Thanks to netizens who are close to the pig idiot for providing a lot of information for this book, and on the basis of extensive discussions with the author, I wrote this quite in-depth fandom, which reflects the construction process of the Imperial Navy from a unique perspective, which can be seen as the silhouette of the backbone of the book from a certain angle, so it is posted here for your reference.

Body:

Chapter III: Letter from the Rear Admiral

Your Excellency the President,

Because of your great expectations for the Navy, we have assembled the most powerful fleet in American history - the Great White Fleet of 16 battleships and 8 mine-striking ships. You will always be remembered in the naval history of the United States - President Roosevelt. We also brought your expectation of demonstrating the strength of the United States to East Asia and to the mysterious China.

As you predicted, the Chinese invited us to visit their Shanghai. Prosperous Shanghai can be said to be the Paris of East Asia. The economic crisis that has swept East Asia does not seem to have affected her in any way. The new buildings here are still expanding, and the people in the opera house and dance hall are still the same as when I was passing through Shanghai. The "rice rush" that swept through Chinese cities at the beginning of the year does not seem to have erupted in Shanghai. China seems to have passed their most dangerous period.

The Chinese were surprised by our arrival. They had never seen such a large fleet of 16 battleships and 8 mine-striking ships. They were as surprised as the Americans were when we first formed the Great White Fleet last November. But we are proud, and they are hostile. Although the port has welcome personnel from government organizations, as well as expatriates from the United States. But the eyes of the wider crowd that look at us are hostile. Well, the cannibalistic gaze peculiar to the Orientals. University students in Shanghai also wrote slogans. You'll be amazed at what the slogan says. Not only do they want us to withdraw from the Chita region in the north, but they also want us to withdraw our Philippine garrisons. Of course, they didn't use such a civilized verb as "withdraw", and they shouted at us, "Get out of Asia, get out of the Philippines." Everyone knows that the Chita area in the north of the province is the land they have been asking for, but it has been taken over by us and the British. As a victorious country, it cannot get back the land it deserves. Of course, we and Britain cannot withdraw from the condominium, otherwise they will be able to achieve their strategic goal - to peek into Siberia. An excessively weakened Russia is not in keeping with our strategy in Asia. Otherwise, China's next target will be Southeast Asia, which will make an all-round effort and cannot find a flashpoint of strength. Chinese society has begun to shift their attention, from the eastern part of Lake Baikal in the north to our Southeast Asia. Greater Asianism has begun to spread in China and Japan. Japan is particularly important because they are desperately short of resources and need a source of raw materials. During their visit to the port of Yokohama, the Japanese even dispatched military police to suppress the demonstrators. And the "swordsmen" peculiar to their country also competed with our soldiers. Fortunately, there was no diplomatic storm.

In terms of the purpose of the visit, I think we made a mistake. I thought that this could be used to deter China and bring the initiative to our next trade negotiations. But we were wrong. The Chinese Navy is not timid because of our large ship group. Just when we thought that we were not the second Russia, the Chinese have made a lot of progress in naval construction in the past two years. The officers and sailors of the navy on this trip are once again afraid of the Chinese navy, as they did after the last Sino-Russian naval war.

We are the first to be intimidated. Outside the port of Shanghai, we met the "princess of China" - the "Shangri-La" luxury cruise ship. When we were inspired by the fact that American shipyards could build 17,000-ton cargo ships, the Chinese created their crystallization - 30,000-ton cruise ships, comparable to God's masterpieces.

With a huge body and an incomparable three-chimney, China, which has regained its status as a great power, has begun to show her prosperous side again. The upper echelons of the country have always been extravagant figures. Of course, it's not the upper echelons of their country that are extravagant now, and if it were their upper echelons, it would make me feel very happy. Historically, China's decline was caused by the rulers' pursuit of luxurious enjoyment and the pursuit of a luxurious life. But this time, they showed off their skills. On the warship, their battleships are already at the forefront of the world. The Swiss-class battleship demonstrated its powerful firepower in actual combat. In our white world, only the "Dreadnought-class" warships that have just been launched and are waiting for service can surpass it. On civilian ships, luxury cruise ships are a symbol of national strength. In order to prove their skills and strength, Europeans have gone crazy for the blue ribbon award. The Germans created their "Wilhelm the Great", "Wilhelm Crown Prince" and "Wilhelm II", and the British even created the "Celtic" to deal with it. I have to say about the plutocracy of the United States. I think you know Julius Pierpont Morgan well. He did you a great favor before you were elected. The sister ships "Lusitania" and "Mauritania" were built with the support of the British government because he intervened in the purchase of Britain's largest White Star Steamship Company, with the aim of defending the honor of the British Empire.

It seems that the Atlantic Ocean has nothing to do with China, but when you hear about the tonnage of the Chinese "Shangri-La" - 30,000 tons, speed 27 knots. It should be known about China's ambitions for the oceans and the western Pacific. Nothing is more indicative of China's strength. The sister ship of the British, HMS Lusitana, was no more than that. Looking at the shipbuilding prowess of our America, I am deeply worried. American businessmen should not only see profits, but also crises. America's chaebols should not only invest in the shipping industry, but also increase investment in basic industries. Although we are already the first in the world, the Chinese are catching up. They have markets and workers that we don't have. In shipbuilding, they are constantly building bigger and bigger ships.

The Chinese, like 500 years ago, once again burst out with great enthusiasm for the ocean. China and the United States will certainly fight each other in the Pacific, and not just because of sea power interests. As the United States plans for the United States and Britain to jointly administer China's Chita region, the prospects of the Chinese and American people have dimmed. The Chinese now have an incomparable hatred for us in the United States and the British Empire. Although the British signed a treaty of alliance with them. But both the Chinese and the British already see this as waste paper. All the lands of Southeast Asia are under the watchful eye of the Chinese.

Of course, the above things cannot make us feel the pain of the skin, and the Chinese immediately told us - where the crisis is! In the joint exercise in Qingdao in the north, we saw what the navy is and what warships are needed in the future.

