The designer of such a small warship was the famous British ship designer George? Rendall, this small warship became an important cornerstone of his life's work. www.biquge.info The gunboat "Staunch" (Staunch, transliterated as "Shi Dan" in Chinese) designed by him is a small gunboat with a displacement of only 200 tons built by Armstrong, with a length of 22.86 meters, a width of 7.62 meters, a draft of 1.98 meters, equipped with 2 steam engines and 2 boilers, with a main engine power of 134 horsepower and a speed of 7.5 knots. Completely different from the old gunboats that were smaller than cruisers, slower than cruisers, and placed guns on both sides of the deck "for miscellaneous service" since the beginning of the steam age, this kind of small gunboat completely abandoned the traditional shipside gun arrangement, but installed a 9-inch breech cannon in the bow in the open air, and the gun body of the giant gun was mounted on a set of underground well gun carriages with 4 pillars, and the whole system was extremely complex. In normal times, the guns are seated low in the hull to prevent the center of gravity from being too high and to maintain the stability of the warship, and when used, the guns are raised to the deck in 4 to 6 minutes through the hydraulic system. After each firing round, the gun is slowly lowered below deck under the pressure of its own huge recoil to reload the next shot. Oddly enough, the warship had to anchor before the guns could be fired, otherwise no one could have predicted how the huge recoil would affect the boat.

It was this kind of Randal gunboat that Hurd intended to sell to China. Hurd was well aware of China's financial situation at the time, and instead of selling large ironclads that China could not afford to buy in a short period of time, it was better to sell the Mosquito Boat, a small gunboat that was cheap and supposedly capable of defeating ironclads.

Although Hurd and Jin Denggan spared no effort to sell warships and hyped them up, Hurd actually had a clear understanding of the purpose of mosquito boats, saying that such ships were a sharp weapon against ironclad ships in shallow waters. Lin Yizhe also agreed with this point, believing that "with this huge cannon boat, the mouth is the most effective, and it is more flexible than the land battery." In fact, Lin Yizhe, Hurd and others have understood from the beginning that this type of warship is a kind of water battery. However, because Hurd's sales pitch worked well, many Chinese officials were convinced of the role of his "ironclad nemesis", and they asked Premier Yamen for approval to buy this kind of mosquito boat, which was cheap and could compete with ironclads. And Wen Xiang, out of prudence, still consulted Lin Yizhe many times.

And Chen Xiang, who doesn't quite understand the theory of learning artillery from Western ships, this time is equivalent to letting his son-in-law teach a good lesson.

"What Kunyu means is that this small iron ship is a sharp weapon to make up for the lack of land batteries, rather than being able to fight in the open sea?" Wen Xiang listened to Lin Yizhe's detailed explanation and understood.

"If you go back to Zhongtang, that's exactly what you say. As for the exaggerated remarks made by Hudkingden and others, the more they talk about it, the more strange it becomes, and the claim that such a small ship can fight on the rough ocean is just his usual exaggerated and exaggerated style. Lin Yizhe said, "In addition, the Western Kingdom does not want our navy to compete with them, so it is Hurd and others who recommend such small iron ships under the pretext of our country's lack of money, and their purpose is not known. ”

Wen Xiang listened to Lin Yizhe's answer, and his mood couldn't help but be a little heavy.

As Lin Yizhe said, Hurd's purpose in selling the Rendal gunboats was obvious, and it also echoed the British government's policy towards China, which was that the British did not want China to have a real navy with ocean-going combat capabilities, and all they wanted to see was that China could maintain a small coastal patrol force, and that it would be enough to appease the sea and deal with pirates.

Unfortunately, this idea of the British was met with a rival, France, under the great temptation of commercial interests and the Chinese market, and out of the consideration of competition with the British, went so far as to cooperate with China in the shipbuilding industry, which led to the establishment of China's first real navy in the modern sense of the word, the Shipmaster and Sailor. In order not to make the influence of France too strong, Britain competed with the French against its will, and made a move to give China a cruiser. The emergence of such a situation can be said to be the result of the vicious competition between Britain and France in order to pull relations with China, and does not mean a fundamental change in Britain's policy toward China.

Hearing Lin Yizhe tell the inside story behind the purchase of the ship, Chen Xiang's expression also became solemn. At the same time, he has another layer of admiration for Lin Yizhe's son-in-law.

"In that case, Kunyu said that this small iron boat can be bought, but why?" Wen Xiang asked again.

"Back to Zhongtang, although this small iron ship can not fight in the ocean, but guarding the port is indeed a sharp weapon, I have coastal Haikou everywhere, although there are many forts, but they are all old and old, the guns prepared are mostly ancient guns, and when they encounter foreign enemies, they are useless, and now all the Western-style artillery forts are rebuilt, equipped with new artillery, and the strength is not caught. For example, the ports in Beiyang are now adding forts, and it is difficult to raise the cost. These small iron ships can be described as movable water forts, which do not need to be stationed in one place, and can be moved and stationed in a certain place for defense, which is far more powerful than fixed forts on land, and can be used as ten, and the cost of artillery, which is recommended by the younger generation, can be purchased several ships, and first solve the urgent need for the defense of Beijing and Tianjin. Lin Yizhe analyzed, "Beiyang now has three patrol clippers, one old ironclad ship, if there are three or four more small iron boats, then when the police are in the event of a war, the patrol clippers and ironclad ships will fight, and the small iron boats will help the fort to defend the mouth, and the battle defense will be standoff." ”

"You have a point, that's it." Wen Xiang nodded and said, "After you go back, write these to me." I have to inform Li Shaoquan about this matter when I turn around. ”

"The juniors obey orders." Lin Yizhe bowed respectfully.

