In Lin Daxin's office of the Sailor Academy, Han Sen, the general manager of the German Lihe Foreign Company, who was already sitting on the chair, said to Lin Daxin with a smile: "Governor Lin, you are not mistaken, I came here this time to be appointed by the German Admiralty to come to Weihaiwei to discuss with you, and Germany will help you build an all-steel battleship!" ”

Lin Daxin asked with some surprise: "Is this true?" Mr. Hansoh is so good! My fleet is now in great need of all-steel battleships, do you Germany have any other conditions? Also, how many all-steel battleships can be built for me? ”

Hussen said: "Governor Lin, Germany needs the specific manufacturing materials for you to use submarines and torpedoes in the naval battle of Jinzhou Bay against the Japanese Combined Fleet, and it is best to sell samples to us Germany." After that, we in Germany can build you 2 powerful all-steel battleships at cost price! ”

There is really no free lunch in the world, it turns out that the purpose of the Germans is to buy two submarines of the naval fleet of the Naval Academy and battery-powered torpedoes purchased by modern time and space with a very long range.

Lin Daxin frowned and said, "That's a pity!" We did have 2 small submarines, and a bunch of torpedoes with a very long range! But the two submarines were all damaged by malfunction or artillery fire, and after the Battle of Jinzhou Bay, they did not return to the Lushun base, and as for the kind of torpedoes, they were also on the two submarines, and I have no inventory in my hands now! I can only regret it, Mr. Hanssen. ”

Lin Daxin's ability to tell nonsense with his eyes open became more and more perfect, and he heard that Hansen wanted submarines and torpedoes. Without even thinking about it, he made up a lie.

But Hansen heard that Lin Daxin was shirking, and it seemed that the German Admiralty wanted to take the opportunity. There is no way to realize the plan of the Navy submarine and torpedo under Lin Daxin!

But the undying Hansen asked, "Governor Lin, where did your submarines and torpedoes come from?" ”

Lin Daxin replied happily: "I bought it!" ”

Hudson immediately asked, "Where did you buy it?" ”

Lin Daxin glanced at Han Sen and said, "No comment!" ”

Han Sen asked again, and Lin Daxin had nothing to say in four words.

Hansoh later hoped that Lin Daxin could sell a tank to Germany, but Lin Daxin refused.

In the end, Hansen said helplessly: "Well, since Governor Lin is unwilling to tell Germany about the situation of submarines and torpedoes, and the tanks are not willing to sell us to Germany, then let's just discuss the matter of all-steel battleships." ”

What Germany wants. Lin Daxin was not ready to sell a single one, so Lin Daxin had no hope for the German all-steel battleships.

At this time, hearing Hansen say this, Lin Daxin asked in surprise: "Mr. Hansen." I heard you right! I don't give you any information on submarines, torpedoes and tanks in Germany, and you Germany are willing to build all-steel battleships for me? ”

Hansen nodded affirmatively, the Germans thought that Lin Daxin's forces could contain the Russians and the British in the Far East, so the German Admiralty decided that an all-steel battleship could be built for Lin Daxin.

Moreover, the German Admiralty could also obtain a large number of Deutsche marks by building all-steel battleships for Lin Daxin. Continued to invest in the construction of other all-steel battleships in Germany.

As for the other conditions. If Lin Daxin agrees, it is best, it doesn't matter if he disagrees with Germany, Germany has begun to manufacture new submarines and new torpedoes, and the tank, a powerful weapon for the army, Germany has also begun to develop, and the Germans believe that with their scientific and technological industrial strength, they can build submarines, torpedoes and tanks that are more advanced than Lin Daxin's hands.

The German Navy now has 4 Brandenburg-class all-steel battleships and 1 Frederick III-class all-steel battleship in service, and the German Navy originally planned to build 4 more Frederick III-class all-steel battleships. However, because the British Navy received a huge sum of money from the sale of the old warships of the Japanese Combined Fleet, it placed an additional order for 10 Majestic-class all-steel battleships. By the end of 1896, the British Navy would have 30 new all-steel battleships with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons.

Moreover, the all-steel battleships of the new British class began to be built in a number of British shipyards, laying keels.

Therefore, the German Navy also added an order for 5 all-steel battleships of the Frederick III class, and is preparing to build 9 more all-steel battleships of this class. At the same time, drawings of the all-steel battleships of the next class in Germany, the design of which had already begun.

In Lin Daxin's surprise, Hansoh originally wanted Lin Daxin to choose the Brandenburg-class all-steel battleships, and Germany would build 2 for Lin Daxin.

The Brandenburg-class battleship had a displacement of 10,013 tons, but was equipped with 6 280 mm guns, three twin guns, all three turrets were configured along the longitudinal centerline of the hull, in order to arrange 6 cannons on the center line of the 10,000-ton hull and at the same time to facilitate the rotation of the gun muzzle between the superstructures, the barrel of the No. 2 turret installed in the middle of the hull was shortened, only 35 times the caliber, while the barrel length of the turret located in the front and rear of the hull was 40 times the caliber. This design is a bit inexplicable, so that the guns in all directions can not be evenly distributed firepower, and it also occupies a lot of space to install secondary guns, so the Brandenburg-class battleships are not successful battleships in the first class design.

As soon as Lin Daxin heard that Hansen wanted him to buy a brandenburg-class all-steel battleship, he immediately shook his head like a rattle.

