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Beijing, Hall of the National Assembly. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 info [Ran^Text^Library]

"As of yesterday, February 11, 1882, the five major fleets under the command of our Imperial Admiralty include the Imperial Royal Navy Home Fleet, the Imperial Royal Navy Pacific Fleet, the Imperial Royal Navy Indian Ocean Fleet, the Imperial Royal Navy Atlantic Fleet, and the Imperial Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet. The local fleet was equipped with 17 Qin-class and 10 Zhou-class, in addition to 21 large cruisers, 32 medium cruisers, 33 small cruisers, and a number of gunboats. The Pacific Fleet has five Qin-class cruisers, five Zhou-class large cruisers and medium cruisers, 13 small cruisers, 29 small cruisers, and a number of gunboats. The Indian Ocean Fleet has under its jurisdiction the East African Squadron and the Indian Fleet, with a total of eight Qin-class cruisers, eight Zhou-class cruisers, 10 large and medium-sized cruisers each, 15 small cruisers, and a number of gunboats and auxiliary ships. The Atlantic Fleet was mainly responsible for the coastal defense affairs of the southwestern emperor, and had two Qin-class ships, two Zhou-class cruisers, five large, medium, and small cruisers, and a number of gunboats. The Mediterranean Fleet is the second most powerful fleet in the naval fleet, with 10 Qin-class ships, 8 Zhou-class large cruisers, 8 medium cruisers, and 12 small cruisers. The above is the current statistics of the Admiralty on the number of ships of the Imperial Navy by the Admiralty, and the detailed figures and parameters can be found in the naval statistics table just sent to the deputies, and the data of the Royal Navy Task Force of the Imperial Navy is not clear, and there is no detailed answer. On behalf of the Imperial Chinese Navy, I would like to assure the Members of Parliament that the Imperial Navy will do its utmost to safeguard the Empire's maritime security and commercial trade. I have concluded my statement, thank you. Zhang Liefan knew that this so-called government debriefing report was definitely not a good errand, otherwise he would not have sent a deputy chief of staff of the Navy to make a report. Because of the particularity of this era, the Navy has always been valued by the National Assembly under the national defense system, and it is often reported by the Secretary of State of Defense as a national defense strategy, and then the Navy is summarized by someone from the Ministry of the Navy.

"I don't know how much combat effectiveness these data show, I only know that the current imperial navy is very strong, but I want to ask why, why do we already have such a strong navy, and we still spend a lot of money every year to build ships, your table shows that your navy is currently under construction from eight warships, and next year plans to build seventeen more capital ships, are these warships not enough?" A councillor asked in a loud voice.

"The navy is not an army, and the army cannot be compared to the navy, the empire's huge population base allows the army to have sufficient soldiers, but to be a navy you must have a high school degree or higher and ability. In addition, the speed of equipment renewal of the army is far less than that of the navy, and the fastest rifle and artillery of the army is more than five years, but the fastest of our navy in this era of increasing technological renewal is only one year, and once we do not achieve a possible advantage, or we are one step slower than others, then all our warships will be scrapped, and in the face of new weapons, old weapons will always be vulnerable, just like the empire was able to enter and exit freely in the British fleet with only five ironclad ships. Zhang Liefan explained.

"Do you know how much money you spend each year! You're wasting the people's money," the other lawmaker yelled angrily, no way he was frightened by the Navy's plan.

"Then do you know that without our navy escorting you every year and supporting you, would you be where you are today?" Zhang Liefan is not a tolerant and measured person, as soon as he heard someone say that their navy is wasting money, he was angry, "You guys, if there is no Your Majesty, can our navy and army have a good life for you today!" ”

"Bang bang! Quiet! Representatives of the Navy pay attention to words, and parliamentarians also pay attention to attitudes! Speaker Xu Yongyi took a hammer and knocked on the small bell on the table and said.

