British technical assistance to the Imperial Japanese Navy 1903-05

[SBConnor]

I read (but have forgotten where) that the British supplied Adm. Togo's fleet with technical assistance in the form of a state-of-the-art gun-sight that greatly increased accuracy. I'd be grateful for any background on this topic (suggested reading etc).
Also, I was amazed to discover there was at least one Royal Navy 'observer' with Togo's fleet at Tsushima (and earlier). Again, information and suggested sources would be appreciated.

[EwenS]

Your starting point would be the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902. After this British industry gave a lot of help to the Japanese navy. Even before that the RN were helping the IJN including on gunnery matters.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Japanese_Alliance

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navy

[ROLAND1369]

I remember years ago reading a result of this assistance being that up to 1942 the Japanese Navy issued helm commands in English. I cannot verify the truthfulness of this statement but would like hear any comments.

[cstunts]

1) IJN did not issue helm orders in English in 1942. They were in Japanese.

2) And there were Japanese observers at Jutland with the RN, too, IIRC.

[LineDoggie]

I read (but have forgotten where) that the British supplied Adm. Togo's fleet with technical assistance in the form of a state-of-the-art gun-sight that greatly increased accuracy. I'd be grateful for any background on this topic (suggested reading etc).
Also, I was amazed to discover there was at least one Royal Navy 'observer' with Togo's fleet at Tsushima (and earlier). Again, information and suggested sources would be appreciated.

Foreign Observers were a standard thing pre WW2. German officers at Pine camp, NY during the 30's attest to the practice

Japanese Observers were certainly at Pearl Harbor during Admiral Harry Yarnell's fleet problem 13 maneuvers in February,1932.

He attacked on a Sunday morning
He attacked with 158 Aircraft from the same basic launch point used in 1941

His attack force consisted of Aircraft carriers not slow battleships

[jerryasher]

I would like to return to the original question and apologize for having so little to add. Once the Meji restoration occurred, 1868-1871, Japan sought to master all aspects of maritime security. As early as 1873, Japanese diplomats berated Chinese leaders for sticking to traditional clothing as contrasted with "foreign," uniforms which made working with ships rigging easier. They pointed out that the Japanese flotilla visiting Tianjin did not require a single non-Japanese advisor, officer or crewman. The 1913 battlecruiser Kongo was entirely built in Great Britain. Her sister, the Hiei, completed in Japan in 1914, was a 100% product of Japan's industry. I am a bit hazy here as they may have been purchases of parts --overseas). Importantly, the September 1894 battles with the Chinese Navy, actually gave Japanese leaders more first hand information with a greater variety of weapons than the British. The 1902 agreement was possible as both parties recognized some improvement to their situation.

[cstunts]

Also, Japanese naval observers were w/USN ships in the Spanish-American War in the Caribbean in 1898, and it is recorded that later Japanese plans (drafted by Akiyama Saneyuki) for blocking the Russians at Pt. Arthur were inspired by Sampson's actions vs. the Spanish fleet at Santiago, which Akiyama witnessed.