On the morning of August 17, 4608 (10), the Great White Fleet of the U.S. Navy left the Port of Arthur of the Chinese Empire, and their visit to the Chinese Empire had come to an end. The US Navy has gained a lot from this trip to China.

Rear Admiral Evans, commander of the US Navy's Great White Fleet, also had to admit that compared with the Chinese Navy, the US Navy had no other advantages than the number of battleships. Judging from the results of the previous joint gunnery exercises, the two 'Longteng-class' battleships of the Chinese Navy can definitely suppress the five 'Connecticut-class' battleships of the US Navy. Even beat them! It is estimated that such a result was not expected by the senior officials of the US Navy and even the government.

However, Major General Evans is a little fortunate. The industrial power of the United States is much stronger than that of the Chinese Empire, and its financial strength is far from being comparable to that of the Chinese Empire. This allowed the US Navy to get enough military spending to build warships. The number of battleships in the US Navy is seven to eight times that of the Chinese Navy, and even if you don't count the former dreadnoughts, the US Navy now has four dreadnoughts in service. Four more are under construction and are expected to be ready for service next year. In addition, the follow-up battleships of the US Navy will also be built and put into service one after another. This will give the US Navy an increasing advantage. If the Chinese Navy wants to surpass the United States, it is simply impossible.

In addition, Rear Admiral Evans also needs to admit that the former dreadnought really cannot be compared with the dreadnought, and the gap between the two is too great. The U.S. Navy has more than two dozen ex-dreadnoughts in the air. But now it seems that these former dreadnoughts will basically not be of much use. Fortunately, the United States has deep pockets. Even if these former dreadnoughts are useless, they can afford to lose them, and it will be enough to rebuild the dreadnoughts.

In another telegram sent by Rear Admiral Evans to China, a large part of the dreadnought was devoted to the importance of the dreadnought. He suggested that the US Navy intensify the development of battleships. The US Navy needed more and more powerful battleships. Other than that. Battlecruisers also need to be considered. Although the United States does not need to attack the enemy by breaking the engagement (with the great power of the United States, it can directly crush the enemy), the United States has important maritime trade routes to protect.

After the Great White Fleet leaves the Port of Arthur, they will travel all the way south, from the South China Sea to Singapore and then to India. Access to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal. After visiting Britain, France and other countries, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and returned to the United States to complete this round-the-world voyage.

The original purpose of the Great White Fleet's round-the-world voyage was originally to deter the Japanese, make them abandon their unrealistic illusions, and stop threatening US interests in the Pacific region. However, by the time the Great White Fleet arrived, the main forces of the Japanese Navy had already been annihilated. At the same time, the political landscape of the Far East has changed dramatically, and what was once an enemy has become a friend of the United States. And the former friends are moving towards opposition step by step. Originally, the Great White Fleet was intended to deter the Chinese Navy. However, the end result was that the Chinese navy was intimidated. It can be said that the Great White Fleet's round-the-world voyage this time can be said to have failed to achieve a single goal. However, the Chinese navy has shown great strength, but the US Navy is secretly on guard. The U.S. Navy has identified the Chinese Navy as its greatest threat in the Pacific.

The visit of the Great White Fleet was for the Chinese Empire. It didn't make a difference. The development of the Imperial Navy was still secretly planned. The Americans were also unable to disrupt the plans of the Imperial Navy. Moreover. The empire also took this opportunity to dig a hole for the Americans, and in the future, this pit may be able to bury the United States. Even if the United States is strong, it can escape with its life. But as long as the Americans can be transferred into the pit, their heads will be broken and their hands and feet will be broken, and it will be very beneficial to China.

Mid-August. The Imperial Navy sent special personnel to Japan to prepare to receive two 'Satsuma-class' battleships. According to the Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty signed between the empire and Japan, Japan was to hand over to China two fully completed Satsuma class battleships. Moreover, these two battleships had to pass the inspection of the Chinese Navy. Otherwise, the Chinese Empire had reason to believe that Japan intended to break the peace treaty. It has the power to hold Japan accountable.

Therefore, even though the Japanese were unwilling to do so, they still accelerated the construction speed and succeeded in building two 'Satsuma-class' battleships with quality and quantity. Vice Admiral Lee He, commander of the Imperial Navy's South Sea Fleet, will also serve as the captain of one of the two 'Satsuma-class' battleships. The other will be succeeded by Colonel Du Xiqi, the captain of the original 'Suiyuan' light cruiser, and his military rank will also be promoted to brigadier general.

Vice Admiral Li He and Brigadier General Du Xiqi divided their troops into two routes, with Major General Li He leading people to Yokosuka to receive the battleship 'Satsuma,' while Commodore Du Xiqi took people to the Kure Harbor Naval Base to receive the battleship 'Anyun'.

