U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt received a telegram from Anderson, the ambassador to the Xia Empire, and immediately sent someone to summon Secretary of the Navy Truman Handy Newbury. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Your Excellency the President, the price quoted by the Xia Empire is indeed low, I originally estimated that it would cost more than 3 million pounds, but I didn't expect it to be so cheap. In that case, should we buy a few more? After reading the telegram, Truman immediately happily suggested to the president.

"We don't have so much money, and the navy will still have to build itself in the future." President Roosevelt said regretfully.

"Your Excellency the President, the sales price of the Xia Empire is cheaper than the self-built one, in addition, I feel that the war atmosphere in Europe is getting stronger and stronger, if we buy a few more ships, we can make money in the future." Truman's idea was good.

"Haha, Your Excellency is too naïve to think, they won't buy it directly from the Xia Empire?"

"Your Excellency the President, this type of battleship will not continue to be produced by the Xia Empire in the future, and the telegram said that this is the last battleship to be sold to the outside world, it can be seen that the Xia Empire also expects that war will break out in Europe, and they will not do the things of the enemy, if they don't buy it now, they can't buy it if they want to buy it after the war breaks out; More importantly, we can use materials to pay for goods, which is equivalent to exporting materials to the Xia Empire in disguise, which is a major benefit to China's textile industry and steel industry, otherwise it will simply export materials, and it is difficult for the Xia Empire to accept, and more importantly, although it is 10% lower than the market price, considering the export tariffs and import tariffs, the price accepted by the Xia Empire is not low. ”

Roosevelt thought about it for a while, feeling that it would not be sold in the future, and the United States also needed a larger number of warships to protect coastal defense, and it was very economical, so he finally decided: "Then buy 3 merchant-class battleships and 3 Baiqi-class battlecruisers; This time I came to you to see how to reply to them, they did not provide the parameters of the cruiser, but asked us to put forward requirements and standards, and equip us with similar cruisers according to our requirements. “

"Your Excellency, our Admiralty has long conceived that the speed of the cruiser must reach 28.5 or 29 knots, at least about 2 knots faster than the battle cruiser, so that it can escape the pursuit of the opponent and come and go freely on the sea. It is divided into heavy cruisers with a displacement of 5,000 tons to 10,000 tons, and light cruisers with a displacement of less than 5,000 tons, which must be equipped with at least 4 or more torpedo launchers; The target role is to reconnoitre, guard, and break diplomatic relations, and in addition, it can strike the enemy's fast torpedo boats, destroyers, and cruisers, as well as threaten the enemy's coastal port cities, and strike at the opponent's merchant ships. “

"Okay, don't tell me, I don't understand what you said, just send your request to the ambassador in Shangjing, and after communicating with the Xia Empire, we will discuss it according to the parameters provided by the Xia Empire." Roosevelt said impatiently.

"Yes, Your Excellency!" Truman happily replied that with these warships, the US Navy was partially afraid of the combined fleet of the seven-nation alliance.

Zhang Wei searched for it from the system according to the conditions proposed by the Americans, and gave the answer that there was no heavy cruiser, and the heavy cruiser of the Xia Empire was a battle cruiser, and gave the parameters of two types of light cruisers, the No. 1 light cruiser was the original British Lin Xian-class light cruiser (1913 version), and the No. 2 light cruiser was the British Danae-class light cruiser, with a displacement of less than 5,000 tons, and the price was cheap, which should meet the requirements of the Americans.

"Your Majesty, let's equip our naval fleet with some of these light cruisers, it's so cheap, it's still very practical as a reconnaissance ship." Li Zhaoshui saw that the price quoted by His Majesty was only 80,000 pounds, so the actual price should be cheaper.

"Our navy will be equipped with better light cruisers, this kind of stuffing stuffing and thin skin is not practical." Zhang Wei shook his head and vetoed Li Zhaoshui's suggestion.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" After receiving His Majesty's promise, Li Zhaoshui was very happy in his heart; As long as the deals with the United States and Germany are done, His Majesty will expand the size of the navy.

The President of the United States was very satisfied with the 2 light cruises, and the price was also within the acceptable range of the United States.

The relevant personnel of the Admiralty held a meeting and discussed according to the parameters provided by the Xia Empire, and were very satisfied with the speed, armament, range, etc., the fly in the ointment was that the armor protection was too weak, which was very suitable for the appetite of the British, but it was far from the habit of Americans who liked to be heavy and coarse.

Roosevelt said: "These two light cruisers were very fast, 28.5 knots and 29 knots respectively, and if it weren't for the weak protection and the weight cut, how could they go so fast?" It is already very good to be able to do key protection, my opinion is to buy 2 ships each, and then talk about it after coming back to test, and then buy 3 more ships if you are more satisfied with the performance of which one, and bring the drawings and other technical data together, our shipyard can produce it by itself, and the Admiralty can also improve it from the dissatisfaction with the place. Hey, I really envy them for working so quickly."

Secretary of the Navy Truman had no better way, and now only the Xia Empire still sells warships to foreign countries, and the shipyards of Britain, France, Germany and other countries are not even busy with their own warship orders, and they do not sell them to the outside world at all; In the past few years, busy with relocation and war, the design capacity of American warships and the manufacturing capacity of shipyards have declined significantly, and now it is already good to be able to produce fast torpedo boats and destroyers, and for the time being, I can only accept the president's compromise plan.

"Your Excellency, I not only envy their speed, envy their technical strength, but also envy their hidden strength, this kind of fast light patrol they have equipped the active navy, but it has not been announced to the public, obviously want to hide the strength, or we want to buy light patrol from them, they will not be open to the public. In addition, they asked us to report the parameters, and then equipped us with cruisers with similar performance, which shows that they have more advanced cruisers, and there are quite a few in number and specifications. Secretary Truman said with emotion.

"It's nothing to just hide some light cruisers, don't look at the big killers they are exposed to, there are only 8 merchant-class battleships, outsiders don't know how many battleships and battlecruisers they hide, or Britain, France, Germany, Russia and other countries don't dare to attack the Xia Empire? That's what scares them the most. "President Roosevelt had a lot of affection.

Truman said: "Your Excellency's words are not unreasonable, and I am sure that after they sell the Shang-class battleships, they will soon be equipped with more advanced battleships." ”

President Theodore Roosevelt instructed: "Therefore, after obtaining the drawings and technical data of the Shang-class battleships and the Baiqi-class battlecruisers, the Admiralty should use their products as a basis to increase research and development efforts to develop more advanced battleships and battlecruisers as soon as possible." ”

"Yes, Your Excellency!"