"Kunyu, you also said just now, the Western Kingdom does not want our navy to have the strength to compete with them, if I want to buy or make my own ironclad ships in the future, they are not willing to help me, and my equipment skills are not successful, but what can I do about it?" Wen Xiang thought of what Lin Yizhe had just said, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, and he asked again.

"Back in the middle hall, the younger generation also thought about it for a long time at this time, and finally landed on the 'outer must be and Rong, and the inner must be changed'." Lin Yizhe replied.

"You have to be more detailed." Wen Xiang stared at Lin Yizhe, his face full of concentration.

"This 'foreign must be peaceful' is to win a peaceful situation for our country's self-improvement. And if I develop my navy with great fanfare and become an enemy of the western country, they will not help me under their vigilance. For the sake of Anxi's national aspirations, I can make it clear to Britain and France that China's navy is not to be enemies of Britain and France, but to guard against Japan and Russia. He saw that I had no intention of being an enemy of him, and he was willing to help me, while I did my best to cultivate the inside, learn the way of self-improvement in the Western Kingdom, and change the law to become strong, and the big thing was decided. In the future, when he saw that my navy could make its own iron armor to fight against it, he would have no choice but to do so. Lin Yizhe said, "The younger generation suggested the purchase of a small British iron ship, the purpose of which was not only for coastal defense, but also for the purpose of reassuring his heart. ”

"Good! Good! When Wen Xiang heard this, he couldn't help but praise again and again.

Seeing Wen Xiang's eyes looking at Lin Yizhe full of appreciation, just like a teacher looking at a talented student, his heart was surprised and happy.

From this point of view, the rumors outside the world that Wen Zhongtang wants to ask his son-in-law for a protégé post are only afraid to be true!

Thinking of the comments of his wife, who should have arrived at his daughter's house in Fuzhou, about this son-in-law back then, Chen Xiang couldn't help but feel a little proud of his initial "discernment".

Moreover, this son-in-law's knowledge really surprised him!

As soon as Chen Xiang arrived in the capital today, he immediately came to meet Wenxiang who recommended him, one to thank him, and the other to ask for instructions and prepare for His Majesty's meeting. Wen Xiang told him that the imperial court had decided to set up a province in Taiwan, and he might be appointed as the first governor of Taiwan, and that he should ask his son-in-law Lin Yizhe more about Taiwan!

And what he heard with his own ears today alone was enough for him to learn for a while!

It seems that in the future, I am afraid that I will inevitably have to ask this son-in-law for advice......

At this time, although Lin Yizhe was concentrating on answering Wenxiang, he could see the expression on Chen Xiang's face.

Thinking that he had used his knowledge to suppress his father-in-law, Lin Yizhe couldn't help but feel a little proud.

Next, he probably won't think about asking himself about the past......

"Fang Xian, you really recruited a good son-in-law!" Wen Xiang's words pulled Chen Xiang's thoughts back.

"Zhongtang has won the prize." Chen Xiang said with a smile.

"Fang Xian, Kunyu is also very familiar with the situation in Taiwan, you can ask more, let him help you get a strategy, the queen mother asks, it is easy to answer." Wen Xiang said, "As long as you play the symmetrical purpose, the position of the governor of Taiwan will be you." ”

"Thank you for your advice." Chen Xiang heard Wen Xiang remind him again that he valued his son-in-law Lin Yizhe more and more.

After the three talked for a while, Lin Yizhe and Chen Xiang said goodbye, and after leaving Wenxiang Mansion and returning to Xianliang Temple, Lin Yizhe invited Chen Xiang to his apartment, and then he greeted his son-in-law.

"I don't know that my father-in-law arrived today, and I missed the distance, so I ask my father-in-law to forgive me."

Seeing that Lin Yizhe had no superiority in front of him, he was humble, and he liked it more and more, so he quickly helped him.

"My own family, I haven't seen you for many years, don't be polite!" Without waiting for Lin Yizhe to bow down, Chen Xiang grabbed him, grabbed his hand, and asked him to sit down.

"It's all because of the relationship between the younger generations, so that the father-in-law is tired!" Seeing Chen Xiang, who had been idle at home for many years, Lin Yizhe felt sorry in his heart, choked up and said, "This time my father-in-law is going to go to the ocean and go to the remote place in Taiwan, and the younger generation is really sad in my heart......"

He was afraid that Chen Xiang would talk freely about the past with him, so he hurriedly introduced the topic to Taiwan.

"Where did Kunyu come from! It's Zuo Zongtang's narrow-mindedness, and Hu Guangyong is secretly making it bad, it's none of your business! Chen Yu waved his hand, shook his head and said, anger flashed in his eyes, "Hu Guangyong, this guy will never end well in the future!" ”