Intelligence said: The Germans are building Nassan-class battleships, and the British are fully waiting for the new Dreadnought-class battleships to enter service. The Dreadnought-class battleship was launched on February 9 last year, and the whole world was watching it. 10 305 guns, 17900 tons of body. The information is so detailed. But who knows what the Chinese are doing? Bitch-like intelligence systems, the Chinese's newest Beiyue-class battleships are in service. But do we have news of them?

Intelligence says that "the new battleship to be built by the Chinese is called the Beiyue class, the tonnage is unknown, and the artillery is estimated to be 45 times 305 calibers." It is expected to be an improvement of the Chinese Swiss class"

God, the Chinese Beiyue class has already served!! I really don't know what the US intelligence agencies are doing!

Your Excellency, when we thought that the main force of this exercise was the battleship fleet that we had just formed, the Chinese said "NO" to us.

I saw it with my own eyes. With a range of 20 kilometers, 8 305 guns, and a tonnage of nearly 19,000 tons, the Chinese Beiyue class appeared in front of us with 2 thick columns of smoke. I thought it was the most powerful Ruizi-level in China, which was dwarfed. Under the fact that we have not yet been able to compete with the Ruizi-class battleships, the Chinese have even appeared "Beiyue-class". Probably the Chinese's Beiyue class has just entered service, so the gunners can't use this battleship well. So the target of this exercise is land targets. Although it was only that, we were shocked by its range of 20 km. 20 km range, and the hit rate is high. What kind of sight is needed? What is certain is that the Chinese are again walking in front of us and the British. When her orange flame erupted from the muzzle, I knew that an era had come, an era of the navy had come.

The construction of the "Dreadnought" battleship by the British is precisely the reinforcement of the "supremacy of firepower" of the Chinese. They sent observers to observe the course of the Sino-Russian naval battle. The Chinese Ruizi-level firepower must have given them a powerful shock. So after returning home, he built the "Dreadnought". Although the Dreadnought class is 10 305 guns, it can destroy all targets within range. And the Chinese battleships "Beiyue" were designed to deal with British battleships. In terms of firepower, there are 8 305 guns fired at one side at the same time, while 10 305 guns of the Dreadnought class, and the tonnage of one is smaller, which results in the future actual combat, the Beiyue class can destroy the Dreadnought, but the Dreadnought cannot defeat the Beiyue. Beiyue's large tonnage of 19,000 tons pays more attention to protection. The United States must catch up and not allow the Chinese battleships to show off in Asia.

And our old man Mahan is still shouting, "What we need is a 12,000-ton battleship, don't build a big one." Fuck it! Facing this Beiyue-class battleship, I think if the Chinese have 3, then the Great White Fleet will be finished. The United States must keep up with China, otherwise there will be no American position in Asia.

It would be wrong to say that the Chinese Navy is a subordinate of the Army on the basis that the content of this joint exercise was a land bombardment. If this was said before the defeat of Russia, then it is undoubtedly true, and the Chinese Navy can only be a follower after the development of the army. All military spending is prioritized by the Army, and China's leaders are all Army figures. But in the Russo-Chinese war, the Chinese navy behaved independently. Moreover, the army does not interfere with the navy in the slightest, and what the navy needs can be completely responded to from the upper echelons of the army. It can be said that this is inconceivable for a land-based country. Perhaps the Opium War had too much impact on the Chinese. More than 60 years later, it still exists in the minds of Chinese. No country on land has been able to successfully invade China, and several of China's defeats have been due to threats from the sea. So China can still build up its navy vigorously in the midst of this economic crisis. And their Beiyue class is being built at a rate of one a year. During this period, however, the army had to be disarmed, removing the remaining 200,000 northern border troops and 1 million standing troops, the army's 1 million troops were reduced, and 500,000 troops were indirectly used as engineering troops to build roads and bridges. In contrast to this, our US Army, it is not too much to say that they are mercenaries, and they are not fighting at all.

Under your wise leadership, our naval counterparts surpassed their British counterparts in the rate of shooting. In China, there are also talents like William S. Sims, and they surpass us in terms of technology and equipment. William S. Sims revolutionized our shooting techniques and equipment so that our shooting surpassed our British counterparts. But the trip to Asia still showed us the gap. The Chinese may have improved their skills much earlier. In the exercises of the mine-striking ships, our Chinese colleagues were in no way inferior to ours. And, according to them, "the best shooters in the Navy were selected for battleships and cruisers, and we couldn't compare with them." The equipment is more advanced. ”

And during this exercise, we also saw the legendary water engine carrier. I hate their fly-like sounds, but I can't help but say they're great. While we relied on the watchmen to observe, we could only rely on the forward search team sent out to know the opponent, and the distance was only 30 kilometers. Of course, this is still a case when God is in a good mood and gives us good weather. The Chinese, on the other hand, used this aircraft carrier to advance the distance by about 150 kilometers. Oh my God, 150 km. When the Chinese fleet passed on this reconnaissance message, the entire U.S. Navy could imagine our face at that time. Startled? No, more shock! During this 150-kilometer early warning period, the Chinese can completely adjust the battleship formation and wait for our arrival. Russia's Second Fleet is a precedent. It is strange why some domestic parliamentarians oppose the construction of water carriers? Do they only see a tiny £1 million cost? The survival of a fleet is not in sight? In future naval battles, aircraft will become more and more important. Of course, I am glad that Your Excellency the President has supported the aircraft industry, and that our country has the best aircraft talent. I believe we can catch up with the Chinese. I think the Navy's aircraft carriers can be built more quickly - after this exercise, I think the domestic opposition should be gone. The United States must build water engine carriers as quickly as possible. The British water carriers were already launched, and the Germans were also painted. Even the French were ahead of us.

What surprised us the most was the Chinese's naval planning. The intelligence services should report the details to you. The Chinese hoped to assemble a fleet of 16 new dreadnought-class battleships and 8 battlecruisers by 1920. In the face of industrial potential, China, which has only one-fifth of our strength, has to build such a large fleet, while the Asian region does not need so many navies. And the construction of the Chinese in other aspects of the Navy is also super huge. After watching this exercise, all the members of the navy saw that the construction of the Chinese navy has been ahead of us in an all-round way, but I think that based on our country's strong industrial strength, the navy can fully catch up with China. In terms of technology, as long as we can increase the funds, we can also catch up. Of course, the most important thing is the construction of our intelligence system. The secrecy measures of the Chinese are too good, and we in the United States are destined to be their enemies in the future. We must not allow the Chinese to remain their mystery, but should strip off his coat. The U.S. intelligence system in East Asia must be able to obtain timely intelligence from China. If China goes to war, and we have no intelligence to back it up, it is conceivable that the fleet from Qingdao will be able to occupy our port of Subic in one day. It took only 2 days for the Philippines to be occupied by China, but it took us 3 months to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific. God knows what will happen to the Word.

