The Japanese battleship Mikasa is the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship in the world. It’s 114 years old and a fascinating look into history.
An hour south of Tokyo, on the edge of the bay is a piece of history unique in the world. Embedded in concrete just a few feet from the water is the 114-year-old battleship Mikasa. It’s the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship, not to mention one of the only Imperial navy vessels still intact from that era.
After 21 years in service, the Mikasa was decommissioned, but not scrapped. Instead she was preserved at the request of the Japanese government, with her engines and armament removed, and her hull encased in concrete. After several extensive restorations, the Mikasa today is a museum ship, and a fascinating look back into turn-of-the-last century naval design.
Construction started on the Mikasa in 1899, half a world away from Japan, in Barrow-in-Furness, England. Commissioned in 1902, she had four 12-inch main guns, fourteen 6-inch guns, twenty 3-inch, and four torpedo tubes.
The Mikasa, named for a mountain in Japan, first served in the Russo-Japanese War where she took part in several battles.
Just days after the war, the ship’s magazine exploded, sinking the ship. Salvaged and put back into use, it served coastal duties until after WWI. Though the Washington Naval Treaty limited the number of battleships, the historical nature of the Mikasa led to it being preserved minus its engines.
The following decades weren’t kind to the Mikasa. Normal decay was exacerbated by odd private ventures, including selling off many of its parts, and converting the deck into a dance hall and an aquarium.
In the ’60s however, restoration began, returning the ship largely to how it looked in its heyday.
Disclaimer: This video is intended for informational purpose only. This may not be construed as a news item or advice of any sort. Please consult the experts in that field for the authenticity of the presentations.
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Source: CNET
