Hi Jennifer and welcome to our forum.
In 1897 it would almost certainly have been a steamship, especially as the voyage was completed in around 11 weeks which would be good for those days, it suggests a cargo liner maybe from the fleets of P&O or Ben Line as they ran to Japan.
But the chance of being able to find port records for that sailing day will be quite slim, I think, unless my colleagues are able to point the way to some archive.

The attached image is a "window" on a page of the Shields Gazette for 26th Feb 1897

The sailings are abbreviated as "Name of ship(s), Destination;"

I cannot see a direct voyage to Japan, but either London or Rotterdam would be good stopping off points (probably more likely London?).

I wonder if DIONE is:

http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/richard ... ne1868.htm

Would a ship be sailing from Middlebrough to Japan? Or would you catch a ship to London (say) and then on to Japan?

EDIT: I am finding some sailings that appear to be direct to Japan, but not the one requested eg

ANPING sailed from Middlesbrough for Japan, at Port Said on Feb 26th

Dave,

Surprised to see the Shields Gazette listing Tees movements, but a great resource.

Are they available online?

Ron

Would the obvious one not be ROTTERDAM???

Passenger Ship of 8,301 Gross, built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1897 for Holland America Line EXCEPT that she was not completed until the 29th July 1897......and the previous Rotterdam was EDAM from 1895...........

Back to the Drawing Board..........

None of the other vessels sailing seem to fit the bill as they are Cargo Ships and appear to be to small to sail to Japan.........so.......could it have been as Dave suggests a feeder vessel......

Hm interesting!

Yes they are but only via a subscription to the British Library. Not overly expensive if you intend using them a lot.

ANPING.

She was built by Charles Connell in December 1896 for Chinese Owners.

Now could this have been her delivery voyage with a UK Crew????????????

The DIONE traded only in European waters so far as I can tell from the detailed article by the late James Layton I am now posting under Shipbuilding on the Tees.

Ron

The other London Sailing, WILLIAM DAWSON was only 265 Tons.

She's also listed as being Turkish flag....

There are two possibilties for ROTTERDAM.
A tanker of 4,140 Gross, built 1895 for American Petroleum and a Cargo Ship of 1,092 Gross built in 1896 for J Rankine & Son.