On 22 May 1922 (!) received the Dutch naval staff at The Hague, Netherlands from the Dutch embassy at Tokyo, Japan a detailed specification of Japanese merchant ships of minimum 1.500 tons tonnage usable for troop transport over sea on 13 December 1921. If the transport was over a short distance for instance Japan-Philippines or Japan-Chinese harbours was the transport capacity increased with 10% and on a distance within 24 hours even doubled. The figures were supplied by non-Japanese experts, partly based on the troop transports between Japan-China and Japan-Siberia. The transports were kept secret. At that moment was Japan already considered as a potential enemy. For each ship was mentioned how many troops included equipment could be transported over a longer distance, for instance to an island belonging to the Dutch East Indies. In February-March 1942 invaded Japan indeed the Dutch East Indies.
Speed 9 miles, net tonnage 3.448 tons, gross tonnage 4.668 tons, transport capacity 1.500 men and owned by Kwanto K.G. Cargo ship. Coal-fuelled.
Source
Archive Dutch Naval Staff 1886-1942 inventory number 137 (National Archive at The Hague, Netherlands.
No comments:
Post a Comment