The Germans didn't know that the battleship they obtained was a seriously shrunken version, and Yang Hao took the visiting fleet around the world in a high-profile manner, and did not bring the main force to Germany, so no one would have thought that they would boldly propose such an amazing deal.

In fact, when Yang Hao whispered about the sale of four "Hebei-class" battleships at Kaiser Wilhelm II's private banquet, it was once regarded as a cold joke. But soon, the Germans realized that this was not a joke, that this was a huge historical opportunity that they had been waiting for for a long time!

Wilhelm II agreed without hesitation. Even if they know that the current German finances are beyond their means and are on the verge of collapse at any time, even if the conditions given by the Chinese are very harsh - they only need real money.

The deal was quickly finalized, without even extensive discussion, and was known to only a handful of people from beginning to end, in order to keep it absolutely secret and to keep the British from the slightest notice.

It was only before his departure that Major General Spee was secretly informed of this astonishing news. At that time, he reacted similarly to a group of young officers now, which was really dumbfounded, and he didn't know what to say.

Rear Admiral Spee, after the initial ecstasy, calmed down and inquired about the same details of the changes that Germany had asked for in the terms negotiated at that time. It didn't take long for him to learn that it was a redundant move.

When Yang Hao finalized the deal, he had already told him frankly that the relevant parameters and performance indicators were all frankly told that except for the slightly smaller caliber of the main gun, the Germans really couldn't think of anything that needed to be changed or upgraded. At one point, they thought about installing three triple 381mm guns on this strong and powerful hull. was categorically refused. Chinese shipbuilding engineers. You must not sell that kind of substandard product

All right. In fact, the truth is that neither Yang Hao nor the Germans were willing to allow the Germans to obtain excessively strong force. When there were really four battleships carrying nine 381mm guns across the North Sea and the High Seas, what would the British have to cry about! Whether anyone will be able to restrain the Germans at that time is difficult to say.

In an era when battleships decided victory or defeat at sea, this risk could not be taken.

Rear Admiral Spee didn't know any of this, his mind was full of details about the new battleship, and it was quite difficult to calm down.

Finally, after taking a battleship around, he took a deep breath. Asked Yang Hao: "Mr. Special Envoy, can we be sure that the technical indicators of the warship are not deviated?" ”

This may sound like a bit impolite, but the upright Germans clearly chose the latter between propriety and pragmatism. In this regard, Yang Hao smiled meaninglessly, shrugged his shoulders and said: "It is more appropriate for our chief engineer to answer this question." ”

Jiao Hai's face was expressionless, and he coughed lightly and took over the conversation: "Your Excellency, as a conscientious warship designer, I assure you that these four warships fully meet the technical specifications agreed upon by both of us. And in the details. Only strengthened, not weakened. ”

He flipped through a clip he had with him. With a slight sweep of his eyes, he reported a series of important parameters.

The shape is completely imitated from the "Hebei-class" battleship, but it is manufactured by B-plane industrial products and technology, so there is no assembly and construction of the original general section shipbuilding method, but a serious 800 riveting and welding technology. Among them, riveting accounted for a large part, which made the overall size of the battleship slightly larger.

At the same time, the steel and armor steel used are also made of the B plane, and the performance is also rolled, the surface carburizing and hardening treatment, etc., are all one plane behind. In addition to the riveting process, in order to ensure the protective performance, the main armor belt and the command tower armor were increased to 356mm and 406mm respectively. This also adds at least 1,000 tons of weight.

In addition, the boiler used in the power system is a heat-pipe high-pressure steam furnace produced in the B plane, and the steel and efficiency are weaker than a notch, and the number has increased to eight; The main engine is also the original simple process model produced in the second plane, with a total output of 84,000 horsepower for the four seats.

The data after this formation is: the length of the ship is 190.11 meters, the width is 30.25 meters, and the draft is 9.5 meters. The standard displacement is 29,700 tons, and the full displacement is 33,600 tons. The maximum speed is 27 knots, and the cruising range is 8000 nautical miles / 15 knots.

The armament part uses three triple 356mm/50L naval guns, and the turret and breech have been redesigned, which is in the same vein as the original 45x 305mm gun sold to the Germans, and the performance is not bad at all, but the range, accuracy and rate of fire, as well as the key use of shells, have a completely different generational difference.

