With the visit of German Chancellor Bismarck to China, the world's attention quickly shifted to China.

This is the first time in thousands of years that a senior official at the level of a prime minister in Europe has visited the ancient Eastern Empire, which will become a navigation light for political exchanges between the East and the West.

Li Weiguo met Bismarck at the palace and had a cordial conversation. Bismarck was shocked and envious of China's tremendous brilliant achievements, and said that Germany should also follow China's economic construction model and develop the German economy.

Subsequently, Bismarck also briefed Li Weiguo on Germany's national conditions, national culture, and economic development, and conveyed Kaiser Wilhelm I's cordial greetings to Li Weiguo, with a new letter to be forwarded to Li Weiguo.

Later in the evening, Li Weiguo hosted a state banquet at the Imperial Palace to invite Bismarck and members of the German delegation, and a large number of reporters from various countries were allowed to enter the banquet site to take pictures and report on it.

The next day, the ministers of the three provinces and six ministries of China met with Bismarck and his German delegation, and the two sides exchanged views.

For Bismarck, the focus was on political significance, strengthening cooperation with China, and he met with the Chinese Emperor Li Weiguo, who received Li Weiguo's nod and allowed Germany to purchase all kinds of high-tech products from China and import related technologies in principle.

Among them, the most important thing for Germany at present is to introduce the most advanced weapons and equipment and technology of the Chinese military.

During this visit to China, Bismarck brought with him a large German entourage, all of whom were well-known German chaebol leaders, and their visit to China focused on commercial and military cooperation with major Chinese enterprises and factories.

Although the Fourth Sino-British War has ended and is ostensibly peaceful, in fact, Britain is guarding against China everywhere and secretly making stumbling blocks to influence European and American countries not to engage in trade cooperation with China. It's just that there is no evidence, but it is possible not to cooperate with China in business and trade.

Bismarck, on the other hand, led a German consortium to visit China, but helped China reopen the door to Europe, turning Germany into a secondary distributor and selling Chinese goods to European and American countries.

This requires mutual benefit, which is why Li Weiguo agreed in principle to the German consortium to purchase various high-tech products and technologies from China.

The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Industry were the busiest, because the German military proposed a large number of purchase lists to the Chinese Ministry of War, including advanced artillery, warships, submarines, military trucks, water radium, ground radium, fish radium, etc. The German private consortium has negotiated with the Ministry of Food (Ministry of Health) of the Ministry of Rites of China, the Ministry of Industry (Construction Bureau) of the Ministry of Industry of China, and the Tuntian Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Industry and Commerce) to import from China famous Chinese commodities such as medicine, medical and health equipment, high-strength and sophisticated steel, petrochemical products, tea, porcelain, silk and so on.

After asking Li Weiguo for instructions, the Chinese military finally agreed to sign a large arms purchase order with the German military with a total value of 55 million gold marks (about 27.5 million yuan), promising to supply the German military with weapons and equipment on the list in the next three years.

The first is the German Army Procurement List. The focus is on 108 155 mm 50 times the diameter of the army heavy howitzer, with a unit price of 112,000 yuan per unit.

At present, the German military industry is not able to process 155 mm caliber 50 times the diameter of the high-temperature high-pressure howitzer barrel, and even in the world, only China has this technical ability, which requires China's special steel, as well as 10,000-ton hydraulic presses and precision lathes to process.

At the same time, the integrated shells used in the 155mm heavy howitzer used by the Chinese Shence Army are also the most important points for the German Army.

The integrated artillery shell was first used by the Chinese Army during the Third Yapian War in 1865, and was introduced to the armies of Europe and the United States in the next five years, but it is currently used. The largest caliber infantry gun of the armies of the world's armies is only 130 mm, because no matter how large the caliber is, the production of integrated shells is very complicated and difficult.

This is because the ****** and explosives used in the integrated artillery shells produced by the armies of European and American countries are all hey, and the combustion is insufficient. The power is not strong, and it also causes the weight and volume of the shells to be large, and even when it is raised to 155 calibers, the weight and volume of the shells seriously exceed the standard. Artillery operation is very difficult, if not resistant.

On the other hand, Chinese-made 155-mm shells are formed in one piece. The weight is half as light as the same type of shells in Europe and the United States, and the volume is also a third smaller, and the Chinese artillery can be loaded with anti-shells by a single soldier, which is easier for the big Europeans.

However, China's artillery shells are expensive, and even the German military, which had just won the Franco-Prussian War and received huge compensation, was very painful, and finally reached a negotiation with the Chinese military and purchased 2,000 rounds of 155-mm artillery shells after a discount.

