Japanese cruiser Soya name was taken from the northernmost cape of Hokkaidō, Soya Misaki. After being placed into Japanese service as a 3rd class cruiser, "Soya" was used primarily for training duties. From 14 March 1909 to 7 August 1909, it made a long distance navigational and officer cadet training cruise to Hawaii and North America. It repeated this training cruise every year until 1913. During World War I Russia and Japan became allies and "Soya" (along with several other vessels) was transferred back to Russia at Vladivostok on 5 April 1916, and its original name of "Varyag" restored. Japanese cruiser Soya "Varyag"
Battle of Shimonoseki Straits Battle of Shimonoseki Straits The Battle of Shimonoseki Straits (Japanese:下関海戦, "Shimonoseki Kaisen") was a naval engagement fought on July 16, 1863, by the United States Navy warship USS "Wyoming" against the powerful "daimyō" (feudal lord) Mōri Takachika of the Chōshū clan based in Shimonoseki. The USS "Wyoming" under Captain David McDougal, sailed into the strait and single-handedly engaged the US-built but poorly manned Japanese fleet. Engaged for almost two hours before withdrawing, McDougal sank two enemy vessels and severely damaged the other one, and inflicted some forty Japanese casualties. The "Wyoming" suffered considerable damage with four crew dead and seven