traditional
three and one-half inch blade with
which the Samurai of old claimed the
right of apologizing for failure in ac-
complishing a duty, with which he
was wont to commit rite of the Kap-
puku.
"Eyewitnesses have said that Togo's
eyes dwelt in silence on the sacred
symbol of Nippon Samurai they spoke
all he wished to say to his men. They
understood.
Many of our American correspond
ents who were permitted to visit the
Mikasa, and who had an intimate
knowledge of battleships, pronounced
it the finest fighting craft ever put
.afloat. I would regard this as some
thing of an exaggeration, although
even now there are few ship in the
English or American navies that could
surpass 1t in fighting capacity.
THE armor of the Mikasa's water
line was nine inches in thickness and
about her guns fourteen inches. 1t
carried four twelve-inch guns and four
teen six-inch. The horse power was
$4,000 and the designed speed eighteen
knots. although under forced draft the
ship had record of nineteen and one
half knots. made with ease.
"Of the six battleships possessed
by Japan at the opening of this year.
the Mikasa and the Asahi reproduced
the English Majestic type with some
notable Improvements. A great fea-
ture of the Mikasa was that the sly
inch guns were in a continuous bat
terry on the main deck. The new Ka-
shima type of battleships Japan now
is building are improved Mikasas of
increased size and carrying ten-inch
instead of six-inch guns at the angles
OF the upper deck battery.
In the sea fight with Rojestvenslv
the Mikasa, according to such reports
as Japan has been willing to give out
look the brunt of the fighting in the
nrst days conflict and at one time
was the sole object of attack of the
combined powerful vessels of the Rus
Sans. In very short statement. Ad-