ADMIRAL OSMAN PASHA

99×140(109×164)mm

TURKISH
OSMAN PASHA
SUNK IN SEA OF KISYU

URAKAWA
FUNADAIKUMACHI
NAGASAKI
JAPAN

   Osman Pasha, Admiral  of the Ottoman Navy,  was drowned along with 587 of over 600 sailors on board their ship, the Ertugrul, which was caught in a typhoon and sunk off the coast of Ooshima, Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture on the night of September 16, 1890. Only 69 crew members drifted ashore and were rescued by the local fishermen.

  This tragedy occured on his voyage back home from Japan after successfully accomplishing his emission.  During his stay of Japan for three months from 7 June to 14 September 1890, he met Emperor Meiji presenting him with gifts and letters of Abdülhamit II. He had left the port of Galata on 15 July 1889, passed by Suez, Jeddah, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Singapore, Sumatra, Hong Kong and dropped anchor at Yokohama Port .

  The mission from Istanbul headed by Osman Pasha folllowed the visit of Prince Akihito Komatsu, the nephew of Emperor Meiji.
He left Japan together with his wife for Britain in October 1886. On his way back Japan he visited Istanbul and was received in audience by Abdülhamit II in October 1887. And he  presented him a message of good will from Emperor Meiji.

 Now, there stands in Ooshima, near the lighthouse, the "Ertugrul Monument" built in memory of those pioneers of Turkish-Japanese friendship. The compassion demonstrated by the Japanese people in saving and returning to Istanbul the survivors of the crew of the Ertugrul has left a lasting memory of gratitude in the minds of the Turkish people.
 The Meiji Emperor ordered the government to assign the warships Hiei and Kongo to take the survivors back to Istanbul. The two warships left Shinagawa port on 5 October 1890 and arrived in Istanbul on 2 January 1891. The Turkish government welcomed them showing their gratitude to the Japanese government for their rescue efforts and consolation extended towards the victims.