Dozens of U.S. Navy officers and sailors stood on the pier and stepped on two Minas Gerais-class battleships one after another under the arrangement of the Chinese Navy.

In fact, before Buzigao arrived in New York, the Americans had already visited Liu Guanxiong's 'Livadavia', so they were no strangers to this all-Chinese warship, but when they stepped on these two battleships, the Americans were still very curious, after all, the former was built by themselves, and this one was British.

On the other hand, while the Americans were visiting the 'Minas Gerais' class battleships, Liu Guanxiong and Senior Admiral Buzi, accompanied by the Americans, visited several American battleships in the harbor of New York...

The exchange between the navies of the two countries is simple, that is, they visit each other's warships.

At this time, the Chinese Navy is still very strong on paper, after all, there are three dreadnoughts, and on the side of the Wuhu and Fuzhou Shipping Bureaus, several thousand-ton "Shanfeng" destroyers have also been launched, and the hulls of the two "Tiehuo" class cruisers are close to completion.

It seems that it can also rank among the top ten in the world?

However, as the boss behind the New York shipyard, the U.S. Navy is familiar with the performance of the 'Rivadavia'. In particular, before Liu Guanxiong and his group arrived in New York, the US Navy personnel had already visited the 'Rivadavia' from top to bottom, inside and out—————— and it was not surprising that it was the Argentines who bought the 'Rivadavia' in the first place. The United States has always regarded South America as its backyard, and since this is the case, it is naturally impossible for the Americans not to make some prudent preparations.

But against two battleships of the 'Minas Gerais' class. The Americans are very unfamiliar, after all, both battleships were built by the British, which is one of the reasons why the US government offered to exchange.

Seriously, in fact, the 'Minas Gerais' class battleships are not advanced, as an earlier first-class dreadnought, the Minas Gerais-class battleships are only one step stronger than the earliest South Carolina-class battleships in the United States (standard displacement of only 16,700 tons, armed with 8 305mm naval guns) and Delaware-class battleships (standard displacement of 20,000 tons). Armed with 10 305mm naval guns). It was much worse than the Florida, Wyoming, and New York classes, which the U.S. Navy later equipped, with a standard displacement of 21,825 tons and a full load displacement of 23,033 tons. The Wyoming-class battleships had a standard displacement of 26,000 tons and a full load displacement of 27,240 tons, while the last of the New York-class battleships had a standard displacement of 27,000 tons and a full load displacement of 28,700 tons (there are also claims of 28,700 tons and 31,000 tons). The caliber of the main gun reached 356mm.

This third class battleship. No matter which class, it is much stronger than the Minas Gerais-class battleships with a standard displacement of more than 19,800 tons and a full load displacement of more than 21,000 tons, not to mention the Nevada-class that is under construction.

However, who called the Minas Gerais class a British-made battleship, although the relationship between Britain and the United States is very good now, but for the country that once burned the White House, it is impossible to say that the Americans are "curious" about the electricity.

And the Americans also want to take advantage of this opportunity. A more comprehensive assessment of the Chinese Navy —————— indeed a more comprehensive assessment, because at this time most of the officers and men of the Chinese Navy were already concentrated in New York. In a way, evaluating them is equivalent to evaluating the entire Chinese Navy.

Historically, when we evaluate the United States, we like to praise the United States for its superior geographical location. After all, among the many great powers that have appeared in history, there is no one that is geographically more advantageous than the United States...

Canada to the north may seem huge, but in reality it is sparsely populated and poses little threat. Mexico to the south is populated enough, but after being cut off by the Americans, it basically no longer has any ability to threaten the United States.

Still, in an effort to reduce pressure on the border, the U.S. government has deliberately allowed Mexico to maintain the existing chaos.

We all know very well how chaotic Mexico will be in the future, obviously next to the United States, but the United States has never taken care of Mexico, but has gone thousands of miles away to 'help' other countries, what is it for...

'Far from heaven, very close to America', the phrase itself says a lot ...

In fact, the United States also has its own difficulties, and it is true that its current geographical location does not need to worry about external threats, but it is in the middle of two oceans, and what if one day both sides of the country are occupied by countries hostile to the United States...

For example, Japan, which is now located in East Asia...

The current United States is not the 'superpower' that can fight 10 in the future, and the United States is only an industrial power with strong economic strength but weak military strength. In fact, even in later generations, the United States was using Britain and other-stirring sticks to prevent the integration process of the European Union, and at the same time arranging Japan in Asia to contain China, there are many reasons for this, but there are also some worries...

