Chu-class gunboat

Last updated
Class overview
Builders Kawasaki
Operators
Succeeded by Yongfeng-class gunboat
Completed6
Active0
General characteristics
Type Gunboat
Displacement745 long tons (757 t) [1]
Length199.5 ft (60.8 m) [1]
Beam29.5 ft (9.0 m) [1]
Draught8 ft (2.4 m) [1]
Propulsion
Speed13.5 knots (15.5 mph; 25.0 km/h) [1]
Complement101 [1]
Armament
  • 2 × 4.7" gun [1]
  • 2 × 12 pdr gun [1]
  • 2 × 9 pdr gun [1]

The Chu class were early-20th century gunboats built for the Imperial Chinese Navy of the Qing Empire. Six - Chu Yu, Chu Tung, Chu Chien, Chu Kuan, Chu Tai, Chu Yiu - were built by Kawasaki in Japan; they were launched in 1906-1907. [1]

Contents

History

The Nanyang Fleet discarded a number of older ships around 1902 and ordered new ships in 1904 and 1905. The order included the Chu and Kiang-class gunboats to replace the retired small gunboats, and were intended to serve on the Yangtze in the viceroyalties of Huguang and Liangjiang. [1]

Nearly the entire class defected to the rebels in November during the 1911 Revolution. [2] Chu Yu succeeded the gunboat Kiang Heng as flagship of the Yangtze squadron of the Republic of China Navy sometime after 1916. [3]

The political fragmentation of the Warlord Era following Yuan Shikai's death extended to the navy. Admiral Cheng Biguang, commander-in-chief of the navy, defected with part of the fleet to Sun Yat-sen in Guangzhou. Chu Yiu joined the Guangzhou fleet later, [4] and then the mass defection from that fleet in December 1923. The gunboat ended up with Wu Peifu's North-East Squadron (NES) at Qingdao. [5] Weapons from NES ships were transferred to reinforcements from the Central Fleet for commonality; by 1929 Chu Yiu was armed with only two 9-pounder guns. In March 1926, the gunboat supported the amphibious landing of Zhang Zuolin's forces near the Taku Forts controlled by Feng Yuxiang. [6]

The remainder of the Chus were part of Central Fleet by March 1927. The Central Fleet was neutral and avoided participating in the civil war by withdrawing its gunboats from the Yangtze to Shanghai. However, when the Central Fleet joined the Kuomintang on March 14 Chu Yu, Chu Chien, and Chu Tung had been redeployed to Jiujiang. The gunboats took Chiang Kai-shek - aboard Chu Yu - to capture Nanjing at the end of the month. [7]

In 1933, Chu Yiu briefly mutinied after the failed assassination attempt on Admiral Shen Honglie. [8]

The Chus saw action during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Chu Yu was attacked on 28-29 September 1937 near Jiangyin and sank on October 2. [9] Chu Tai was damaged and beached near Fuzhou in 1938 and then destroyed by aircraft in 1941. [10] Chu Kuan, Chu Chien and Chu Tung retreated up the Yangtze in 1938 [11] and later became part of the ROCN's First Squadron. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Asiatic Fleet</span> Military unit

The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by February 1942, after which it was dissolved, and the remnants incorporated into the naval component of the South West Pacific Area command, which eventually became the Seventh Fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Fuzhou</span> Opening engagement of the Sino-French War

The Battle of Fuzhou, or Battle of Foochow, also known as the Battle of the Pagoda Anchorage, was the opening engagement of the 16-month Sino-French War. The battle was fought on 23 August 1884 off the Pagoda Anchorage in Mawei (馬尾) harbour, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the southeast of the city of Fuzhou (Foochow). During the battle Admiral Amédée Courbet's Far East Squadron virtually destroyed the Fujian Fleet, one of China's four regional fleets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yangtze Patrol</span> Naval operation to protect Americans interests in China, 1854–1949

The Yangtze Patrol, also known as the Yangtze River Patrol Force, Yangtze River Patrol, YangPat and ComYangPat, was a prolonged naval operation from 1854–1949 to protect American interests in the Yangtze River's treaty ports. The Yangtze Patrol also patrolled the coastal waters of China where they protected U.S. citizens, their property, and Christian missionaries.

Insect-class gunboat Class of Royal Navy littoral ships

The Insect-class gunboats were a class of small but well-armed Royal Navy ships designed for use in shallow rivers or inshore. They were intended for use on the Danube against Austria-Hungary. The first four ships—Gnat, Mantis, Moth and Tarantula—were first employed during the Mesopotamian Campaign of the First World War on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beiyang Fleet</span> One of the four modernised Chinese navies in the late Qing dynasty

The Beiyang Fleet was one of the four modernized Chinese navies in the late Qing dynasty. Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored by Li Hongzhang, one of the most trusted vassals of Empress Dowager Cixi and the principal patron of the "self-strengthening movement" in northern China in his capacity as the Viceroy of Zhili and the Minister of Beiyang Commerce (北洋通商大臣). Due to Li's influence in the imperial court, the Beiyang Fleet garnered much greater resources than the other Chinese fleets and soon became the dominant navy in Asia before the onset of the 1894–1895 First Sino-Japanese War. It was the largest fleet in Asia and the 8th in the world during the late 1880s in terms of tonnage.

