The hundreds of warships of the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy were also divided into several detachments. Of these, there were five battleship detachments, consisting of thirty-two capital ships of the 5th Fleet. There are two heavy cruiser detachments, a total of 16 heavy cruisers, mainly composed of 'Yangtze River-class' heavy cruisers, 'Songhuajiang-class' heavy cruisers, 'Haihe-class' heavy cruisers, and 'Daduhe-class' heavy cruisers. The light cruisers had four detachments, mainly composed of the 'Nakshatra-class' light cruisers, the 'Nakshatra-class improved' light cruisers, and the 'provincial capital-class' light cruisers. The destroyers have six detachments, mainly composed of 'Disha-class' destroyers, 'Disha-class improved' destroyers, and 'City-class' destroyers.

The 1st Battleship Detachment, commanded by Vice Admiral Luo Yuhu, had 4 battleships under its command. These four battleships were all 'Ming-class' battleships, and they were also the most powerful navy in the Imperial Navy. The 'Ming-class' battleships had a displacement of more than 35,000 tons and were armed with three triple 381 mm guns. Except for the 'Ming Reform-class' battleships that were secretly served, no battleship of that class could confront them. The battleships under the jurisdiction of the 1st Battleship Detachment were the battleship 'Ming Xuanzong', the battleship 'Ming Yingzong', the battleship 'Ming Dynasty' and the battleship 'Ming Xianzong'. Among them, the battleship "Ming Xuanzong" was the flagship of the 1st Battleship Detachment and the flagship of the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy.

The 2nd Battleship Detachment, commanded by Vice Admiral Liu Ziqian, commanded 8 battleships. These eight battleships are four 'Southern Song Dynasty-class' battleships and four 'Northern Song Dynasty-class' battleships. The 'Song-class' battleships were second only to the 'Ming-class' battleships, with a displacement of up to 30,000 tons. It is armed with three triple 356 mm guns. The 8 battleships under the jurisdiction of the 2nd Battleship Detachment are the battleship "Song Lizong" and the battleship "Song Duzong" of the "Southern Song Dynasty-class" battleships. The battleship 'Emperor Gong of Song' and the battleship 'Duanzong of Song'. The battleship "Song Yingzong", the battleship "Song Shenzong", the battleship "Song Zhezong" and the battleship "Song Huizong" of the "Northern Song Dynasty" battleships.

The 3rd Battleship Detachment, commanded by Vice Admiral Wang Bin, had 8 battleships under its command. These eight battleships were mainly four 'Late Tang class' battleships and four 'Middle Tang class' battleships. Among them, the four 'Late Tang-class' battleships had a displacement of more than 28,000 tons and were equipped with three triple 356-mm guns. The displacement of the four 'Sino-Tang-class' battleships was more than 26,000 tons. It is equipped with three triple 343mm guns. The 8 battleships under the jurisdiction of the 3rd Battleship Detachment are the battleship "Tang Zhaozong" and the battleship "Emperor Tang Aidi" of the "Late Tang Dynasty" battleship. The battleship "Tang Dewang" and the battleship "Tang Xiangwang". The battleship "Tang Xianzong", the battleship "Tang Muzong", the battleship "Tang Jingzong" and the battleship "Tang Wenzong" of the "Middle Tang class" battleships.

The 4th Battleship Detachment, commanded by Vice Admiral Liu Qi. It has 8 battleships under its jurisdiction. The eight battleships were four 'Chu Tang-class' battleships and four 'Eastern Han-class' battleships. Thereinto. The four 'Chutang-class' battleships had a displacement of 26,000 tons and were armed with three triple 343-mm guns. The four 'Eastern Han class' battleships had a displacement of 21,000 tons and were armed with three triple 305 mm guns. The eight battleships under the jurisdiction of the 4th Battleship Detachment are the battleship "Tang Gaozong" of the "Early Tang Dynasty" battleship, the battleship "Tang Zhongzong", the battleship "Tang Gongzong" and the battleship "Tang Xuanzong". The battleship "Emperor of the Han Dynasty", the battleship "Emperor An of the Han Dynasty", the battleship "Emperor Shun of the Han Dynasty" and the battleship "Emperor Heng of the Han Dynasty" of the "Eastern Han class" battleships.

5th Battleship Detachment. It is four 'Mingkai-class' battleships, and the commander is Vice Admiral Haifeng. The displacement of the "Ming Reform" battleship was as high as more than 36,000 tons. It is armed with three triple 381 mm guns. Compared with the 'Ming-class' battleships, the 'Ming-class' battleships have optimized watertight compartments and mine-protection protrusions. The battleships under the jurisdiction of the 5th Battleship Detachment were the battleship "Myeongjinzong", the battleship "Myeongkojong", the battleship "Myeonghejong" and the battleship "Myeongsijong". Because the battleships of the 'Ming Modified Class' were secretly served, the 5th Battleship Detachment was not with the main force of the 5th Fleet, but as a surprise soldier on the battlefield.

