Chapter 197: Panicked Japan

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After listening to the introduction of Wu Dezhang, director of the equipment department, everyone's original hanging hearts finally let go, and Wang Yuze was prepared for coming, rather than commanding indiscriminately. I have to say that the fire control system introduced by Wu Dezhang seems to be very useful. As admirals of the Navy, they are not pedantic people, and they are not averse to new technologies. Wasn't it because of the backwardness of the Manchu Dynasty that the Manchus were defeated by the foreigners? If this fire control system can really play such a huge role, it will really be a blessing for the West Sichuan Navy.

"This system, which has just been manufactured, has not been tested in actual combat. Therefore, we will first equip the 'Sichuan' for realization, and if there is no problem, all battleships and cruisers will be equipped with this system. Wu Dezhang said. In terms of optical instruments, Kawanishi could not produce them, and they were all imported from Germany. Germany is indeed a world leader in this regard. However, Kawanishi has also acquired this technology in Germany, and is now actively researching and digesting it.

"Okay, the fleet will arrange for the implementation of yàn, and strive to popularize it as soon as possible!" Deng Shichang said. If this fire control system can play a huge role, then he will be even more confident that the fleet will be able to form combat effectiveness within a year. Otherwise, it is really impossible to have a navy with a large number of recruits in a year's operation.

"So be it! Let's go down and get ready! I hope that everyone can remember that the future of the Kawanishi Navy is in your hands. A year from now, we may experience a big war. I hope that when the time comes, I will receive good news, not bad news of defeat! Wang Yuze said. For next year's war, he has exhausted all the means he can think of, and if this is not successful, it will be unreasonable. Although the time was very tight, there was no way out. It can only put pressure on the Navy to redouble its efforts in training.

"Yes, handsome! The Navy guarantees that you won't be disappointed! The top brass of the Admiralty have reassured.

The next day, the Navy's warships drove into the dock and began to carry out maintenance. The battleship "Sichuan" began to install a fire control system at home. In addition, each ship is also equipped with wireless telegraph antennas, which is convenient for the direct command and communication of the combat team.

After Wang Yuze handed over the training task of the Navy to the people of the Admiralty, he boarded the train, left Beihai, and returned to Chengdu.

After the construction of the railway to the sea, Qinzhou Port and Fangcheng Port have become important foreign ports in western Sichuan. The railway from Chengdu to the port is full of crowded trains. At this time, the construction of the double line had already begun. However, if it is to be completed, it is estimated that it will have to wait until the end of the year or the beginning of next year.

The development of the navy has also been on the right track, and Wang Yuze is finally relieved. If the Navy forms combat strength within a year, plus the warships ordered from the British, and the four heavy cruisers launched in the western part of the country, then the Western Sichuan Navy will undoubtedly become the most powerful navy in Asia, and it will also be able to rank among the top in the world. As for the army, it is the strong point of western Sichuan. Once the Manchus were defeated in the Sino-Japanese War, the army in western Sichuan would attack from all sides, quickly occupy all the provinces, and completely overthrow the Manchus. At the same time, the navy will also go north, defeat the Japanese navy, and lay a new situation in the Far East in one fell swoop. One was to replace the Manchus, and the other was to interrupt Japan's upward trend. Create more favorable time and conditions for the rise of China.

The return of the West Sichuan Fleet to the North Sea, especially the two 10,000-ton ships, caused a tsunami-like impact in the entire Far East. This made the fleet in western Sichuan one of the most powerful fleets in the Far East. Of course, it will take a while to really exert its combat effectiveness. However, this was enough to cause alarm among the navies of other countries in the Far East.

The rise of the navy in western Sichuan made the Qing court even more panicked. Although their Beiyang fleet is still the first fleet in Asia. However, the two ships "Dingyuan" and "Zhenyuan", which are the main forces, have undoubtedly fallen behind. Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili and minister of Beiyang, and Ding Ruchang, the commander of the Beiyang Naval Division, made a proposal to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, asking for more powerful warships to be ordered from the Western powers to balance the two 10,000-ton giant ships in western Sichuan. Prince Gong Yixin agreed, but when she asked Cixi, the Empress Dowager Cixi refused.

