There had been a number of unconfirmed reports that a Japanese torpedo boat destroyer had recently grounded off the Chinese coast. These reports were later confirmed by Japanese sources. The boat lost was the Niji (length 220 feet 6 inches, beam 20 feet 6 inches, draught 5 feet 6 inches; displacement 363 tons) the last and fastest of the six destroyers built by Yarrow and Company, Poplar, for the Imperial Japanese Government. The Niji left England under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Takarabe in early 1900. Details of the disaster were meagre. It appeared that the Niji was caught in a typhoon off the Chinese coast and driven ashore, where she broke into three pieces and sank. All or most of the crew managed to escape. The Niji's career had been as fleeting as her name, which meant "Rainbow."