His Excellency the President, with extraordinary courage and vision, built the most powerful fleet in the United States. Your Excellency the President has always been building the Navy with the greatest concern for you, and at this moment, I think Your Excellency will not let you and our beloved Navy be left far away by the Chinese. The two-ocean fleet had to be built, and it had to be all new types of battleships. A battleship with more firepower than the Chinese. Based on the speed of our 2 battleships a year, we can fully catch up with China and catch up with Britain. Although now the British are already ahead of us, the Chinese are even more ahead of the British. But we think we can achieve the great industrial strength of the United States, which China and Britain cannot match. I think the council will react, of course, first of course, if you remove the old man's prestige.

Although the Great White Fleet failed to achieve its original goal this time, it was very happy to see China's strength. An opponent who knows the truth is better than an unknown opponent, or at least not so frightening. Although the United States still cannot avoid China in this economic and trade negotiations, I think the strength of 16 battleships is also seen by the Chinese. And it is important that our industrial strength can build more battleships. If the Chinese want to be on an equal footing with us, it will take at least 10 years.

As we leave the South China Sea, I would like to pay your highest respects!

Rear Admiral William H. Emory

June 8, 1906

Chapter 4 Set sail for Etajima

"Woo, woo, woo~~~~~~"

"Anchor!"

On the Bund in Shanghai, a huge brand new mail ship began her maiden voyage. Wisps of black smoke came out of the three chimneys, but they didn't seem to be so ugly.

June 26 of the solar calendar, the 5th day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the Dragon Boat Festival. Daji, good for travel.

"Shangri-La" - a legendary paradise. But now she is a symbol of the Empire's technology and strength. displacement of 30,000 tons; Tall and neat three chimneys. Facing the sea breeze, colorful flags fluttered. The people on the shore danced and ran, as if they wanted to go out to sea with the cruise ship. There were only the honor guards standing in the port and the folk lion dance team waiting for the cruise ship. The day the cruise set sail became a full Chinese festival. Lion dance, stilt walking, and people on the cruise ship also throw candy and hydrangeas to the people on the shore from time to time.

"Hehe, it's very lively, it seems that only when the Zhenyang Fleet defeated the Russian Second Fleet in the South China Sea and returned victoriously, did the people of Shanghai have so many people cheering in the port." Hu Feng leaned on the railing on the deck and watched the people in the harbor. Dressed in civilian clothes, although there is no military appearance reflected in military uniforms, self-confidence and firm temperament cannot be concealed.

"Yes. Of course, it's meant to dance. You must know that this is another world's first in the world. Such a luxurious and advanced cruise ship is crazy in Europe. The Blue Ribbon Award that Europeans are crazy about is going to our Shangri-La this year. "Lehi, who was also in civilian clothes, said as he turned his head at the crowd on the shore.

"Damn, don't wave your hand at that beauty, she's looking at me!" Hu Feng seemed to see a beautiful woman, came to his senses, took off his coat and waved it.

"Ha Luha, don't be so exaggerated. I don't know which beauty you are talking about! By the way, in fact, if you wear a navy uniform, that beauty will be able to see you. It's useless for you to wave like that. There are not 1,000 people on this deck, but 2,000. Li Hai was right, in the naval battle of 1904, the Chinese navy defeated the seemingly powerful Russian fleet in one fell swoop, and the navy became a sacred branch of the army. When you see someone wearing a navy uniform, both young and old, they will stick it up, and the blue and white military uniform is especially easy to attract people's attention. Marrying a naval officer has become a girl's dream. Of course, they didn't know that it would be a few months for the navy to sail, otherwise the navy would have one more young woman. Of course, the Navy has also noticed this situation, and few people dare to wear military uniforms to show up for general office work and other things.

"you, I'm wearing a military uniform, it's strange that I'm not stripped of my clothes." Hu Feng and Li Hai have been getting along for more than a month, and the two are already very familiar. In the navy, the relationship between superiors and subordinates is also very good, as long as there is no contradiction, this is due to the usual boredom at sea makes naval officers always like to joke with each other.

Since it was on the top deck, both the civilians with third-class tickets and the merchants with first-class tickets were singing and dancing on this deck. Regardless of class, status, and country, both Chinese and Japanese are members of the East Asian Alliance, and they are encouraged by the alliance's first place in the new bridgehead. Although the main body of the alliance is China, China has been running for this Asia Minor when it formed the alliance. Without China, how could there be a treaty of equal trade between the great powers and North Korea? Without China, how could there be any such thing as Japan retaking such a large territory as Hokkaido? So the people of the alliance are happy that they are within the scope of the alliance, and they are happy for every success of the alliance.

In East Asia, especially in 1905, when China, Japan, and Korea jointly implemented the "Simplified Chinese Characters" and the "East Asian History Textbook", the centripetal force of the alliance became more and more cohesive. Whether China can build a 30,000-ton luxury cruise ship or Japan can build a "Rui"-class warship, the Chinese and Japanese people are happy. The hatred of those years has melted away. Japan's invasion of Korea was only for a broader living space; China's attack on Japan is also for Japan's better development, not for the sake of going down the wrong path———— as the "East Asian History Textbook" does

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"What's the data you're measuring?" Qiu Ming turned his head sideways and asked his chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Pan Qianyi.

"Section 26.4." Pan Qianyi nodded while fiddling with the civilian rangefinder.

"It seems that the speed of this new ship is more than 26 knots! It's fast! Lieutenant Colonel Qiu Ming admired as he put away the instrument in his hand.