The reason for the Empress Dowager Cixi's refusal was also very simple, although the Manchu Qing had already begun the Westernization Movement, and the fiscal revenue had increased a lot, but there were more places to use the money, and there were not many left in the treasury at all. In addition, it costs a lot of money to rebuild the army, so that her old man has no money to repair the garden, and there is no money to spend on the purchase of ships for the navy. In addition, although the navy of western Sichuan is powerful, they are even more powerful in the army. The 500,000 powerful Western Sichuan Army made the Empress Dowager Cixi unable to sleep every night, for fear that the Western Sichuan Army would tear up the armistice treaty and launch another attack on the Manchu Qing. The Manchu Qing can't resist it at all! The current Manchurian Army, after two years of reconstruction, has recovered to 00,000 men. The weapons equipped are also more advanced than before, but they are no match for the Western Sichuan Army anyway! Whether in terms of troops or equipment, the Manchus could not have the slightest advantage. Therefore, the Manchus should still focus on building a new type of army. After all, no matter how powerful the navy in western Sichuan is, it can't sail to the shore! If the army could not withstand the attack of the western Sichuan army, then the Manchu Qing would have to perish.

As a result, the Beiyang Naval Division's plan to purchase ships had to come to an end. This made the Beiyang Navy Division very disappointed and even more negative.

Japan, another power in the Far East, also caused panic because of the return of the Kawanishi naval fleet. Over the years, the people of Japan have been tightening their belts to develop the navy, in order to surpass the Beiyang Naval Division. However, while they were desperately chasing the Beiyang Naval Division, another more powerful fleet suddenly appeared, which caused them to rush into a deep panic.

In August 1886, the Beiyang Navy Division visited Japan, and the warships anchored in the port of Nagasaki, Japan. The Qing Dynasty was strong and strong, causing consternation in the Japanese government and the public. The Japanese military department then regarded the Zhenyuan and Dingyuan warships and the Beiyang Naval Division as imaginary enemies, desperately developed its navy, stepped up military training at sea, and looked for opportunities to compete with the Beiyang Naval Division. And now, the appearance of two 10,000-ton giant ships in western Sichuan has made them feel a huge crisis, and it is far beyond the panic caused by the Beiyang Naval Division's visit to Japan.

In Japan, in the cabinet meeting room of the Prime Minister's Office in Nagatacho, Tokyo, the new Japanese cabinet is in session, but all the cabinet members seem to have a bad face and even some fear. This year's prime minister is Hirobumi Ito, who is also the second time since he served as Japan's first prime minister in five years, and became the fifth cabinet prime minister. In addition to Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, this year's cabinet members include Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu, Minister of Internal Affairs Kaoru Inoue, Minister of Finance Kunitake Watanabe, Minister of War Iwawa Oyama, Minister of the Navy Saigo Nomichi, Minister of Justice Yoshikawa Hidemasa, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Minister Kiyotaka Kuroda.

Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito sat on his knees at the top, his face full of sternness, and his eyes constantly scanning the faces of many cabinet members. But all of them are not squinting. However, from their eyes, Ito Hirobumi can still have a trace of panic. In particular, the disappointment and frustration in the eyes of the Minister of the Navy, Saigo, were even more undisguised. Over the years, the Japanese Navy had regarded the Manchu Beiyang Naval Division as its main rival and was trying to surpass it, but now, an even more formidable opponent had risen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the fleet of western Sichuan has returned home, including two 10,000-ton giant ships, such a powerful warship will be a huge threat to us. How should we respond? Hirobumi Ito said.

Admiral Minister Saigo hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, ministers. The 10,000-ton giant ship ordered by Kawanishi was a 'Brandenburg-class' battleship built for Germany, and it has been improved to have more powerful firepower and speed. Such a warship is undoubtedly the top warship in the world. For the time being, none of our Navy is their opponent. Even if they all participate in the siege, it will be difficult to win them! ”

The members of the Japanese cabinet frowned, although they knew that the Japanese navy would not have an advantage, but they did not expect that it would completely fall into disadvantage. So how can this be fought? Isn't Japan's revitalization plan about to come to an end?

"So, does the Admiralty have a way to deal with it?" Hirobumi Ito said.

"Unless, we also order two battleships of the same class from the Western powers, otherwise, it will be difficult to resist!" Saigo said bitterly.

"What? It is impossible to order two 10,000-ton giant ships. The navy's military spending this year has been strictly overspent, and the Ministry of Finance has no extra money. In addition, do you know how much a 10,000-ton giant ship ordered in Kawanishi is? That's 15 million Deutsche marks, which is equivalent to 15 million yen. Last year, the empire's total revenue was only 148 million yen. Now that all the funds have been allocated, the navy will no longer have any extra funds. Treasury Minister Kunitake Watanabe immediately jumped out and said. Japan's financial resources, whether compared with Western Sichuan or the Manchus, were much worse, and there was simply not enough money to buy such expensive warships.

"Lord Watanabe, the navy needs bigger warships, more powerful warships, so that it can defeat the enemy!" Navy Minister Saigo said very dissatisfied.

PS: Four more complete! Tomorrow's three watches, there is no update in the early morning, book friends don't have to wait!.