After the War of Restoration the clans in possession of the warships presented them to His Majesty's government, and the Imperial Navy was formed and organized in 1867-70. The ships in 1872 were 20 in number, the ag gregate tonnage being 12,390 tons.
The Imperial Navy had experienced a few engagements before the war with China in 1894-1895, such as the Formosan Expedition of 1874; the bombardment and capture of Ycisojo in Korea by H. I. M. S. Unyo in 1875; the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877.
At the time of the war between Japan and China in 1894, the naval force con sisted of one small iron-clad of 3,777 tons dis placement; three coast-defense cruisers (Itsu kushima class) of 4,278 tons; one second class cruiser (Yoshino) of 4,216 tons; four pro tected cruisers of between 2,230 and 3,700 tons; 11 corvette and gunboats of between 1,000 and 2,000 tons; and 25 torpedo boats. The aggre gate tonnage of the above was 59,006 tons.* The most noted engagements of the China Japan War were: The opening engagement off Asan, Korea; the battle of the Yalu; the tor pedo-boat attack at Wei-hai-wei; the occupa tion of the Pescadores, Takao and Ampin.
After the China-Japan War the Japanese navy commenced the building •of battleships and cruisers under the new scheme to increase its strength, and at the outbreak of the war between Japan and Russia in 1904, the Japanese force consisted of six battleships of 13,000 15,000 tons; eight armored cruisers of 7,700 10,000 tons; 14 protected cruisers of 3,000-4,800 tons; 10 coast-defense ships of 7,000 tons and under; 19 gunboats, etc., of 2,000 tons and under; 19 torpedo-'boat destroyers and 87 tor pedo boats. The aggregate tonnage of the above was about 270,000 tons.
At the end of the Russo-Japan War, the loss sustained by Japan was as follows: two battleships; two protected cruisers; two coast defense ships; four gun vessels, etc.; two tor pedo-boat detroyers; and nine torpedo boats. The captured Russian men-of-war, etc., augmented the Japanese navy as follows: six battleships of 9,600-13,500 tons; one armored cruiser of 7,700 tons; two protected cruisers of 6,600 tons; two coast-defense ships of 4,900 tons; two torpedo gunboats of 400 tons; and three torpedo-boat destroyers.
The Naval first, after the Restoration, the Imperial Army and Navy were controlled by one department; but in 1872, in the process of organization, they were made separate and independent departments of the government.
The management and control of the Imperial Navy is carried out under the direction of the Minister of Marine, who is appointed from the flag officers. Being a member of the Cabinet, he is directly responsible to the emperor for all actions of the Ministry of Marine. He acts in naval matters concerning the movement of ships, schemes of mobilization, national defense and naval intelligence, in consultation with the chief of the Naval General Staff.
The Naval General Staff Department is inde pendent of the Ministry of Marine, its chief being under the direct control of H. I. M. the emperor.
There are seven bureaus in the Ministry of Marine: Military Affairs, Personnel, Material, Steam-Engineering, Medical, General Account Provision and Clothing, and Justice.
There are also four departments under com mand of the Minister of Marine: The Depart ment of Technics, the Department of Naval Education, the Department of Works and Buildings and the Department of Hydrog raphy.
Naval Stations and The coast of the empire is divided into five naval districts, and the headquarters of each is placed at the chief naval port of that district called Chinjufu (naval station). Headquarters of the first naval district is at Yokosuka, the second at Kure, the third at Sasebo, the fourth at Maizuru and the fifth at Chinkai (the fifth naval district is controlled by the Sasebo-Chin fufu for the time being). There are also four Yokobu (secondary naval station) ; Bako (Pes cadores Islands), Ryojun (Port Arthur), Chin kai (Korea) and Ominato (Awomori Bay).
Each Chinjufu is commanded by an admiral, who is commander-in-chief, and the following official functions are under his control : The personal staff, consisting of the chief of staff, adjutants, aide-de-camp, inspector of signal stations, recruiting officers, etc.; the arsenal (dockyards, ordnance and torpedo factory and depot, general supply stores) ; the accountant department (including works and buildings, provision and clothing stores), the hospital; the naval barrack; the torpedo division; the steam reserve; port office; court-martial.