As a mid-level and high-ranking admiral in the Navy, in this era of passion, there is no doubt that he is interested in every new ship. Pan Qianyi is a good example of this. Tirelessly collecting information on warships and cruise ships. Now I have the privilege of being one of the first crew members of the Shangri-La. I was very excited to be able to collect her information on the spot. The other naval officers also resonated with this idea at the dinner table, and after dinner, they relied on the rank of this group of people to borrow two sets of instruments from the captain of the "Shangri-La" for observation. Of course, the captain could not refuse the request of this bunch of colonel-level officers, and by the way, he also gave them detailed data on the "Shangri-La".

"Yes, it's fast. It was able to reach 26 knots on its maiden voyage, and the power of this steam turbine was really large. Of course, it is highly likely that within a few years it will break through 27 knots. The current system is not stable. In the future, people and machines are familiar with each other, and the speed will be faster again. Pan Qianyi pushed his glasses.

"That's a good feeling, by the way, it seems that the speed of the British Lusitania is 25 knots. They are also new. The sister ship Mauritania is still being tested. Qiu Ming, who doesn't read much foreign books, was also infected by Pan Qianyi. For the warships of various countries, the data of cruise ships also have an idea. Apparently he began to look down on the new cruise ships of the British.

"Yes, these two sister ships of the British happen to be the opponents of our 'Shangri-La', with similar tonnage, we are 30,000 tons, they are 32,000 tons, and the speed is also the fastest in the world. Their maximum speed may not seem to be as high as ours, but the European's Blue Ribbon Award is awarded to the fastest cruise ship across the Atlantic. Comparatively speaking, we are now opening a route from Shanghai to Yokobin, Japan. The voyage was more than halfway closer, only about 1,500 nautical miles. The winds and waves in the East China Sea are not as high as those in the Atlantic Ocean. So it's normal for us to be fast. In addition, there were many stops on this voyage, first to the port of Busan, North Korea, and then through Shimonoseki into the Seto Inland Sea, to our destination Hiroshima; Then go to Kobe, and finally arrive at Yokobin Port. There are too many stops, and it takes about 1 hour each time. I think it's nice to be able to get to 22 knots all the way. Of course, if our 'Shangri-La' opens the Shanghai-Osaka-Hawaii-San Francisco route, I think the speed of the whole journey is no worse than the European Blue Ribbon Award. ”

"That's true, but if my battleship can reach this speed of 26 knots in the future, what a wonderful thing" Lieutenant Colonel Qiu Ming, the saber man, began to fantasize about his 30,000-ton, 26-knots battleship.

"Dizzy, is there such a fast battleship, I think my future battlecruiser is possible to be so fast. It's better to be a battlecruiser! If you want to have speed, you want firepower to have firepower, and the skin is not too thin, to deal with the patrol, it is a second kill! The British are only now building a new type of battleship, and the battle cruiser has already started construction of 3. I think battlecruisers are the king of the future. "Hu Feng's wolf blood is pregnant with a speed on the grassland. Comparatively speaking, speed is also what he has been pursuing. In all the exercises and confrontations, the slogan of speed of him and his detachment was quite famous in the navy. The "Wind Volcanic Forest" in Sun Tzu's Art of War reflects his style and fighting style.

"No, I think the Navy's warships will be faster in the future. The battleship was quite capable of reaching the 26 knots we just mentioned. Pan Qianyi turned to look at the people around him before continuing. In fact, since they were sitting in the first class, there were only a few naval officers on this small deck. The rest of the novice translators are in the second-class warehouse. The treatment is very different, and of course this is normal. In the navy, there are 9 types of treatment. Junior soldiers with no skills are the worst, while lieutenant generals and above are the highest. Generals and marshals are honorary titles, although the pay has not been further improved. But in the hearts of the people, they are the pride of the empire.

The sun was like blood, and the clouds on the seashore were splashed with an orange color. Everyone admired the sunset, waiting for Pan Qianyi to explain his next step.

At this time, Pan Qianyi continued his opinion only after seeing that there were no others on this small deck, "In the Empire's November 1904 "Naval Technique Internal Reference", there is a record of a test boat - "Speedy and Fast". In June 1904, it set a record, one that sailed for more than an hour using a speed of 36 knots. And his tonnage is what surprised us - 1600 tons. Twice the tonnage of our current destroyers. Of course, this is because it uses a new power source, gasoline, as fuel. Although this technique is now unstable and has a high fuel consumption rate, it undoubtedly surpasses the coal we use. Looking back at the progress of the speed of ships after our coal is used as power, I think it is inevitable that gasoline will replace anthracite as the power of ships in the future. In the 60 years of coal development, the speed of warships has increased from 12 knots to about 30 knots now. And in the future, the speed of the battleship with natural oil will reach more than 26 knots, I think the time will be shorter, maybe 30 years, and it should reach this speed in 20 years. ”

Pan Qianyi's caution is very important on this new cruise ship. To know that such a new cruise ship has made its maiden voyage, as a great power that wants to understand China, it is undoubtedly more focused on her. On the first voyage of less than 2,000 people, I think there were more than 200 spies sent by the Great Powers. All kinds of talents will gather. Steel smelting, cabin design, and power design are all masters. In addition, the diplomatic envoys of the great powers in East Asia were able to catch up with the voyage, and even the second-class cabins were bought. As the pearl of Asia, the wealthy businessmen of Shanghai are even more proud of taking a boat. It can be said that this is simply a gathering of wealth and wisdom in Asia.

Of course, this is also indispensable for the Japanese people who are going to Osaka. Last year, after accepting the 20,000-ton shipyard built with China's help, Japan not only sent experts and students to Chinese shipyards to study, but also used every opportunity to come into contact with China's new ships in disguise. On the one hand, they have no money to build new ships, and on the other hand, they are also spontaneously striving to fulfill the ideal of "national ships and national construction".

After learning about Japan's secret treaties and secret dealings with China, it became clear that Pan Qianyi and his wife could no longer be enthusiastic about the Japanese. Although it was a trench, there were people in Japan who were in the same bed and dreamed of taking advantage of the weak economy of the empire to seize the power of the allies. This has to be wary of them. For the colleagues of the Jiangtian Island Naval Academy on this trip, Pan Qianyi and them were also vigilant from time to time. Although Japan sent personnel this time, the Chinese side only sent these nine people, and in the future, we need to have a good relationship with them in order to be friendly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night was dark, and the harbour was stormy. Although it is about to enter the Seto Inland Sea, the sea breeze is whistling at this time, and the colorful flags on the "Shangri-La" are blowing. The colorful flags hanging at a distance of more than 30 meters are even louder at this time, but the night is too deep, and the lights on the ship are focusing on a small boat on the side of the hull at this time, and only a little light through the window can illuminate the wind marks of the flag.

