Naval Battle at Haiyang Island - Sino-Japanese War

Catalog note / 解説

Japanese war ship, MATAUSHIMA, fires its cannon to the enemy ships near Haiyang island (Jp: Kaiyoto). The Matsushima was the flagship of Admiral Ito Sukeyuki during the Sino-Japanese War. Since the Japanese government did not have the resources to build a large battleship to counter the heavier vessels of the Chinese navy; Japan adopted the naval-battle theory by French man Jeune Ecole. He and the French government advocated the theory of using smaller, faster warships equipped with light armor and small caliber long-range guns, coupled with a massive (at that time) single 320 mm (12.6") Canet gun. There are two Japanese torpedo boats in front to assist the Matsushima.