On August 18, Lieutenant General Lee and his entourage arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base. On the pier, the battleship 'Satsuma' had been built and moored there. The Minister of the Japanese Navy, Rokuro Yashiro, was already waiting there with the officers of the Japanese Navy. Although the Japanese hated it to death, they still wished that the Chinese would quickly drive the two battleships away. Otherwise, if the two countries clash again, Japan will not have the strength to resist China's invasion.

"General Li, the battleship has been built, you can bring someone up for acceptance." Yashiro Rokuro said expressionlessly.

"Okay, thank you Japanese friends. The Chinese Empire will not forget the support of our Japanese friends for us. Lieutenant General Li He said with a smile.

This directly made Yashiro Rokuro and other officers of the Japanese Navy grit their teeth with hatred, and they were eager to kill all these arrogant Chinese. In that case, however, China would have a reason to start a war with Japan again. Once the Chinese army attacked, what area would Japan use to resist? Therefore, no matter how much dissatisfaction they have in their hearts, they can only suppress it.

Seeing the appearance of the Japanese, Lieutenant General Li He laughed in his heart.

For the Japanese 'Satsuma-class' battleships, Vice Admiral Li He did not think much of them. After all, compared to the capital ships of the Chinese Navy, the 'Satsuma-class' battleships are really a little out of reach!

If the 'Satsuma-class' battleship is among the former dreadnoughts, it can be regarded as a battleship with strong performance. However, compared to dreadnoughts, it is far worse. The 'Satsuma-class' battleship had a displacement of about 20,000 tons. Among them, the battleship "Satsuma" has a standard displacement of 19,372 tons, a full load displacement of 19,700 tons, a length of 146.9 meters, a width of 25.4 meters, and a draft of 8.38 meters. The battleship "Anyu" has a standard displacement of 20,100 tons, a full load displacement of 21,800 tons, a length of 150 meters, a width of 25.5 meters, and a draft of 8.4 meters. In terms of maximum speed, the battleship "Satsuma" was 18.3 knots, and the "Anyu" was 20 knots. In terms of armament, the battleship "Satsuma" and the battleship "Anyu" were both equipped with two twin 45 times the caliber 305 mm main guns, and six twin 45 times the caliber 254 mm secondary guns. The only difference was that in terms of small-caliber rapid-fire guns, the battleship 'Satsuma' was armed with 12 120-mm single-mounted rapid-fire guns of 40 times caliber and 8 single-mounted rapid-fire guns of 40 caliber of 76 mm. The battleship Anyun was armed with 8 152-mm single-mounted rapid-fire guns of 45 times caliber and 12 single-mounted rapid-fire guns of 76 mm and 40 times the caliber of 12 guns. In addition, both battleships were armed with five 450-mm underwater torpedo tubes.

This kind of firepower is already very strong. Although it is already lagging behind the mainstream warships of the world. However, in Nanyang and other regions, it still has extremely strong strength.

Vice Admiral Li He led people to inspect the battleship Satsuma in detail and after making sure that there was no problem, he then set up the battleship Satsuma and made a sea trial in Tokyo Bay before returning to Yokosuka Naval Base.

The whole acceptance process took three days.

"General Lee, there is no problem with the battleship 'Satsuma', right?" Rokuro Yashiro asked. Looking at this battleship built by the Japanese Empire, which is about to belong to China, his heart is undoubtedly dripping blood!

"Your Excellency, there is no problem. Although it can't be compared with our country's capital ships, it can be regarded as a good ship. Lieutenant General Li He said with a smile.

After returning to China, the battleship "Satsuma" will become the seat of Vice Admiral Li He and the flagship of the Nanyang Fleet.

"No problem, that's great." Yashiro Rokuro finally breathed a sigh of relief, he was really afraid that the Chinese would make a moth in this regard.

"If there is no problem at the Kure Port Naval Base, we can go back." Lieutenant General Li He said.

"General Li, please rest assured, we Japanese are honest and will never violate the treaty." Yashiro Rokuro hurriedly said.

In the afternoon of the same day, Brigadier General Du Xiqi sent a telegram from the Kure Harbor Naval Base that the battleship 'Anyun' had been inspected and everything was fine.

Only then did Vice Admiral Li He lead the officers and men of the Imperial Navy to drive the battleship "Satsuma" directly, leave the Yokosuka Naval Base, pass through the Uraga Waterway, enter the western Pacific, and return to China. Commodore Du Xiqi also took the battleship 'Anyu' and entered the western Pacific Ocean from the Bungo Channel. After the two ships converged, they went directly to the home port of the Nanyang Fleet in the port city. The twelve 'Class A' destroyers of the Imperial Navy had already gone to the port city first.

On August 28, 4608, the Imperial Navy's Nanyang Fleet was established, and in addition to the twelve 'A-class' destroyers, the two 'Satsuma-class' battleships obtained from Japan were obtained. It's just that the two 'Satsuma-class' battleships have been renamed and are called the 'Breaker' and the 'Dangkou' respectively. Among them, the battleship "Broken Capture" will be the flagship of the South Ocean Fleet. (To be continued.) )

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