In a word, the Chinese main gun of the same caliber can easily penetrate the German version of the main armor, while the German 356mm gun may not be able to penetrate the 305mm main armor of the Chinese "Hebei class" at a distance of 18 kilometers.

Not convinced? It's not fair? Comeon！ It is said that it is a militaristic heavy weapon, how can there be no unspoken rules?

The secondary guns used 16 single-mounted 150mm guns and 10 88mm guns, all of which were German versions, in the same vein as the "Bavaria-class" battleships under construction.

Why is the battleship still a little shorter? That's because for the Germans, the catapult and hangar parts of the carrier-based aircraft were reduced, and naturally a large piece of such length was not used.

However, even such a shrunken version of the battleship, simply looking at all parameters, all exceed the "Bavarian class" with a similar displacement, and the protection performance is undoubtedly excessive. Don't look at the difference of an inch in the main gun, but the range and armor-piercing ability are extremely limited, but the accuracy and rate of fire are far exceeded. In terms of the amount of ammunition delivered per unit of time, it is not weak at all!

Compared with the extremely important power and speed of the battleship, 84,000 horsepower vs. 48,000 horsepower; 27 knots vs 22 knots, 8,000 nautical miles / 15 knots 5,000 nautical miles / 12 knots, that's an all-round landslide victory!

The just-concluded round-the-world visit and voyage has allowed the whole world to confirm with their own eyes that the quality and performance of China's warships can absolutely withstand the test of wind and waves in the world's oceans. Having personally experienced the seaworthiness and comfort effect of the "Tianjin" heavy cruiser, let them know that these guys are much better than their own Tiegada.

Major General Spee nodded as he listened. Finally, there was an unconcealable smile on his face. Gently praised: "Thank you Chief Engineer Jiao for your explanation." I guess I have nothing to fault with. In fact, these four warships will become Germany's most powerful maritime power so far, and they will also become a testimony to the friendship between our two countries! ”

Friendship or something, of course, can only be hehe, real money is real.

However, Yang Hao and Jiao Hai both had an expression of approval on their faces that "this is reasonable", and the smile that was reserved to the point of under-pumping was always on their faces.

After wandering around the battleship, the young officers who couldn't put it down finally gathered on the command tower to discuss their discoveries. Whether it's as simple as laying teak floors on deck. It is also a wide cabin with neat pipes, a very low-noise power compartment, a well-distributed armor belt, a flexible turret design, an optical rangefinder and a radio and intra-ship communication system that represent technological advancement, and so on.

There are so many things that have opened their eyes. Even several rather steady captains unanimously agreed that only such a battleship with a supply ship was enough to carry out unlimited operations to break diplomatic relations around the world. At that time, the so-called maritime hegemony of the British Empire will be ruthlessly and completely crushed.

Chinese such as Yang Hao and Jiao Hai listened to it. I can't help but look at each other. The Germans can't change their problems, they always like to go out with a single battleship to play guerrilla warfare. Not to mention that there are too many things worth complaining about on the use of battleships. You already have the strongest battleship in the world, and if you challenge the British Navy head-on, you will die!

How did the Chinese Navy come to be so powerful? A modified "Dingyuan" ironclad ship dared to kill the combined fleet of your four European powers, rampage, and smashed into a mess of steel. Later, the "Tianjin" was put into service, and it was another rush and sweep, which was a completely frontal battle, not a so-called broken battle towards the merchant ship.

Later, when the four battleships were put into service, the light and heavy cruiser system was formed, and a large number of people were mobilized at every turn, and the British Navy could only retreat when they saw it. Why? People know that we are powerful, and they will never give the other party a chance to break it.

However, Yang Hao will never remind the Germans that things are sold to others, and he can use them as he likes.

On the other hand, it seems that the Germans are not entirely wrong. With these four "pseudo. The performance of the "Hebei-class" is enough to beat the fastest "Lion" class battlecruisers in Britain at the moment. Whether it's racing or racing, the power of the main gun is not at all down, the range is the same, and it seems that it is not bad to be divided into four attack fleets?