"It's the Speaker." The congressman just now bowed his head and said. But Zhang Liefan said in a calm tone: "Our navy does spend money, but I ask you to remember that we will never waste a penny of the people, on each of our warships, even the most ordinary sailors know that we can't live up to the warships under our feet, because it is the blood and sweat of the common people of the empire, you only know that you only see the sassy and heroic posture of our navy soldiers riding the wind and waves on the sea, but you don't know how many appendages our captain cares about on the bottom of the ship, They cared about how much time the artifacts would reduce the lifespan of the warship. Gentlemen, you can say that I am lazy and say that we are arrogant and have no one in sight, but we and the Army, as soldiers, will never have any dirty corruption and shameful waste. ”

"I'm sorry, Mr. Vice-Secretary, I shouldn't have said that, please forgive me for my ignorance." The lawmaker who yelled just now honestly apologized to Zhang Liefan at this time and admitted his mistake, and indeed what he just said was over.

"I forgive you, sir, after all, you don't know the inside story of the navy, and we can't reveal some important details of the army, so you misunderstand." Now that they apologized, Zhang Liefan also stepped on the steps and went downhill.

"Alright, let's all calmly talk about this plan for the navy." The Speaker said in chief.

"Vice Chief Zhang, hello, I am a representative of Hebei Province, I don't know much about the navy, but I have my own questions about the report of your Navy Department." One of the councillors stood up and asked. This person is Weng Tonggong, the representative of the Imperial Parliament, yes, it is Weng Tonggong who redressed the grievances of Yang Naiwu and Xiao Cabbage in history, and he is the king of the troublemaker who fought with Li Hongzhang in history and secretly fought with Li Hongzhang and led to the fiasco of the First Sino-Japanese War, of course, none of this will happen now.

"Excuse me." Zhang Liefeng nodded.

"What I want to ask is that I read your Admiralty report just now, I think in Chapter 13 your Admiralty asked for an increase of 1.5 billion Chinese dollars in naval funding for next year to build new small cruisers and gunboats, I want to know where this money will be spent, we all know that the Empire's home fleet is strong enough, even the British can't reach the Empire's coastal waters, we need your Admiralty to give a reason for approving money."

"Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I can say without hesitation that the Imperial Navy is now the most powerful navy on the planet, even the current Britain we never pay attention to, of course the parliamentarians may think that I am exaggerating and bragging, yes, the British have the number of navies in the first place, they have more total tonnage than us, this is because they have many warships that are still stuck in the sail and unarmored era, But our navy has been comprehensively updated with armored ships, our warships are more advanced and more powerful, they are now ranked first in the total tonnage displacement of warships, but if they really fight, I believe we must be the ultimate victors, as for why our Admiralty is still stubbornly proposing a naval plan for the new year, I want to say that this planet is too big, we have the same shortcomings as Britain now, that is, the forces are too scattered, the British want to manage the Mediterranean, we also want to, the British want to protect the Caribbean, we want to hold the southwest imperial territory, If the British want to deter India, we need to maintain the India-East Africa route, and the British have to fight against the European powers in Europe, but doesn't our coastline matter? In addition, we have a vast Pacific Ocean to protect, the Pacific Ocean is too big, this is the bathtub of the Empire, do you allow others to touch it? The fleet expansion plan in this naval report is only the intention of our navy, and perhaps not much will be needed in the future. Of course, Zhang Liefan silently thought in his heart, "Maybe more is needed." ”

"So what will our citizens gain in the end, or what will benefit our country?" Weng Tongyi continued to ask.

"A better future!" Zhang Liefan said firmly.

"A better future?" Weng Tongyi said.

"Yes, think about all the seas on this planet, our people can come and go freely, our ship is even a small boat, as long as it is the ship of the Empire, the warships of all countries must pay tribute to it, and our merchant ships will enter and exit every port freely, and no one can stop them, because the Imperial fleet will be their arrogant backing." Zhang Liefan said proudly.

"Smack!" The audience burst into warm applause.

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