JAPANESE SQUADRON

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1928, Page 1

JAPANESE SQUADRON

VISIT TO AUCKLAND

Two Japanese warships, the Idzumo and the Yakumo, will arrive at Auckland on July 31st. op an official visit. Among the visitors will be Prince Takamatsu, third son of the late Emperqr Taisho. He is a younger brother of the present Emperor, apd is unmarried. ,

Pripce Tokapiatsu was horn at Tokio in 1906, and vyas trained for the Japanese Navy. Vice-Admiral Spso Kobayasbi, in charge of the squadron, has had a distinguished naval carper. He visited New Zealand in 1902 aboard tho Kongo-, coninianded the Hirado in the war period, when that vessel patrolled Australian and New Zealand waters, apd was one of the Japanese delegates to tjie Naval Armaments Conference at Geneva, acting as chief naval expert for the Japanese Government. Captain Mipopu pirota is in charge of the Idzumo, an 4 Captain Mambei Idemitsu, of t}ie Yakumo. Both were on active naval service during the war. The Idputno was launched in England in 1899, and was the flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Jvaiqimurn, during the Russo-Japanese War. ghe -was the flagship of a fleet which operated in conjunction with a British squadron in South American waters during the Great War. This vessel visited New Zealand ip 1Q24. Tlie Yakumo was launched in Gerpiany ip 1899 and took part in thp naval portiop of the RussoJapanese War. In 1914 the Yakumo took part in the bombardment of Tsingtao, apd later was included in g squadron which searched for the notorious Emden. This xgs?fd .also New Zeplaild ip I^4-