authority to choose the names of torpedo boats without imperial approval. In 1902 the authority to name destroyers was delegated to the Minister of the Navy as well. In 1895 a proposal was made by the Minister of the Navy in an attempt to establish some standard. He proposed that battleships and cruisers be named for provinces or shrines dedicated to protecting Japan, that names of other warships be selected from the names for Japan or provinces. Ships captured during the Russo-Japanese War were renamed with Japanese names. Some of these vessels were given names related to where they were captured or some other aspect of the war, such as the month of capture. Some Russian ships were given Japanese names that were phonetically similar to their original Russian names (example: Angara became Anegawa). In 1921 the Minister of the Navy was given authority to name all ships except battleships, battlecruisers, and cruisers. In any event the Navy had to report the new name to the Emperor immediately. Establishment of ship naming conventions 1905 On 23 April 1905, Naval Minister Gonbee Yamamoto reported to the throne about a new ship naming standard. It was decided on 1 August 1905. Battleship: provinces, or alternate names of Japan First class cruiser (and over 7,500 tons displacement): mountains Second class cruiser (and over 3,500 tons displacement—less than 7,500 tons displacement): put the initial Ni (に) Third class cruiser (less than 3,500 tons displacement): put the initial Ha (は) Other ship names: They were named voluntarily by Naval Minister. However, second class and third class cruisers ended up with river names because it became complicated. It passed through some changes afterwards, the broad categories of names are given here, with examples, however, if the name is the succession to a ship's name, it is excluded from following contents. Aircraft carriers—special names (Many of them are an inheritance from the warship name in the Bakumatsu and the Meiji period). In fact, names related to flying animals, actual or mythological, were used. Fleet aircraft carrier; put the initial Ryū (龍, dragon), Tsuru (Kaku) (鶴, crane) or Ōtori (Hō) (鳳, phoenix) before/after her name Hōshō (鳳翔) Flying phoenix Ryūjō (龍驤) Dragon horse Hiryū (飛龍) Flying dragon Sōryū (蒼龍) Blue (or green) dragon Shōkaku (翔鶴) Flying crane Zuikaku (瑞鶴) Auspicious crane Taihō (大鳳) Great phoenix Converted warship; put the initial Ōtori (Hō) (鳳, phoenix) after her name Zuihō