Lin Daxin said to Hansen: "If you Germans really build all-steel battleships for me, build Frederick III-class all-steel battleships for me, and 2 is too few!" I need you Germany to build at least 6 for me! ”

The Frederick III-class all-steel battleship has a standard displacement of 11,100 tons, a full load displacement of 11,780 tons, a length of 125.36 meters, a beam of 20.39 meters, a draft of 8.2 meters, 3 steam engines, 16 boilers, a three-axle drive, a speed of 17.5 knots, and a maximum coal load of 1,000 tons. Waterline armor 228 mm to 300 mm, deck armor 50 mm to 76 mm, main gun turret armor 250 mm, secondary gun turret armor 200 mm, conning tower armor 254 mm. It is equipped with 2 twin 40x 240 mm rapid-fire main guns and 14 single 40x 150 mm rapid-fire secondary guns. 12 88-mm rapid-fire guns, 5 450-mm torpedo tubes. Crew: 620 people.

This all-steel battleship of the Frederick III class can be said to be a notch worse than the Majesty class of the British. The main guns of the majestic class are 2 double-mounted 40 times the diameter of 305 mm, but according to the characteristics of the German warships have always been rough and thick-skinned, and other countries are not willing to build all-steel battleships for Lin Daxin, if Lin Daxin can get this kind of warship, Lin Daxin is also very satisfied.

Hansen patted his head and said, "Governor Lin, I know that you have the money, and there is no problem in helping you build the Frederick III-class all-steel battleship." But Germany could not have given up its naval expansion plan in order to build you all-steel battleships! So the German shipyards can only spare 2 docks for you to build all-steel battleships! ”

Lin Daxin shook his head and said: "2 ships are too few, your German shipyard." If you don't have enough docks to build all-steel battleships, you can build new ones! We can negotiate the price again! ”

In the end, Lin Daxin and Hansoh initially reached a preliminary agreement that Germany would build six brandenburg-class all-steel battleships for Lin Daxin at the same time, and Lin Daxin paid 7.2 million pounds for this. Although the price is very expensive. But Lin Daxin can't buy other all-steel battleships even if he has money now, so Lin Daxin knew that the Germans were taking him as a big wrongdoer, and he gritted his teeth and nodded and agreed to the Germans' offer.

Hansoh said that if Lin Daxin could hand over any finished submarine, torpedo and tank to Germany, the price would be preferential, and Lin Daxin waved his hand, and it would be 7.2 million pounds, and there was no need to say anything else.

The Germans were not prepared to delay the construction of all-steel battleships for their own navy and were going to build four new docks of 15,000 tons. and the 2 docks that have been vacant that can build all-steel battleships, and build 4 all-steel battleships for Lin Daxin.

It will take about 2 and a half years. At the end of 1897, six Frederick III-class all-steel battleships could be delivered to Lin Daxin's navy. Lin Daxin made a down payment of 1 million pounds first, and the balance was paid when the Germans delivered six all-steel battleships.

Hansoh left Lin Daxin's office satisfied, and at this time Hansen's heart was already happy, because it was built in batches, the price of 6 Frederick III-class all-steel battleships was 7.2 million pounds, and Germany could earn at least nearly 3 million pounds.

The £3 million could build at least three Frederick III-class all-steel battleships for the German Navy, in addition to four new 15,000-ton dockyards.

Shortly after Hansoh left, the Italian minister Baraccio came to visit Lin Daxin at the Sailor School.

After Lin Daxin and the Italian Minister Barracio met in the office, Barracio said to Lin Daxin: "Governor Lin, you can promise to release the Italian naval personnel after the war with Japan!" Now that the end of the war is a month away, why haven't you kept your promise to release several thousand Italian naval personnel? ”

Lin Daxin frowned and said: "Minister Baracho, I remember that I said at the time that you Italy must pay me the living expenses of the Italian Navy prisoners of war before I release your thousands of Italian Navy prisoners of war!" ”

Barachio said helplessly: "We Italy have already transported the gold, and now there is an Italian transport ship in Weihaiwei Port, and Governor Lin can send someone to pick it up at any time." ”

Lin Daxin said happily: "Since you Italy are willing to pay me 20 tons of gold, I will release all the Italian Navy prisoners of war immediately." It turned out that at that time, Lin Daxin opened his mouth and asked Italy for 20 tons of gold as the living expenses of the Italian Navy prisoners of war, which was actually the ransom of thousands of prisoners of war.

Most of the Italian naval officers and sailors were in Lin Daxin's prisoner of war camp, and the Italians had to grit their teeth and endure the pain and take out 20 tons of gold to Weihaiwei in the Qing Dynasty to pay for the so-called living expenses.

Originally, Lin Daxin was also ready to take this opportunity to ask the Italians to help him build several all-steel battleships, but it was very likely that the Italians would not deliver the warships to Lin Daxin after the construction of the all-steel battleships was completed. Lin Daxin really made the Italians miserable, and the Italian Navy couldn't wait to eat Lin Daxin raw.

So Lin Daxin also dismissed the idea of asking the Italians to help build all-steel battleships.

Lin Daxin sent soldiers of the guard regiment to the Italian transport ship docked at the port and transported 20 tons of gold back to the warehouse of the Sailor School, and then Lin Daxin gave an order to release more than 8,000 Italian naval officers and sailors in the prisoner of war camp led by the commander of the Italian expeditionary fleet Roberte and the commander of the Italian mercenary fleet Ram.

These Italian naval officers and sailors actually had a good life in the prisoner of war camp, because Lin Daxin used these prisoners of war to train his own navy, so the life of these Italian naval officers and soldiers as prisoners of war was very good, and there were even a lot of subsidies. Some Italian naval prisoners of war were reluctant to leave Weihaiwei when they knew they could be freed. (To be continued......)

ps: Because I need to have some number of warships, I wrote hundreds of words, and I definitely don't know how to water.

In future articles, because of the need, there are some warship numbers jù, in fact, these numbers jù are more difficult to write, but I will still write a few hundred more words, so that brothers who don't like to see the number of warships don't suffer.

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