At the same time, when the Panama Canal has not yet been opened and the situation in Europe is becoming more and more tense, the attention of the Americans is almost entirely focused on the Atlantic side, and they naturally hope to have an extra helper in the Pacific Ocean who can help contain Japan, and this helper is China, which has a good relationship with the United States at present...

Of course, a strong China is also not what the United States wants to see, after all, China is in Asia, like Japan. But according to the Americans' own estimates, it will take at least 20 years for China's navy to grow enough to threaten the United States—————— and it will require them to be able to solve Japan's problem within 20 years.

And China, Japan. Two Asian countries that can threaten the United States contain each other, and neither can threaten the United States, which is precisely what the Americans are most happy to see...

Even if China really becomes a great power in the future. The United States can't stand still all the time, can it?

Let alone...

At this time, racial discrimination in the United States is very serious, and for many Americans, no matter how much a yellow country like China develops, it cannot be compared to the United States, which is a white country...

I have to say that the Americans' sense of superiority is still quite sufficient...

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As for what Washington meant, the U.S. Navy still fully understands what it means. At least a few of the generals at the head definitely understood what Washington meant. So after boarding the ship, these people observed the warship very carefully.

From the internal layout of the warship, weapons and equipment, or the usual maintenance and daily life details. Hardly a single thing is missing.

In the process of exchange, the naval commander who received the signal from Liu Guanxiong and Bu Zigao also opened many facilities on the ship to the Americans, and this open attitude won the favor of the Americans—————— in fact, there was no need to hide it, after all, the Navy's best Livadavia was made by others. What's more, people have even built super dreadnoughts. It is simply impossible to rarity these two early Chinese dreadnoughts.

In this case, it is better to be more simply, so as not to hide too much.

On the other hand, the Americans were also deeply impressed by the Chinese Navy during the visit, and this impression was mainly about discipline.

Although the Navy is somewhat amateurish in their respective professions, even the Americans have to admit that the officers and men of the Navy follow military discipline. As for anything else......... As I said before, the performance was obviously a bit amateurish.

But in any case, the Navy made a deep impression on the Americans. In particular, the mental outlook is very different from what they think of as 'addicts'.

"Like you said, it's still very immature. But at the same time, it is also an army with great potential..."After coming down from the battleship to the dock, looking back at the warship behind him and the officers and men on board, Rear Admiral Durand whispered to the few people beside him.

In Duland's view, an army that abides by military discipline may not be able to fight, but an army with strict military discipline must be a good army. This is the case with this army at the moment, although it is still very immature in all aspects, but...

"If we give them a little more time, maybe that situation will change..."

"But Mr. Major General..." frowned slightly, seeing that the Chinese around him did not pay attention, Revar came to Durand's side. Such a country......... Will it be more threatening than Japan in the future? ”

Unlike Duland, Reval and Moreno spend much more time with the Chinese.

He didn't have much of a good impression of Liu Guanxiong, who was the leader, but he was deeply surprised by the intelligence and hard-working spirit displayed by other ordinary naval officers and men —————— those people during their studies and training.

When you think of China's much larger territory and population than Japan...

"Maybe China will be a bigger threat than Japan..."

Hearing that Reval would do this, Durand frowned slightly, but it didn't take long for him to slowly let go.

"With China's current situation, even if it wants to become a threat, it will be impossible without 2 or 30 years, not to mention that they still have an adversary like Japan next to them..."

As long as China and Japan are concerned about the situation in East Asia, it can be said that there is no one who is ignorant of the grievances between China and Japan.

In fact, before the earliest, the relationship between China and Japan was still good, which can be seen from the fact that the revolutionary party at that time basically ran to Japan, and even Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army also purchased ordnance from Japan.

But since Yan Shao came to power...

Go from bad to worse...

Before Yan Shao 'entered politics', he had business disputes with the Japanese. Later, in the rubber stock crisis, the Japanese were even more ruthlessly pitted—————— which is not a secret, and after so many years, it has more or less spread.

It's just that in the eyes of others, the Japanese statement is inevitably a bit far-fetched, after all, the rubber stocks at that time were on the rise, unless Yan Shao's 'unpredictable prophet', how could they pit the Japanese, it was purely their own greed, but this also explains the origin of Yan Shao's huge wealth......... One...

And in addition to these, the assassination of Yan Shao himself. Almost all of them are Japanese in the background...

In this way, it did not take long for the hostility between the two countries to deepen considerably.

On the other hand. After listening to Duland's explanation, Rieval was also much relieved.

