Chitose (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) photograph album, 1897-1899

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Creators:
Unknown
Abstract:
The Chitose (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) photograph album, 1897-1899, (SAFR 23365, P01-026) consists of photographs showing the construction and launching of CHITOSE at Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California. The collection has been processed to the Item level and is open for use.
Extent:
34 items
Language:
In English.
Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P01-026 (SAFR 23365), Chitose (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) photograph album, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Background

Scope and content:

The Chitose (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) photograph album, 1897-1899, (SAFR 23365, P01-026) consists of photographs showing the construction and launching of CHITOSE at Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California. The collection has been processed to the Item level and is open for use.

One photograph album containing photographs of CHITOSE (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy), 1897-1899. The album (7.75 x 6 x 1.5 in.) contains 34 black-and-white albumen photographic prints mounted on 32 pages. The fabric covers feature color illustrations depicting Japanese people and writing on playing cards from Uta-garuta, a Japanese card game. The album photographs show CHITOSE during construction, launching, and outfitting at Union Iron Works. Three photographs of the vessel's interior show the captain's dining saloon, officer's ward room, and crew's quarters.

The album also contains portraits of Union Iron Works employees (George W. Dickie, Robert Forsyth, Fred A. Gardner, James O'Brien Gunn, Henry T. Scott, and Irving M. Scott); Imperial Japanese Navy personnel (Chief Engineer T. Hirabe, Commander I. Mori, Captain K. Sakuri, Captain S. Sakuri, and Lieutenant Y. Wadagaki); and May Budd and Gladys Sullivan, the young women chosen to assist with the vessel's launching.

Biographical / historical:

CHITOSE (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) was a Japanese naval vessel built by Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California. The keel was laid May 3, 1897, and she was launched January 22, 1898. At the launching, May Budd, niece of James Budd, Governor of California, christened the vessel and Gladys Sullivan, niece of James D. Phelan, Mayor of San Francisco, triggered the signal to release the vessel down the ways. Captain S. Sakuri and Lieutenant Y. Wadagaki of the Imperial Japanese Navy served as inspectors during the construction. The vessel's first official trial run was conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, in January 1899. In March, CHITOSE was delivered to the Japanese government. Captain K. Sakuri served as the vessel's first captain. In 1931, CHITOSE was sunk during use as target practice.

Sources: Associated Press. "Japan's Navy Claims Another American Built Ship." Los Angeles Herald, Jan. 23, 1898. Chesneau, Roger, Eugaene M. Kolebsnik, and N.J.M. Campbell. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1860-1905. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979.

Acquisition information:

SAFR-01569

SAFR-01569 is a transfer from the J. Porter Shaw Library (formerly library call number b V805.5.J3C5) to the Historic Documents Department in November 2000. It was formally accessioned in 2001. The San Francisco Maritime Museum stamp on the inside cover indicates that the album was acquired by the museum between 1950-1977.

Although the exact provenance of the CHITOSE photograph album is unidentified, shipbuilding companies were known to assemble photograph albums documenting the vessels they built. These albums were presented to persons involved with the vessel's construction or launching, such as the vessel's sponsor. However, the album in this collection may have been compiled by the Imperial Japanese Navy or the Japanese government rather than the shipbuilder, the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California. Due to the album's Japanese fabric covers and the Japanese style accordion binding (orihon), the album was likely Japanese made. The fabric illustrations depict cards from Uta-garuta, a Japanese card game. The deck is composed of cards based on the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese poems by one hundred poets. The photograph album may have been presented to someone as a gift for their involvement in the CHITOSE's development.

Processing information:

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.

Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Arrangement:

Each photograph in the album has been assigned an Item number. The Items are arranged in the order in which they were found by the processing archivist. The album was originally accordion-hinged; however, the binding is broken. The covers and most of the pages are now loose. As a result, it is not certain if the pages are in their original order. Item numbers were written in pencil next to the photographs in March 2013.

Physical location:
San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Physical description:
.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Terms of access:

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P01-026 (SAFR 23365), Chitose (built 1898; cruiser: Imperial Japanese Navy) photograph album, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
Website