At this time, the "Shangri-La" was quietly docked outside the port of Hiroshima. Unlike the crowds of people at the harbor and the searchlight in all directions, it was quiet on the Shangri-La. Since it was already past 11 p.m., most of the passengers were now entering their dreams due to the revelry of the morning departure. There are only a few places in the cabin that are well lit. The light through the windows illuminates the roce ripples as the waves crash against the hull. And the traffic boats, which had concentrated 7 or 8 searchlights, were busy receiving the crowd returning to Hiroshima. Since there is no such large draft on the pier. People with a destination in Hiroshima can only land by means of a transport boat on this side. In fact, this traffic boat named "Seiyasu Maru" is not small in Japan, with a ship of more than 1,600 tons. But at this time, it is the largest, most advanced and most luxurious cruise ship in Asia and even the world. The chimneys alone are not ordinarily tall, let alone the wide hull.

The crane is constantly lowering and lifting the boats. Since it is only about 15 tons, there should not be too many members. Originally used for life-saving purposes, the Shangri-La carried up to 80 of these boats, which were also used to lift the crew because the deck was too high above the water.

After half an hour of busyness, the transport boat was full of its crew, and with the sparkling soot, it suddenly drove away. The "Shangri-La", which had completed its mission, also began to hoist the iron anchor, turn the engine, break through the waves, and set off towards the next target - Kobe and Osaka. At this time, the "Shangri-La" had an additional partner, and the Japanese sent a destroyer from the naval port of Wu to accompany it. Since it was in the Seto Inland Sea, it happened to be a test of the ship's performance. Hehe, but what they didn't expect was that before they were halfway there, our "Shangri-La" left behind this Japanese little brother and arrived at the port of Kobe first. So much so that when the last one docked at the port of Yokohama, the naval officers came out to greet the fast mail ship, and the Japanese emperor came directly from Tokyo by train to attend the ceremony for the "Shangri-La". The whole country of Japan is in a stir. Of course, our comrades officers have already disembarked at the port of Hiroshima. These things were only learned about at the Etajima Military Academy in the future.

On the territory of Japan, although Hiroshima Prefecture is not well known. But in the navy, Hiroshima is a standout. Not only because he has the title of a deep-water port, but also because he also has a military port in Japan's new era - Kure and the cradle of the Japanese Navy - Etajima Military Academy. Wujun Port was one of the first modern ports to receive China-supported renovations, and was supported as a shipbuilding base like Dalian. Yokohama, Japan's largest port, is also receiving support. In the 1905 bilateral agreement, Shanghai and Hengbin, Dalian and Wu became sister cities. Of course, the main reason is the decision made by the two governments to support each other in the development of the shipbuilding industry.

Etajima Island is located at the southern tip of the Seto Inland Sea. Hu Feng and his entourage of 32 people entered Hiroshima City late at night, and under the arrangement of local diplomats, they will go to Etajima Island on July 12, that is, the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow they will be met by Japanese personnel. Of course, the local government and embassy received information that China had sent a group of students to Japan for further study and inspection.

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Since they didn't have time to visit Wu Jungang, and now they were on a secret mission, the Admiralty didn't want them to cause more trouble. The Japanese side sent a colonel to meet them.

The heat of Gangnam in July did not cross the ocean and reached Japan. At this time, Eda Island is lonely on the sea, and the cool breeze in the early morning blows behind the ears.

Since it is a secret agreement. Both sides were afraid of being known by the Great Powers. So they arranged for Hu Feng and them to go to the Etajima Naval Officers and Officers School to have a layer of gold plating, and gave them names such as "Naoji Kusano" and "Taro Yamamoto". And the real news of this pick-up is only known to the two honorary captains of Japan. The officers and men of the navy were told to go to Germany to receive the coal and mail ships they had just bought. Of course, the Japanese would not waste money to raise such a large number of soldiers, let alone draw elite personnel from the navy's active forces. As a matter of fact, these outstanding officers and men were only borrowed first, and in the future, after Japan has just put into service with the "Rui" class warship it is building, they will be the personnel of Japan's first 10,000-ton warship built by itself.

The Japanese senior official who led the team this time was Brigadier General Shinyuki Akiyama, who had the title of "Japanese Mahan". The 38-year-old rear admiral had predicted before the war that Russia would have to rely on the navy to bring the war back. But the blow of the East Asian naval coalition will certainly be difficult for Russia to withstand. Sure enough, the battle situation was as Akiyama Mayuki said. At that time he was just a cruiser captain. Foresightedly anticipating the actions of the Russian First Fleet and the exploits of the Battle of Hakodate in Hokkaido, after the war he went straight past the brigadier general and reached the rank of rear admiral. Moreover, before the naval battle in the South China Sea, he was questioned by Lin Taizeng, commander of the coalition forces, and discussed the direction of the next phase of the coalition forces.

After the war, Rear Admiral Shinyuki Akiyama founded the "Yashima" school of the Japanese Navy, which studied the naval strategy and tactics of Japan and the East Asian Alliance. He was arranged by the Japanese military to be the principal of the Etajima Military Academy to spread the teachings of the navy. With such a major secret this time, the navy was not worried about other personnel, so Rear Admiral Akiyama Shinyuki, who had contacts with both China and Japan, was the leader of the team. Although this operation was carried out after the agreement between China and Japan, in order not to make Germany suspicious, the basic idea was to disguise themselves as crew members and passengers of the Japanese cruise ships "Yamada Maru" and "Izu Maru". The 7,650-ton "Yamada Maru" has been carrying more than 600 people and going to Germany for one month, while the "Izu Maru" has been in the waters of Etajima for more than a month due to the delay of Sino-US joint exercises, and the more than 600 crew members can operate it in three groups familiarly.

