Protected Cruisers: Matsushima Class

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Protected Cruiser Matsushima pictured at Fremantle in 1906......On April 30th 1908, while anchored at Mako in the Pescadores Islands off Taiwan while returning from a training cruise, an accidental explosion occurred in her ammunition magazine. Matsushima rolled over onto her starboard side and then sank stern-first. The accident killed 206 of her 350-member crew, including 33 midshipmen of the newly graduated 35th Class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. She was struck from the Navy List on July 31st 1908. Later, her wreckage was raised and scrapped.