Mighty!

On July 3, 1902, Americans experienced the meaning of the name for the first time in a real sense, when a large fleet appeared and sailed into the Chesapeake Bay. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

In the early morning, the sailors of the Russian Second Pacific Fleet saw the coast of the United States, and the fishermen and sailors of the United States also saw the mighty fleet.

It was perhaps the largest fleet in the world, with 45 warships, and even larger was a coal fleet of 70 coal carriers, which were leased by Germany to the German Hamburg American Shipping Company to supply the Second Pacific Fleet along the way.

However, these coal carriers were scattered throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and only 20 coal carriers accompanied the fleet.

Even so, it was still the largest fleet ever built in human history.

When this mighty fleet sailed into the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and sailed past Cape Henry, near the fairway, there were Americans everywhere who came to "watch", for the Americans, this was perhaps the largest fleet they had ever witnessed, and the mighty fleet was enough to make any American sigh, lament the size of the fleet, and also lament the weakness of the U.S. Navy.

At the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the twenty-sixth president of the United States, Theodore? Roosevelt braved the sea breeze and stood on the 2,690-ton Mayflower, a graceful presidential yacht, and gazed at the dozens of behemoths spewing black smoke as they streamed in from the Atlantic, representing the 45 battleships of the Second Pacific Fleet, the strength and essence of the Russian Imperial Navy, and the most powerful of them were dozens of battleships, the five most cutting-edge Borodino-class battleships and two Nikolai-class battleships of the Russian Empire.

This caused the hulls of the warships of the Russian Empire to be painted black, and the golden double-headed eagle emblem of the Russian Empire at the bow of the ship glittered in the sunlight. This livery gives the battleship its awe-inspiring violation. And those 12-inch cannons that were raised high still unmistakably showed the world the power they stored.

The Russian warships, which had crossed the Baltic Sea and the North Sea across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, saluted the US president with a 21-gun salute as they passed past the Mayflower, and the air was filled with gunpowder smoke and soot. The thunderous sound of cannon echoed across the sea.

Witnessing this magnificent scene, President Roosevelt could not help but turn around and say to his attachés in a voice trembling with excitement:

"Have you ever seen such a majestic fleet with your own eyes? Have you seen the power of the Old World? Shouldn't we build our own fleet? ”

From that day on, the U.S. Congress, which was still discussing the size of the navy, passed a new resolution almost immediately after witnessing the strength of the navy of the Old Continent -- approving the construction of 16 battleships in three years by the U.S. Navy! This is perhaps the world's largest shipbuilding program. Even the ambitious plans for naval expansion developed by Mikhail II after coming to power are far from comparable.

Perhaps this is the most unexpected change brought about by the visit of the Russian Second Pacific Fleet to the United States, but for the Russian Second Pacific Fleet at Hampton anchorage, they do not care how the "visit" awakens the sea power of the New World, they only care that during the "friendly visit", the warships of the Russian Empire can be maintained in the shipyards of the United States, and even those weary sailors can be rested on the coast, for Russia. It doesn't get much more important than that.

After Russia decided to send the Second Pacific Fleet, despite the successful experience of the Russo-Japanese War, unlike the last time when the Russian fleet was supported by European countries, this time because of British intervention, it was limited by the influence of neutrality regulations along the way, and Russia had no overseas bases to provide supplies, so everything had to rely on the support of the fleet itself. It was a long time, and the countries of the world did not believe that the Russian Navy could reach East Asia safely. Arrive at the Viceroyalty of Nikolai.

Only Germany and France secretly helped the Russian fleet and allowed Russian ships to dock at the ports of various overseas colonies. Of course, this inevitably caused a wave of protests. Surprisingly, however, after the "Dover Incident," the United States took the initiative to extend an olive branch to Russia -- inviting this fleet to visit the United States.

Even Roosevelt said in the invitation that "the warships of the Second Pacific Fleet can stay in the United States for as long as they want," and he also instructed the Navy Shipyard and other shipyards to be prepared to maintain Russian warships. For Russia. They may need to call at French ports along the way, but they need American shipyards even more, and they need to use American shipyards to maintain and maintain warships.

The officers and enlisted men of the "Orilo" were gathered on the deck, looking out over the shore, and now they were heading towards the shipyard in Maryland. The buildings on the coast are shaded by greenery, and the bay is full of local boats.

Everyone on deck always watched all this with joy, as if at this moment they had forgotten the war and their mission.

"Hey, the application to go out was not approved!"

Looking at the United States on the coast, Simonov suddenly felt a little disappointed, in the past half a month, hundreds of sailors have taken the opportunity to go ashore to escape from the fleet, in this case, the fleet commander ordered that all sailors have to go ashore - except for a vacated camp of the US Navy, sailors are no longer allowed to leave the fleet, even if the officers leave, they need to apply in advance, which undoubtedly makes Simonov a little disappointed, originally this is an opportunity to understand the United States, but also an opportunity to increase knowledge, But he didn't expect that now, everyone was trapped on the warship, like prisoners.

"That's because Roger Stevens was afraid that he hadn't yet reached East Asia, and that the sailors of the Second Pacific Fleet had fled from the United States......"

There was a whining around Simonov, the order to forbid going out greatly disappointed everyone, and complaints of discontent permeated the fleet.

"Perhaps, now he is regretting why he accepted the invitation of the Americans. You know, the American world of flowers is too tempting......"

Simonov did not know whether the United States was a world of flowers, but just by going ashore twice, he felt the unique atmosphere of the United States and was fascinated by it. In just two days, Simonov was fascinated by the country of the New World, only now, it seems, he has lost the opportunity to learn about it again.

