In an article were the Chinese and the Japanese navies with each other compared. The first was described as just being a collection of scrap which had to oppose a modern strong opponent with at that moment 9 battleships and battle cruisers. And the Chinese navy? Well it consisted of five cruisers all smaller as 3,000 tons all bough in 1898, 40 gunboats serving with the river police, 3 school ships and a mother ship for planes. Total personnel strength numbered 15,581 men included 2,604 officers.(1)
Note
1. This figures are not correct. So are the two Japanese built light cruisers of the Ning Hai-class with a displacement of 2,500 tons not mentioned but there were indeed four cruisers smaller as 3,000 tons dating from the 90’s of the 19th century existing, one of 4,300 tons from 1898 and two from 1911 also smaller as 3,000 tons. I can’t trace the mother ship.