In Yang Hao's view, the speed below 30 knots is an unqualified product, but don't forget that this is 1910, the world has been exported so much technical equipment by him, but he has not been able to achieve much surpassing in the power system, and he still expects people to leap to the level of World War II? It's a bit of a bully.

All in all, the atmosphere of the whole visit was harmonious, warm and exciting.

When the two brothers Otto and Hans returned, they couldn't wait to ask: "When can we sail the battleship to the sea and experience its excellence and power for ourselves?" ”

Yang Hao smiled: "I don't think it will take long." The sailors and officers who came to your country secretly for special training must have been familiar with the routine operation of warships. ”

That's right, he did business that was called a thoughtful, not only to provide the Germans with the warships that the Germans urgently needed, but also to provide people with the operation training environment at the same time.

In fact, it was the cement battleship, which was dismantled and transferred from Rizhao to Dalian after being dismantled along with the equipment and instruments of the shipbuilding plant, and was built next to the Dalian Naval Ship School. After appropriate transformation, it will become a practical environment that can meet the needs of Chinese and German students and sailors to experience learning.

Last summer, after the secret talks reached cooperation, the German Navy hastily selected a group of politically reliable and high-quality officers and sailors, arrived in China in batches disguised as sailors or something, and then entered the special school building divided by the Dalian Naval School to concentrate on familiarizing themselves with and training the new battleships in advance.

After half a year, they were basically familiar with the activities inside the ship, daily simulation training, basic operations, etc., which were similar to practical exercises on real battleships.

Now, the Germans are ready to receive the battleship, so the relevant ship-to-ship synthesis training can also officially begin. But there wasn't much time left for them.

In order to completely satisfy the Germans, after the initial observation and experience, Yang Hao presided over a reception banquet for the German naval officer corps, and the guests and hosts of both sides enjoyed themselves. After a night of repairs, Rear Admiral Spee and his entourage went to Dalian to pay respects to the officers and men who had been training hard, and personally informed them of the good news that they could leave here and get on the battleship, which attracted a burst of enthusiastic cheers.

A few days later, all the training officers and men were dragged onto a battleship, under the command of Rear Admiral Spee himself, who personally served as the temporary captain, and accompanied by the Chinese warship, quietly sailed out of Lushun, sailed out of the Bohai Sea, and after driving several hundred kilometers eastward, sailed directly south to the vast waters of the East China Sea, and then trekked all the way to Saipan, a strategic point in the Pacific Ocean, to conduct a live-fire drill in the uninhabited waters on all sides.

Upon his return, Rear Admiral Spee immediately determined that both the performance of the battleship and the results of personnel training were completely satisfactory. Germany also couldn't wait to include all four warships.

Over the next two months, a German return visit fleet came to China for goodwill visits and negotiations on economic cooperation. Privately, a significant part of the naval officers and sailors were secretly transferred to the four battleships. More than a thousand officers and soldiers trained earlier dispersed and served as seeds.

Subsequently, the German visiting fleet returned victoriously after completing its mission, and the four battleships quietly set sail and followed the exercise route to Saipan in the Pacific Ocean. There, they will return to Europe with the visiting fleet.

The British had been closely monitoring the Germans' every move, and the whole process of the visit was relatively transparent to the outside world, and there was not much questionable information to be revealed. But when the fleet returned, the British spies managed to find out their sailing plans.

Because of the British blockade of the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans and the refusal to allow the German navy to pass through the Suez Canal, the visiting fleet had to sail directly from eastern China to Japan, then to Hawaii, and then to the Panama Canal and into the Atlantic.

In this process, the British had a lot of time to find out the enemy's situation, and they also had plenty of time to make defensive arrangements. Even for this reason, it is also prepared to mobilize several battleships to defend the colonies that may be attacked.

But the British never heard any information about the four new battleships.

In order to ensure absolute secrecy, the radio equipment of the four warships themselves was temporarily shut down, and only the special radio equipment provided by China maintained a single line of communication with the Chinese warships that led them to prevent spies from appearing inside.

As they cross the Pacific Ocean from Saipan, the goal is straight to the neutral Chilean port of Valparaiso in the Americas. There, too, will be a key test of the Germans' level of secrecy. (To be continued.) )