The naval history of China dates back thousands of years, with archives existing since the late Spring and Autumn period regarding the Chinese navy and the various ship types employed in wars. The Ming dynasty of China was the leading global maritime power between 1400 and 1433, when Chinese shipbuilders built massive ocean-going junks and the Chinese imperial court launched seven maritime voyages. In modern times, the current People's Republic of China and the Republic of China governments continue to maintain standing navies through the People's Liberation Army Navy and the Republic of China Navy, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of battle of Battle of Wuhan</span>

Below are the units and commanders that participated in the Battle of Wuhan, also called the Wuchang–Hankou campaign, fought from early June through November 12, 1938, a phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Pungdo</span> 1894 naval battle between China and Japan

The Battle of Pungdo was the first naval battle of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on 25 July 1894 off Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea, between cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy and components of the Chinese Beiyang Fleet. Both China and Japan had been intervening in Korea against the Donghak Peasant Revolution. While China tried to maintain her suzerain relationship with Korea, Japan wanted to increase her sphere of influence.

Chinese gunboat <i>Zhongshan</i> Gunboat of the Republic of China Navy

SS Zhongshan, formerly romanized as Chung Shan, was a Chinese gunboat built in Japan in 1913. It was originally known as SS Yongfeng, before being renamed in 1925 in honor of Sun Yat-sen. Zhongshan was sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second Sino-Japanese War, but was later raised and restored as a museum ship in Wuhan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanyang Fleet</span> One of four modernised naval fleets in the late Qing dynasty

The Nanyang Fleet was one of the four modernised Chinese naval fleets in the late Qing Dynasty. Established in the 1870s, the fleet suffered losses in the Sino-French War, escaped intact in the Sino-Japanese War, and was formally abolished in 1909.

Chinese transport <i>Fu Po</i> Chinese lead ship of Fu Po-class

Fu Po, was the lead ship of a class of armed transports of the Imperial Chinese Navy during the Sino-French War, where she was part of the Fujian Fleet under Zhang Peilun. She was present at the Battle of Fuzhou on 23 August 1884, the opening engagement of the Sino-French War, where the Chinese fleet was defeated by the French Far East Squadron. She was later converted to a receiving hulk, and back into an armed transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial Chinese Navy</span> Military unit

The Imperial Chinese Navy was the modern navy of the Qing dynasty of China established in 1875. An Imperial naval force in China first came into existence from 1132 during the Song dynasty and existed in some form until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. However, the name "Imperial Chinese Navy" usually only refers to the Qing navy that existed between 1875 and 1912, with "Imperial Chinese Navy" as its official English name.

USS <i>Samar</i> (PG-41) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Samar (PG-41) was a gunboat of the United States Navy. She was initially built for the Spanish Navy, but was captured during the Spanish–American War and taken into service with the US Navy. Samar had two sister-ships which also served in the US Navy, USS Pampanga (PG-39) and USS Paragua.

HMS <i>Cockchafer</i> (1915) Royal Navy gunboat

HMS Cockchafer was a Royal Navy Insect-class gunboat. She was built by Barclay Curle and launched on 17 December 1915 as the fifth Royal Navy ship to carry this name. The Insect class was originally designed for service on the River Danube but most of them spent much of their service on Chinese rivers.

Japanese gunboat <i>Fushimi</i> (1939)

Fushimi (伏見) was a river gunboat of the Imperial Japanese Navy, that operated on the Yangtze River in China during the 1940s, and during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

Chinese cruiser <i>Chao Ho</i>

Chao Ho was the lead ship of a class of her class of training protected cruisers originally built for the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

Chinese cruiser <i>Ying Rui</i>

Ying Rui was a protected cruiser built for the Imperial Chinese Navy, which served with the Republic of China Navy. She was built by Vickers Limited in Barrow-in-Furness, England. She was one of three Chao Ho class protected cruisers built, although each one was to different specifications. Initially designated as a training vessel, she saw action at Amoy during the Warlord era, before returning again to her training role.

<i>Yongfeng</i>-class gunboat

The Yongfeng class were early-20th century gunboats built for the Chinese navy. They were enlarged sea-going versions of the Kiang- and Chu-class gunboats. The first ships, Yongfeng and Yongxiang, were built in Japan by Kawasaki; they were launched in 1912-1913. The remainder, Yongjian and Yongji, were built in 1915 by the Jiangnan Shipyard in China; these ships had added poop decks.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Wright 2000, p. 121.
  2. Wright 2000, pp. 129–130.
  3. Wright 2000, p. 137.
  4. Wright 2000, p. 139.
  5. Wright 2000, p. 141.
  6. Wright 2000, p. 144.
  7. Wright 2000, pp. 145–147.
  8. Wright 2000, p. 161.
  9. Wright 2000, p. 171.
  10. Wright 2000, p. 174.
  11. Wright 2000, p. 175.
  12. Wright 2000, p. 176.

Sources