"That's right, at least until the problem of Japan is resolved, China is not our opponent, let alone ......... If there really is such a day, it is impossible for Washington to watch a threat grow..."

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Liu Guanxiong and Buzigao did not stay in New York for long, after more than two days of military exchanges with the US Navy. The two battleships of Minas Gerais, which had been refueled and underwent some overhauls, together with the Rivadavia, were slowly sailing from the docks of the New York shipyard to the open sea, surrounded by several supply ships and other ships...

Three battleships suddenly appeared at once. And it is also three dreadnoughts, this kind of scene is rare even in the United States, not to mention that the three battleships that appeared this time are all Chinese—————— although there are very few people who know the Chinese flag in New York, but after all, there are still one or two. Plus after two battleships sailed into the New York shipyard. Many newspapers in New York also reported on this incident, and now people in New York who are more concerned about the outside world basically know that there are now three Chinese battleships moored in the New York shipyard.

So when Liu Guanxiong and the others left New York Harbor, almost all the New Yorkers in the harbor looked at the fleet with surprised eyes.

However, Liu Guanxiong and the others didn't care about this, just looked at the city behind him that was gradually moving away, and Liu Guanxiong said somewhat helplessly.

"I'm finally leaving New York, and I hope there won't be any accidents on the rest of the journey..."

Although in the past period, Liu Guanxiong and they have not been less than the sea off New York—————— they have not done so. Liu Guanxiong: They couldn't quickly master the piloting skills of the Rivadavia.

The problem is that the winds off New York can't compare to the vast Atlantic Ocean, and they haven't had a record of running thousands of nautical miles at a time in the past. Usually they run and then return to Hong Kong.

At the moment, although the Rivadavia has already loaded everything that should be hit, after all, it is a battleship in the sea trial stage, and if something breaks down on the way—————— it will be a lot of fun...

"Don't worry, sir..."Seeing Liu Guanxiong's somewhat worried look, the first mate standing next to him smiled and comforted. It's not been a day or two for us to fiddle with this ship, so many days, although there are a lot of problems with this ship, but there has never been any major problems, and as the crew's piloting skills become more and more proficient, the probability of accidents is much smaller than before, compared to this time, we won't encounter any big problems when we go back, maybe lucky, even an accident can't be encountered..."

"Huh." Hearing the first mate say this, Liu Guanxiong laughed out loud. "If that's the case, then I'm really thankful..."

What should I say, the warship travels thousands of nautical miles, and there is no small problem on the way, which is like the green light has always been encountered on the road of driving, and has never encountered a red light, it is the dream encounter of the drivers (whether it is at sea or land), by the way——————, Yan Shao has encountered it once when he was still in the future, there are green lights along the way, and there is no red light, it is really enjoyable, it is really gratifying, congratulations...

But in such a lifetime, Yan Shao seems to have encountered such a once...

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According to the pre-set route, the fleet, consisting of three battleships and several supply ships and other ships, would first arrive in London, England, after crossing the Atlantic, where it would be restocked.

Then it's across the Strait of Gibraltar to Marseille, France's largest port city.

Then there is the Suez Canal, which connects the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean...

Passing through a series of cities along the way, they eventually passed through the Straits of Malacca and then went straight back to China.

Basically, if nothing else, this journey will be very smooth for them, and I believe that there will not be a pirate along the way who is so short-sighted that he will want to rob them.

It's just that...

After all, I have to guard against it...

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In the vast Atlantic, a fleet of more than a dozen ships, including three battleships, was heading for the other side of the ocean at a speed of 10 knots per hour.

At the same time, the three battleships in the center of the fleet also aimed their countless naval guns in the direction of the left side of the fleet, as if there was some enemy there.

Inside the bridge, Liu Guanxiong was staring at the sea in the distance with a telescope, as if there was something remarkable there. At this time, the first mate beside him also walked over.

"Captain, all are ready."

"What about the other two warships?" After a deep groan, he put down the binoculars, and Liu Guanxiong asked in a low voice.

"The signal just came is ready, just waiting for the order of our ship..."

"Good!" Hearing the first mate's answer, Liu Guanxiong bowed slightly. "Give me the order, fire!"

"Yes! Fire! ”

With the transmission of the order, dozens of main guns on the three battleships fired at the position of the fleet at 11 o'clock, accompanied by a huge roar, but in the blink of an eye, the originally quiet sea area rose a column of water tens of meters high, and the huge momentum moved the three battleships a little... (To be continued......)