Unfortunately, the Chinese military resolutely refused to export explosives and ******, which made the German Army very depressed.

However, the German military has already made up its mind, even if it risks death when it goes back, it will disassemble a 155-mm shell and look at it, study the explosives and ****** ingredients inside, and strive to develop and produce it itself, and the province will be slaughtered by the Chinese.

Then there were 200 Gatling machine guns, 500 military trucks, and 2,000 ground radiums, of which the manufacturing technology of Gatling machine guns was introduced to Germany and authorized German arsenals to produce their own. The first 200 military trucks are produced in China, and the remaining 300 are authorized to be produced in Germany, and the most critical core components, such as gasoline internal combustion engines, truck rubber tires, and bearing parts, are still imported from China.

At present, only China has the ability to produce it in the world, but fortunately, radium is not too expensive, the Germans bought 2,000 in one go, while deploying the German-French border defense, while studying the radium, and striving to find a way to localize it as soon as possible.

The German navy is an emerging force, and before the reunification of Germany, the navy was very weak, similar to the Qing Dynasty naval divisions, but the river fleet.

But with the unification of the German Empire, the Junker bourgeoisie urgently needed overseas colonies and markets, so the development of the navy became a must.

Looking at the whole world, only China, Britain and France occupy the world's leading position in the field of naval equipment manufacturing, and only these three countries have the ability to build all kinds of ironclad warships, supporting steam engine systems and naval gun systems.

But before that, the German navy was almost blank, because of the Franco-Prussian War, France regarded Germany as a mortal enemy, and Britain could only stand on the opposite side of Germany because of French relations. So the Anglo-French naval equipment and technology would never be sold to the German Navy.

Well, the only way out for the German Navy is to ask the Chinese Navy for advice.

Historically, the German navy was blockaded by Britain and France, and could only grope its own way forward, and the development of naval power was slow, and it did not surpass Britain until the First World War, and it was always half a beat behind Britain.

But now it is different, the Sino-British War has just ended, and it is an opportunity for the German Navy to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Chinese Navy is also happy to see the rapid rise of the German Navy, which will impact the European maritime order and add to the British Navy. Alleviate the enormous military pressure on the Chinese Navy to face the British Navy alone in other waters.

Therefore, in response to the demands of the German Navy, the Chinese Navy received an order from Li Weiguo and opened the door to convenience.

The first is to build eight ironclad ships and eight dome cruisers for the German Navy, of which four ironclad ships and four dome cruisers are built in China, and the rest will be built by the Chinese Navy Armament Department to help the German Navy set up two naval shipyards in Germany and provide equipment parts, which will be built by the German shipyards themselves.

The eight ironclad ships are based on the Dingyuan-class ironclad ships, and try the latest technology of the Chinese Navy's armament research and development department on them. It can be said that the Chinese Navy is very happy about this kind of business that can make money and carry out all kinds of experiments.

In response to the requirements of the German Navy in the Baltic Sea, the General Administration of Ships of the Chinese Navy carried out improvements and partial castration on the basis of the Dingyuan-class ironclad ships. Satisfactory battleship drawings were quickly designed for the German Navy.

The "Saxony" class ironclad ship, which is the ship name set by the German Navy for these eight ironclad ships, once completed, will become the latest and most advanced main ironclad ship in Europe in the 70th generation.

Because this class of ironclad ships is modeled after China's Dingyuan-class ironclad ships. The Battle of Scarborough Shoal fully proved that China's Dingyuan-class ironclad ships completely defeated 12 British fifth-class ironclad ships, and they deserved to be called the world's strongest ironclad ships.

"Saxony" standard row 11,050 tons. With a total length of 94 meters, a width of 23 meters, and a draft of 7.53 meters, this type of ship is a typical European slipper type, compared with the Chinese Dingyuan-class ship type, the Saxony class is a short and dumpty.

No way, this is the idea of the German Navy, and the Chinese Ship Administration has to take into account the preferences of the Germans, after all, the customer is God.

Except for the change of ship type, the rest of the equipment has basically not changed much, and the Saxon class is equipped with two twin 305 mm main guns, 18 155 mm secondary guns, 10 75 mm close defense guns, and a 533 mm torpedo tube at the nose and tail.

The armor system adheres to the design idea of the Dingyuan class, using 200 mm uniform wrought iron, covering 100% of the hull, and the turret, command tower, and fish and radium guards are all protected by armor.

The power system adopts China's latest horizontal reciprocating steam engine, with a peak power of 10,000 horsepower, a maximum speed of 17.5 knots, a capacity of 1,000 tons of coal, a cruising range of 3,040 nautical miles in 10 knots, and a cost of 853,178 yuan.