As for the caution of the Japanese side, the Germans did not feel excessive. Although I am not very interested in China's strength. Because of his strong naval construction plan, and because he only has a small colony in Southeast Asia close to Australia. So the Germans were not impressed that the Chinese defeated Russia. As for the sale of these eight cruisers, it is believed that Japan can not hold back the weak China for the first time.

Due to the caution of the Chinese and Japanese sides, there were no big waves in this trip to Germany and pick-up by ship. It's just a little turmoil on Eda Island. Since our lovely Qiu Ming always likes to show off his saber, and there are many officers in the Japanese Navy who are from samurai families. Both sides are martial arts lovers, and of course they meet each other like dogs seeing. They all want to kill the opponent's morale in seconds, and they also want to have a Sino-Japanese naval battle on this sword again.

Due to the constant acceptance of Martian eyes looking at his outfit, Qiu Ming couldn't bear his hands and feet anymore, so he made a report to Colonel Jiang Yu and Major General Akiyama Shinyuki, the leaders of the Chinese team, wanting to have an iron and blood confrontation with their Japanese counterparts on Jiang Tian Island. In fact, before that, there were also students and officers who kept making claims to Major General Akiyama Shinyuki, but they were all pressed by him.

Major General Mayuki Akiyama was of course very pleased with Qiu Ming's proposal. In fact, being able to talk to Chinese martial artists is also what Akiyama, who was born into a samurai family, wants.

After a "big discussion" that was enthusiastic and full of men's fights, the Japanese side finally recommended a lieutenant to represent Japan in the fight against Qiu Ming. Don't look at the lieutenant Murai Tokube, who is only 23 years old, he has already won the title of the strongest samurai in his class. For the senior students, it seems that the challenger is not as popular as his.

After rejecting the offer to use wooden knives, both sides fought with real knives and guns. Of course, this is also conditional, Murai was told by Akiyama that no harm is allowed, and he is afraid that the Chinese side will change his mission because of the injury. And our 29-year-old Qiu Ming, when he arrived at the ring-like venue, saw his opponent as a junior who asked for martial arts. So it didn't really hurt.

Of course, there are still wonderful things. Murai, who was born in the Choshu Domain, played his "Beichen Flow" very well, using thrusts, whirlings, and slashes freely. The Japanese students on the side shouted "Oh, I want the west" and the like, and it was clear that Murai was doing well.

And Qiu Ming, who came from afar, is even more active, if he loses, it will not only be a joke of his colleagues, but also a damage to the country's honor. Of course, the old guys who taught him martial arts in his hometown didn't agree either. Huo Yuanjia from the next village has already made a name for himself in Shanghai, and our Qiu Ming was also Huo Yuanjia's eldest brother in several villages back then. So in this game, Qiu Ming also used his own stunts, and Jiang Yu and the others, who were usually together, were stunned. Fast, direct, and able to resist Murai's two-handed sword with a one-handed sword, and his own hands and feet can attack unexpectedly, completing many actions that are considered impossible.

The two sides had mutual contacts, and after working for more than half an hour, their footsteps slowly became heavy. It was only after the end of the day at the signal of Akiyama. Although it was a draw on the surface, everyone sitting could see that Qiu Ming had the upper hand. After that, the Japanese side's attention to Qiu Ming was no longer provocative, and it was even more worshipful.

It's all just over, and it's just starting again. The "Izu Maru" set sail!!

Set sail, Etajima.

Chapter 5 The journey is long

For the Volken factory in Szczecin of the German Empire, the people of the Empire and ASEAN will not be ignorant of the way. Maybe what Wilhelmshaven, Keele Canal, the people of the empire feel strange. But Volkeng Factory, the shipyard that once built the first ship in the Empire and even in Asia, the people of the Empire will give a thumbs up. At that time, the return of the two ships of Dingyuan and Zhenyuan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Lushun Port were empty alleys. Young people may not feel the Empire's admiration for this first-class ship in the world at that time, but the Far East Daily in the United States undoubtedly expressed the eyes of the world world at that time. The power of the sea appeared for the first time in this ancient land. After two Opium Wars, the ancient kingdom finally had the strength to resist the threat from the sea for the first time.

And the old people of the Dingyuan ship and the Zhenyuan ship have also become the pillars of the country at this time, in charge of the sea power of this huge empire. Although in the previous Asian-Russian War, the Dingyuan Second Ship did not contribute, but the Imperial Navy, which has worked hard to get to the scale it is today, has not forgotten these two national gateposts. When the Navy cultivates the patriotism and patriotism of soldiers and junior officers, it is to visit these two Dingyuan and Zhenyuan, which have become commemorative warships. Listen to the old people tell the history of the year and the bloody battle in the Yellow Sea.

And the people of the Japanese Empire also had deep feelings for this second ship. In 1886, when these two warships were commissioned, the navy began to prepare for the construction of the "Sanjing Ship", which it thought could compete. And the toys that the children hit have also become Dingyuan, Zhenyuan.

At this time, the children of that year were already adults to join the army, whether it was Hu Feng's group of Chinese Imperial People, who accounted for a minority, or the young Japanese Navy on the "Izu Maru". When I went to Szczecin in the German Empire on this trip, everyone's feelings were different. At least the two "genuine" Japanese cruiser captains on this westward trip did not have so much brow flutter when they said the word "Volkeng".

"Why are the Germans so troublesome? To be honest, we don't want this cruiser yet. Your county is really troublesome, why are you in such a hurry to pay the money. Is our Chinese Navy really so easy to defeat? You know, your Japanese navy is also working with us. We are now going to Germany. You know, we haven't bought a warship from another country in 15 years. Qiu Ming said to the two Japanese captains who looked no more than 25 years old, and there was a pride in his words - not only because of the victory in the war, but also because the empire realized the "national ship and national construction", and the technology was relatively high.

