The book is based on domestic and foreign materials of the 19th-20th centuries. describes the history of the design, construction and service of Japanese armored cruisers of the Matsushima type. After construction, their appearance demonstrated a combination of two eras. The battle tops, the blockage of the sides and the spacious battery deck, which made it easy to move servants from side to side, were reminiscent of the bygone era of multi-gun sailing battleships. A long-barreled, large-caliber gun in a barbette, which had the ability to fire not only along the course, but also on any side, foreshadowed the imminent birth of dreadnoughts with a relatively small amount of main artillery. Once commissioned, they became the largest in displacement and impressive combat units of the Japanese fleet, combining themselves the qualities of two classes of ships: cruisers and battleships. The relatively narrow hull made it possible to count on high speed, and the rapid-fire 120-mm artillery made them dangerous opponents for any cruiser or destroyer of that time. The presence of a 320-mm gun with a circular ammunition supply system and an armored barbette brought these cruisers closer to battleships. For a wide range of readers who love history and shipbuilding.