In addition to the battleship detachment, the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy also had a heavy cruiser detachment, a light cruiser detachment and a destroyer detachment, with a total of hundreds of warships.

Judging by the size of the fleet, as well as its combat power, the strength of the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy was not inferior to that of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet. In addition, the Imperial Navy built a number of airfields in Scotland, and the Naval Air Force had a wing of fighters and dive bombers and torpedo attack aircraft deployed here. The combat radius of these fighters of naval aviation is up to two hundred kilometers. Almost half of the North Sea is their combat radius. If the German Navy had moved into the combat radius of naval aviation, the consequences would have been conceivable.

With planes in the sky, submarines under the surface of the sea, and a huge fleet that was in no way inferior to the German Navy's High Seas Fleet, the Reich Navy's 5th Fleet could be said to have the upper hand. If the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy still loses this naval battle under such circumstances, it would be too much to say. Of course, anything can happen in the rough North Sea.

After Admiral Lu Haipeng, commander of the Fifth Fleet of the Imperial Navy, issued an urgent combat readiness order, the more than 100,000 officers and men of the Fifth Fleet all entered the highest state of combat readiness. Battleships, which have completed maintenance, began to be refueled with fuel and ammunition. One submarine after another, submarines and destroyers left the military port and headed for the other side of the sea. The Reich Navy's 5th Fleet had to strengthen its surveillance of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet. Otherwise, it would have been more troublesome for the Germans to sneak out of the military port.

Submarines hidden under the surface, as well as high-speed destroyers, were undoubtedly important weapons for monitoring the German Navy. As for the planes in the sky, due to the constraints of the range, they can only expand the detection area to half of the North Sea.

The 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy and the High Seas Fleet of the German Navy had already begun to make final preparations before the war. It is foreseeable that a large-scale decisive battle will soon break out. And the outcome of this decisive battle will determine the sea supremacy in the North Sea and even the eastern North Atlantic in the next period of time. If the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy wins. Then the coast of the Germans would be completely blocked, and it was even possible that they would be attacked by the Imperial Navy. If the German High Seas Fleet prevailed, then their naval blockade could be temporarily lifted. Of course, after the arrival of the main forces of the 1st Fleet of the Imperial Navy, the German Navy was still no match for it. However, they were able to win enough time for the army through this victory. In the absence of naval supremacy of the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Army would not have been transported to Western Europe.

This war was very important for both the Chinese Empire and the German Empire, and it was directly related to the future fate of the two countries. In the final analysis, this world war is a contest of national strength. Germany and the Holy Alliance were significantly behind the Chinese Empire in terms of national strength. Germany, however, hoped to turn the tide with one tactical victory after another. In the end, the victory was won.

In comparison, the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy is much easier. As long as it is not a crushing defeat, then the final victory will definitely still belong to the Imperial Navy. The 5th Fleet was even a loser in a fight with the German Navy's High Seas Fleet. But the final victory, too, was clearly the Imperial Navy's.

Of course, Admiral Lu Haipeng, commander of the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy, would certainly not accept such an outcome. The strength of the 5th Fleet was not weaker, if not stronger, than the High Seas Fleet of the German Navy. Coupled with the existence of the 5th Battleship Detachment, the 5th Fleet has a killer feature. Submarines of the 5th Fleet, as well as shore-based aircraft, will also support the decisive battle of the 5th Fleet. Under the influence of these factors, the 5th Fleet of the Imperial Navy had absolutely no reason to lose. Of course, naval battles are too complicated. Perhaps the Germans would have turned the tide with a little luck. Therefore, in terms of tactical command, it is still necessary to be cautious and cautious.

At 8 p.m. on August 23, 1863, Wilhelmshaven, the home port of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet, was still brightly lit. One by one, the 'Kiel-class' destroyers and the 'Kiel-class' improved destroyers rushed out of the military port in a vigorous manner, shuttling back and forth outside the military port, searching for possible traces of Chinese submarines. During the standoff between the two countries, submarines of the Chinese Navy appeared outside Wilhelmshaven several times.

It was an hour before the German Navy's High Seas Fleet determined that there were no Chinese submarines nearby.

Subsequently, the warships of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet moored in the military port began to sail out of the military port one after another and sailed towards the vast North Sea. At the head of the pack was the battleship 'Oldenburg' of the 1st Battleship Detachment of the German Navy. This is the fourth ship of the battleships of the 'Helgoland class'. Subsequently, the battleships "Thuringia", "Osterfrisland" and the flagship "Helgoland" also sailed out of the port. Next was the 2nd Battleship Detachment, the 3rd Battleship Detachment, the 4th Battleship Detachment.

Detachments of heavy cruisers, light cruisers and destroyers of the German Navy also sailed out of the military port and escorted around the capital ships. As many as 100 warships, forming a huge formation, sailed out of the military port at night. All the officers and men of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet knew that this battle would be a very important battle for them. They are about to start a fateful battle with the 5th Fleet of the Chinese Navy. (To be continued......)

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