"The same cannot be said about our former prime minister. Although he was wrong in his judgment, in fact, if we had more warships in Imperial Japan after the war, we would have been able to deter Russia even more. You China don't connect with the surveyor area! The older one, named Yamada Honjo, said. In fact, the generation that experienced the First Sino-Japanese War received an education of "Sino-Japanese friendship, coexistence and common prosperity" after the war, and they also spoke Chinese quite fluently. But it is still very cold for China as the leader of the alliance. There is an idea of "turning China's national strength into my own use, and turning China's technology into a strong capital for my capital". As for these people in the army, there is even more the idea that "China and Russia are both defeated and wounded, and Japan is the hegemon of Asia." It was under the call of this idea that Shan Shan and others came into contact with Germany, wanting to increase their strength just after the end of the war, so as to increase their share of the results of the war, or even dominate the results of the war.

"Hmph, I can't help it. In fact, the ghost idea you fight, the discerning person will know the Tao at a glance. Don't look at our 5,000-year history of China, with 4,000 years of intrigues. Hu Feng said.

"But I can't blame you. Everyone has the idea of being the boss, but this depends on the strength, otherwise any scheming will be in vain. The most hated thing is Germany, which can be handed over to us directly, so why should we be detained. He also said that he would rather abandon his international credibility than trade with China. I don't think Russia will do him any good, there is no need to support Russia, right? Lehi said.

In fact, German investment in the Trans-Siberian Railway has been thrown into the sea. There is no hope at all. Our Yellow River valley cannot be in their pockets. Could it be that His Royal Highness the Kaiser is mad! Besides, there is no need for the Admiralty to send a few of us with you. We can go to Japan to get our stuff after you receive the warship. Qiu Ming seems to have very thick nerves.

"Don't you lieutenant admirals feel it?" Major General Akiyama Shinyuki, who was also standing on the deck and blowing the sea breeze, looked at Qiu Ming and the others and said.

Looking at the fools who were stunned and stunned at this time, Rear Admiral Akiyama shook his head and walked into the 2 Japanese captains and four Chinese colleagues from the other side of the deck, "You don't have to go to Germany so troublesomely. But I think it's also an opportunity to go abroad. It can exercise you, and it can also increase your knowledge. I think the Chinese Navy wants you to have a kind of capital to pave the way for the future. ”

"In the First Sino-Japanese Naval War of that year, our Japanese Empire was defeated. I was puzzled that I used the money I had saved over the years to go to the United States. After some study and investigation in the United States, I looked back and realized that China to the west was no longer just a China that was originally just engaged in Westernization. China after 1890 was not the one we see in Japan, but unfortunately no one in Japan could see it at that time. China has embarked on the path of building its own navy, while Japan is still buying Britain's main warships. Even if our Fuji-class can return home before the war, although it can increase its strength, the gap in national strength is no longer something that the two warships can make up. ”

"During my three years in the United States, I learned a lot, not only in naval construction, but also in strategy. Now that you have been sent to Europe by the Chinese Admiralty, you should take this opportunity to try to observe the growth of the German navy and see the rapid technological updates. It also laid its own foundation for fighting the Germans in the future. The four of you are very lucky. With the eyes of a senior looking at a junior, Major General Akiyama smiled.

"The words of His Excellency the Major General have touched me deeply." Pan Yiqian touched the railing and said, "At present, the great powers are trying in vain to isolate us from the world with an attitude of non-cooperation and non-contact, hoping that we will be marginalized by Western countries. This is stated in the internal journals of the Navy and the Army Department. ”

"Marginalization? At the moment it seems impossible. You must know that in many ways, Western countries have not yet taken the lead in us! We have seaplane carriers, they don't. We already have the "Beiyue" cutting-edge warship, and they only have the British in the rush. Western countries are already lagging behind us again! Qiu Ming shouted with good confidence.

"Right now we're on the frontier of the world, but what about 10 years from now? What about 20 years from now? What about 50 years from now? You know, our policy of closing the country has caused us to be 500 years behind. I think that the first-class nation in East Asia has always been ahead of the world for 2,000 years, and it is precisely in this situation of not touching the changes in the world that it has caused backwardness and led to the Opium War. ”

"Now it's not that we refuse to reach them, and they try to block us. But the resulting situation is the same – the same marginalization. Look at our international students, the great powers have stopped accepting it. Many international students have already returned to their home countries. Many of the students who returned to China in the past two years were rushed back without completing their studies and were awarded their graduation certificates. Marginalization is taking shape. Lehi whispered.

Everyone looked down in contemplation, and for a moment there was silence on the deck, only the black smoke from the chimney showed that the hull was advancing, and the split waves were rolling behind the ship, forming a long turbid wave, and I don't know which short-lived fish were hanged by the propellers.

"Now I can feel the "Theory of Detachment" by Yukichi Fukuzawa of Japan back then, and the world is in the hands of Europeans." Hu Feng let out a long sigh, "The current world is full of colonies and semi-colonies that have been carved up by the great powers, except for my Greater East Asia. How difficult the road ahead is, and it seems that the Germans have no colonies to move their thoughts to us. ”

"Well, the situation in the world is a hot one, and in the turbulent times, it is necessary for all Chinese colleagues and our Japanese Navy to work together to maintain the situation in the Pacific Ocean. The future of Asia lies in the power of our navy. Major General Mayuki Akiyama looked at his men and four Chinese colleagues with satisfaction.

"Hey!"

"It's all sunbathing on deck. No wonder I couldn't find it. Hello, Your Excellency! "A person walked out of the bridge, although he was also in civilian clothes, but the only one who could speak to the major general like this was Colonel Jiang Yu of the Chinese side.

"I was about to talk to you, so you are all here." As a member of the Fifth Bureau of the Navy, although Jiang Yu usually takes a boat, he has not sat for such a long time. In fact, it would take two months to sail out of Singapore, and Jiang Yu was tired of the impermanent Indian Ocean. The wind and waves at sea are not on the same level as in the South China Sea. So now Jiang Yu not only doesn't eat very well, but also doesn't sleep very well, and he also has part of the time to lie down and rest during the day.

"Oh, Your Excellency Jiang Yu, I don't know what you want to tell me?" Wondering, Akiyama said.

"I remember when you studied in the United States, you had a relationship with the famous naval scholar Mahan. It seems that his praise for you is also very high. Jiang Yu said.

