For the Japanese 19,700-tons battleships SATSUMA (completed Kure Navy Yard 1910) and AKI (completed Yokosuka Navy Yard 1911), construction of SATSUMA progressed as planned after being laid down in May 1905, but AKI was delayed because the allocated slipway for her was still to be vacated by the new construction armoured cruiser TSUKUBA. The delay with AKI (laid down March 1906) allowed the Japanese Navy to decide to fit her with Curtis steam turbines manufactured at the Fore River shipyard in the United States. However, the machinery for SATSUMA was triple expansion, and I have read a text that suggests that the “complete engines and boilers for the first battleship to be built in Japan” were built by Armstrong at Elswick and shipped out to Japan on a specially adapted cargo vessel. According to Janes, SATSUMA seems to have been the first battleship built in Japan, but while I cannot find mention of the engine makers, this battleship apparently was fitted with 20 Miyabara boilers, thus putting a question mark on whether or not engines AND boilers were made at Elswick.
I believe that the cargo vessel was probably the turret steamer GALAVALE and on its maiden voyage.
I am trying to positively establish that the engines (and boilers) shipped on GALAVALE were those destined for SATSUMA, and would be pleased to hear from anyone who can confirm this.
Roger Jordan
(County Mayo, Ireland)