was a protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), designed and built by the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in Japan. The name Akitsushima comes from an archaic name for Japan, as used in the ancient chronicle Kojiki. Background Akitsushima was the sole cruiser for the Imperial Japanese Navy planned under the 1889 fiscal year budget. She originally intended as a domestically-built fourth vessel in the of cruisers under the Jeune École philosophy promoted by French military advisor and naval architect Louis-Émile Bertin. However, even at the time of her construction, opposition by the pro-British faction within the navy, and growing concerns on the effectiveness and operational utility of the Matsushima class, led to proposals for new design with multiple guns rather than a single, huge Canet gun. The new design more closely resembled the British-designed than the earlier Matsushima class. Bertin was outraged by the new design and threatened to return to France. In 1894, the pro-British faction prevailed and the Canet gun was removed. Design The hull design of Akitsushima was based closely on that of the last vessel to be constructed in the Matsushima class, namely , retaining the same double-bottom hull construction, water-tight compartments and the same machinery. She was the last ship in Japan to be built of imported steel. Akitsushima has a length of , width of and draught of and was powered by two horizontal triple-expansion steam engines with six cylindrical boilers driving twin screws. The armaments of Akitsushima were initially based on the cruiser , with four QF 6 inch /40 naval guns with a maximum range of up to and fire rate of five to seven rounds per minute, mounted on sponsons on the upper deck (two on the bow on both sides of the foremast and two in the stern behind the mainmast). The rapid rate of fire of these guns gave Akitsushima a large advantage over the more heavily armed Matsushima class, whose slow rate of fire had led cadets to say during training exercises that “ by the time one shot is fired, the day is over”. However, the Japanese navy felt that this main battery was too light, and demanded the inclusion of an additional six rapid firing QF 4.7 inch guns, with a range of and fire rate of 12 rounds per minute. These guns were also mounted on sponsons on the upper deck, with two to