"Oh, this. In fact, during my years in the United States, Mahan and Mahan worked on a lot of topics. Of course, there are a lot of different opinions between us. He has always advocated the establishment of a battleship of about 14,000 tons as the main battleship, and opposed the construction of larger battleships. In fact, this idea was opposed by the President of the United States. Roosevelt always wanted to assemble a large fleet of battleships. Soon after I left the United States, there were already writings within the U.S. Navy refuting Mahan. And our ASEAN's 'Beiyue' also proved Mahan's erroneous view during the exercise. ”

"Well, yes, Mahan though he wrote his classic work on sea power. But in fact, he is only a patrol captain, and his opinions on naval construction are very flawed. Looking back now, the adoption of smokeless fires by the navies of various countries and the improvement of shooting techniques inevitably led to the emergence of all battleships equipped with large-caliber guns. Percy Scott in the Royal Navy first increased his shooting accuracy to 80%, and then William S. Sims in the US Navy also used the technical update to increase the Navy's accuracy to this level. Of course, the most convincing is China. I think Lieutenant Colonel Hu Feng is the most qualified to speak. Lehi smiled and looked at his companion in life and death, Hu Feng.

Since he didn't expect this to be said by him, but because about shelling and torpedo hits has always been an aspect he wants to improve. So although the words were sudden, his preparation was not the same as it is now, he already had a million soldiers in his chest, "Looking at our First Sino-Japanese War and this Sino-Russian War, the increase in the hit rate of naval battles is not a little bit. For example, your Japanese 'Sankei Ship'. The hit rate is 0 throughout the war. In the current Sino-Russian war, the hit rate of this large-caliber artillery has reached about 7.9%. In fact, the cruiser, due to the use of many rapid guns of the same caliber, had a hit rate of 80% compared to the British and Americans. ”

"In the previous Sino-American exercises, the hits of our cruisers and destroyers must have surprised the Americans. As a matter of fact, the problem of hit rate, which I have been thinking about for a long time, is being studied by a special research group in the Naval University. The year before last, I was called to participate in the exercise. During this exercise, I think everyone saw the hit rate of the destroyer's torpedo I commanded. Although there is an element of opportunity, this is really rare. Hehe" After talking about the most embarrassing, Hu Feng laughed proudly. It's really rare to have 100% hits without cheating.

Jiang Yu, who didn't know much about Hu Feng's bottom line, lit up. He really didn't expect that the star destroyer in the exercise turned out to be under the command of Hu Feng. But it seems that they are there to make a cameo appearance. Could it be that Hu Feng took away the captain's rights? Hehe, Jiang Yu shook his head.

Looking at Mayuki Akiyama, who is not outstanding in appearance and temperament, when he appeared in an ordinary family in Japan, who would have thought that he was the soul of Japan's naval construction in the new era, and a master of naval strategists in Japan and even Asia. I just wanted to discuss the big white fleet of the United States, but I found that Lieutenant Commander Hu Feng, who was originally lower in rank, was a leading figure in the "navy to improve the hit rate". It is likely that the other few on the side are also masters who have talents but have not been discovered by the Admiralty, or who are not available for positions. It seems that this trip to Germany has really a lot to learn.

Of course, this campaign to increase the accuracy of hits will inevitably lead to the emergence of warships with unified artillery calibers, and many of the original second-class naval guns should now be eliminated. In this respect, we are already ahead of the United States, and the British are not far behind, although they are half a beat slower than us in building the Dreadnought, but I think that the British Great White Fleet will repeat the failure of the trip to Asia. Ha Lu Ha" Hu Feng laughed again.

Due to the boredom of the journey, every time they stopped at a place, added water and coal, Hu Feng and others would go to the city to buy newspapers, books, etc., as their pastime in the boring sea. Of course, although Pan Yiqian also reads newspapers, because he has been doing a research report, he only reads it and does not buy it.

This time, the newspaper I bought in Singapore reported that "the British Prime Minister has invited the Great White Fleet to visit Britain and hopes to conduct naval exercises with it to strengthen the friendship between the two navies." Of course, for those who are so proud that they shout, "Have you ever seen such a fleet on such a day?" The Americans, in fact, are going to be ridiculed again. Although in the early days of the world, all countries in the world admired the heroism of the Americans - the large fleet of 15 battleships, but in fact, after the display of the "Beiyue", the American Great White Fleet has become a "ceramic antique" - beautiful but useless. The British probably also wanted to show the Americans the colors before inviting them to exercise together.

"Hehe, don't underestimate the Americans. In fact, the United States should be the boss of the white people. He has a good military foundation and a super large industrial system. If they want to, then they can catch up with us. Look at what President Roosevelt did when he came to power. Akiyama was clearly terrified of the huge United States, and in fact he was the only one who had in-depth knowledge of the construction of the U.S. Navy, "Before the Spanish-American War, the Americans had only 4 first-class battleships, 2 second-class battleships, and 2 armored cruisers. However, in the past few years since Roosevelt took office, the speed of US naval construction can be said to be unprecedented in the world. Look at this Great White Fleet - 15 battleships. Another one is under construction, and new plans for warships are being approved. In fact, the U.S. Navy wanted to create a two-ocean fleet – a huge fleet of 48 battleships. ”

Although I have some knowledge of the plans of the Americans' battleships, I have also heard of the plans of the 48 battleships. But now it sounds so piercing. Yes, it's only been a few years, and the Americans have already built 12 battleships. At this rate, in another 15 years, the Americans will be able to assemble a fleet so large that the British Empire would be feared.

The Reich, on the other hand, had only 8 warships, 4 new Swiss-class, 2 captured Russian battleships, and 2 built before 1900. Although there is a Yuezi-class, the industrial base of the Americans will soon be able to build such a giant artillery battleship. However, due to the weak economy after the war, the empire's naval strength did not expand commensurately. In the United States, which knows that it is lagging behind, it is still building its own cutting-edge warships for two years. Terrible, terrible!

Maybe 16 years later, the Americans will form a Great White Fleet again, when they say, "Have you ever seen such a fleet on such a day?" There should be no strength to compete in the world. Although the Great White Fleet fell behind on this outing, it proved the determination of the US Navy - a heart of pursuit.

"It seems that if the empire wants to surpass the US Navy, it must strengthen the construction of basic industries, and then it can make efforts in naval construction to catch up with the United States." Lehi looked at the distant sunset.