The first ship "Saxony" was built in 3971 (1871) in China's newly built Dalian shipyard in the north, and the other three ships were also built in several shipyards in northern China, and the overall construction period is expected to be two and a half years, and will be delivered to the German Navy before Jianyuan 3974 for formal service.

The news of China's construction of Saxony-class ironclad ships for the German Navy spread far and wide, and European and American countries were envious, jealous and hateful, and received mixed reviews.

For Britain and France, it is by no means happy to see the German Navy strong, especially to obtain the strongest ironclad ships in the world made in China at present, eight of these strongest ironclad ships, which is a huge threat to the British Navy and the French Navy.

The British deliberately nicknamed the "cement factory" to belittle the German Navy due to the slipper-like shape of the Saxony-class ironclad ships and the huge arrangement of four chimneys in parallel with each other.

But this did not affect the rise of the Germans, and the construction of four Dome cruisers in China was subsequently started, and this time the German Navy did not make any modifications, and they were completely copies of the Chinese Haiqi-class Dome cruisers.

Because the German Navy also has limited finances, eight Saxony-class ironclads will cost millions of yuan and are very expensive. However, if the design of the eight dome cruisers is not changed, and the mature design of the Chinese Haiqi-class dome cruisers is directly adopted, then the cost will also be greatly reduced, after all, the Chinese Navy has built nine ships, the equipment and materials are in place, the workers have been skilled, and the cost of construction will inevitably drop significantly, and the German Navy will also save a lot of money.

British, Admiralty, intelligence from MI5 went to the hands of the Admiralty Chancellor Newcaster.

Soon, Newcastle urgently met with British Prime Minister Benjamin.

"Prime Minister, you must take this news seriously."

"Why? I don't see anything wrong. It is already an open secret that several large newly built shipyards in the north of China are building warships for the German Navy! ”

Benjamin didn't see anything wrong, but Newcaster's subsequent reminder made him nervous.

"Prime Minister, don't you see that these warships are all being built in China's northern shipyards, and China's southern shipyards do not have any orders, so what are China's large southern shipyards doing? I don't see them idle. ”

Benjamin's expression suddenly became solemn and asked, "Are you saying that the Chinese Navy has started a new round of shipbuilding operations?" ”

"Yes!" Newcastle nodded and said: "In the case of the 99th Fleet of the Chinese Navy, there are only 18 capital ships of 9981 at present, and the number will at least double in the next stage, because they want to control the western Pacific Ocean and further expand the sphere of influence at sea." ”

Benjamin asked rhetorically, "So is your navy ready?" Is the new battleship designed? The Dingyuan-class ironclad ships that can fight against China will even have to fight against China's next-class more powerful warships! ”

Newcastle replied, "We have appointed Fisher as the Lord of the Sea, and he has the unique insight to design a powerful warship that can definitely defeat the Dingyuan class. ”

Benjamin nodded and said, "Then I'll wait for your good news, and the Navy appropriation will be issued as soon as possible." I don't know how strong China's next-class warships will be, but I believe that our Royal Navy of the British Empire will be able to do it. ”

Fisher has been reused, and is studying China's Dingyuan-class ironclad ship, and is designing a new type of ironclad ship.

At the same time, the Chinese Emperor Li Weiguo, after seeing off German Chancellor Bismarck, made another tour of the south and arrived at the Jiangnan Shipyard.

At this moment, in the No. 1 dock of Jiangnan Shipyard, a huge and incomparably new warship is under construction, and the entire hull has been basically completed.

In accordance with the tone set by Li Weiguo for the development of China's naval equipment, the order of the first level of design, the first level of construction, and the first level of service, when the nine Dingyuan-class ironclad ships were put into service, the construction of this new warship began secretly.

Like the Zheng He, it is also a test ship used to test and test new equipment and technologies that the Chinese Navy has developed in recent years.

Li Weiguo observed the new ship in front of the drawings, there is not much difference in appearance from the Dingyuan class, and the design tonnage is also about 10,000 tons, except for the use of the latest reciprocating steam engine system, the biggest difference is only in the construction materials.

That's right, it's the building materials.

Five years ago, when the Chinese Navy built the Dingyuan-class ironclad ships, because the production of special steel at that time was low and the supply exceeded demand, it could only use wrought iron to build warships.

However, with the completion of the preliminary projects of China's major industrial bases, the steel output has been increasing, and the output of special steel has naturally increased a lot, and it is not so difficult to take out more than 10,000 tons of special steel to build new warships.

Yes, this is an all-steel battleship, no longer an ironclad built of wrought iron, it also has a star-like title, that is, a former dreadnought battleship. (To be continued.) )