"If the fleet leaves the United States......"

Looking at the shipyard in the distance, Simonov silently thought in his heart that now the vast majority of warships in the fleet have been maintained, once the maintenance is over. They are likely to leave the United States, a country that has too many temptations for sailors in the fleet who have never seen the world.

"When will you leave?"

While Simonov was thinking this, on a steamboat sailing out of the Potomac River, several gentlemen dressed as Orientals were staring intently at the Russian warships at anchorage, and they were holding binoculars and carefully observing them.

"That's Nikolai......"

One of the Asians spoke in Chinese, while the other immediately added.

"Grand Duke Nikolai is an enlarged and improved version of the Borodino class. A total of two warships were built, the Grand Duke Nikolai by the Baltic Plant and the George the Great by the Galierny Island Factory, both in honor of the Japanese assassination of Grand Duke Nikolai and Grand Duke George, originally planned to strengthen the Pacific Fleet, and the two ships were not completed until a month earlier. With a displacement of 16400 tons, the ang angle of the two 305mm twin turrets was increased to 35 degrees to increase the firing range. The secondary guns were 8 203mm naval guns, mounted on the fore and aft masts. Another 12 152mm rapid-fire guns ......"

Grand Duke Nikolai is Russia's most powerful warship, almost at the very beginning of its construction. In the intelligence that appeared in the Naval Intelligence Department, it can be said unceremoniously that for the Northeast Navy, the threat of Grand Duke Nikolai was put first from the beginning of its construction.

"Why hasn't such a powerful warship been used as a flagship?"

Suddenly a question was asked, indeed, why did Roger Stevensky not take the Grand Duke Nikolai as a flagship. Instead, they chose the relatively backward Borodino-class "Suvorov", which is precisely the problem they need to figure out.

"What do our people in the shipyard say?"

"Our people have no chance to get on the ship, they can only get into the work of hull cleaning, which is not at all able to figure out the reality of the Grand Duke Nikolai......"

Middle-aged man holding a telescope, putting down the telescope. Said with a serious expression.

"Now our work may be directly related to the victory of this war, do you need to work harder to know? To know ......"

The voice paused slightly,

"If they leave, we won't have a better chance to get to know them......"

This is the closest thing to know, and there is no other opportunity to miss this opportunity.

"Sir, are they leaving?"

Dongfang, another gentleman, asked.

"It's not clear when we're leaving, but our activities in the United States have been fruitful, and now there are many members of Congress protesting against Roosevelt's undermining of America's neutrality, and I think in order to avoid trouble, Roosevelt will advise them to leave ......the United States as soon as they finish their maintenance."

Ever since US President Roosevelt invited the Second Pacific Fleet to visit the United States, the US Navy Office has begun to work with the consulate to launch a public opinion offensive, and even directly bribe US congressmen through political donations and other means in order to obstruct US support for Russia. In the face of outside accusations, Roosevelt had only one choice, and that was to send his guests out.

"Hey, it's a shame......"

The other couldn't help but sigh.

"The visit of the Russian Navy awakened the power of the country, sir, the ...... of the United States"

It's so powerful!

Although they don't want to admit it, both their experience in the United States and their work in the Naval Intelligence Service have given them a good understanding of American power.

"Sixteen battleships were built in three years, and who can believe this fact if it is not for the understanding of the strength of the United States? We only have thirteen docks and slipways that can build battleships, but the United States has twenty-eight, twice as many as us, and it is really ...... to confront such a country."

It's not wise! The industrial economy of the United States is dozens of times that of the Northeast and China, but the relationship between the Northeast and the United States seems to be ...... It doesn't seem to be very optimistic, and the Hawaii issue is an inalienable issue between China and the United States.

The fact that the United States is building 16 battleships is actually a challenge to the Pacific Ocean, and who will he challenge? Is it China or Russia?

Both China and Russia, more precisely the victor after this war.

"It is not so much the visit of the Russian fleet that gave birth to the American naval dream, but rather the economic development of the United States that gave birth to the American naval dream, and the Pacific Ocean is very ......"

With a long sigh, the middle-aged gentleman stared at the Russian fleet moored at the anchorage.

"But in fact, the Pacific Ocean is too small, it is impossible to accommodate two large countries there, as for Hawaii, it is really the lifeline of the Pacific Ocean, as long as we master Hawaii, we can be on the offensive in the Pacific, even if the United States builds sixteen warships, it cannot change this reality, and it cannot change the reality of the labor expedition......"

Hawaii!

With the passage of time, especially after the Navy set its sights on the world, the Navy finally truly realized the significance of Hawaii to China and the Navy, and while admiring the unique vision of the marshal of the year, it also strengthened their belief that Hawaii would never give up.

"Just like them......"

His eyes fell on the body of the Russian fleet, and the corners of the middle-aged gentleman's lips raised.

"Perhaps the same fate awaits the US Navy then!"

Looking at the Second Pacific Fleet at sunset, looking at the double-headed eagle emblems on the bow of those huge warships, the middle-aged gentleman suddenly smiled and shook his head and said.

"Hey, it's too far ahead, now, for us, the most pressing question is how to break up the Russian offensive, how to ......"

Turning his head to look at the young man beside him, he asked softly.

"Are all our intelligence agents sent out in South America? Have you arrived at the ports? Did Telegram contact them? ”

A series of questions came out of his mouth, those intelligence officers sent to various parts of South America were to grasp the movements of the Second Pacific Fleet, after all, they could not do without coal, they could not do without those coal carriers that had arrived in Germany in advance, and this also provided them with convenient information to obtain information, and they only needed to keep their eyes on the coal carriers in the port. (To be continued.) )