Navy foundation in the end of Edo era -Desperate War of Japan in the Pacific

Episodes - Desperate War of Japan in the Pacific - Reports aboutMe

This page contains kanji characters.

Modern Navy foundation in the end of Edo era

Abe Masahiro had provacated that Japan did not guard by guns on coast against hostile warships but should intercept them off shore. So Government stopped prohibition of big ships. But a few han (local government) only wished to build warships. Government requested Curtius of Netherlands to submit a proposal for Japanese navy. Fabius, commander of Soembing (Kanko-maru) submitted his opinion 3 times. Government founded kaigun denshu-sho in Nagasaki and bought warships from Netherlands. Government had 4 steam warships including a gift from UK till 1859. Kaigun denshu-sho trained samurai from various han. Soon Government thought Japan had better adopt USN method and bought warships from US. Government was to send students in US to learn modern naval technologies. But the Civil War in US prevented it. It is interesting for me that Bakufu called kaigun denshu (伝習) sho (所), because Bakufu also a Western style infantry denshu (伝習) tai (隊).
Curtius
Soembing
rannjinnroku

Sinagawa Battle Awa Battle

While Lord Shimadzu Nariakira and Nabeshima Naomasa only understood how important for founding a modern navy. Satuma made effort much to build her navy after the battle in the Kagoshima Bay. Satuma adopted her enemy's RN style and possesed 17 warships compared with 36 of Government navy just before the Boshin War. Both navies fought some battles. The action diagrams show the Awa Battle on 4 January 1868 and the Shinagawa battle on 25 December 1867. Satuma's warships escaped the battle sea and could run away from Edo and Osaka without fatal gunfires.
Gunzo, p162-169, no70
Kaiten
Kaiyo-maru
Kasuga-maru
Shimazu Nariakira