JAPANESE WAR VESSELS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 29 April 1898, Page 4

JAPANESE WAR VESSELS.

At the present time there are two.cruisers in America approaching completion to tlie order of the Japanese Government, which if they could be purchased by the United States Government would considerably strengthen the American fleet. These vessels are named the Kasagi and Ghitose. The latter A'essel was launched on January 22nd, 1898, beint; constructed at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco. Both vessels are built on the same lines, the Kasagi being constructed at Philadelphia by Cramps and Co. The Chitose is a secondclans unarmoured protected cruiser Avith a displacement of 4,760 tons and a speed of 221, knotsj. She is armed Avith 2 eight-inch quick tiring gnns, 10 seveninch do., 12 tAvelve-pounder do., 6 two-and-a-half pounder do., and 5 fourteeninch torpedo tubes. The Kasagi is a sister ship. The Marquis Ito when interviewed recently by the correspondent of the "New York Herald" replied, when asked if the Government would sell these vessels to the United States, "I think I may say that Japan prefers to get possession of all, ships building for her as soon ft-s possible."