"That's right! The minister often stayed in the office all night to work on papers, and each time he asked us to go first, and then we were alone with the rest of the work, sometimes without a break for several days in a row, and then we got used to it! ”

The words of the Secretary of State were full of respect. The minister appointed by Bonaparte won the unanimous approval of the Admiralty in a very short time.

It is inappropriate for a half-housed Admiralty to be the Minister of the Navy in the relatively closed Admiralty, and it requires both an iron fist and an attitude of leading by example.

Let. Etienne. Theodore. Born into a merchant family in the Bordeaux province, Dico inherited the family business as a shipyard owner in his port city as an adult, amassing a fortune and establishing a certain prestige in the local area during his career as a merchant.

In France, a businessman with prestige would choose a path into politics, and Diecoult seized the opportunity to become a member of the Bordeaux province in the midst of the revolutionary turmoil of 1848 and then entered Paris politics.

As a man with no clear political beliefs, Dicko first joined the Republicans, then turned to the Party of Order after June, and then to Jérôme. After Bonaparte was elected President of the Republic, he decisively pressed Jérôme. Bonaparte, he believed that with the connections of the Bonaparte family, as long as Bonaparte did not make a decisive mistake, then it would be very stable.

Of course, it was the boycott last October that really decided that Diko became a minister. Bonaparte deposed Odilon with decisiveness. After the Barrow cabinet members, Jérôme was struggling with the lack of qualified Admiralty Minister. Bonaparte began to look for a candidate from within Bonaparte who could replace the Admiralty's idea, and Congressman Dico's identity as the ship's owner was replaced by Jérôme. Bonaparte was elected, and he was used as a transitional period and rose to prominence to become Minister of the Navy.

"Didn't you ever complain that the Minister of the Navy I chose for you wasn't from your system?" Jérôme. Bonaparte, together with the Secretary of State of the Admiralty, sat on a navy-exclusive sky-blue upholstered sofa and asked with interest.

The state secretary smiled and did not speak, Jérôme. Seeing this, Bonaparte encouraged: "Don't worry! I'm not going to tell you ministers, and I'm not going to trouble you! I just want to find out! ”

He then made another vow: "I pledge in the name of the Bonapartes!" ”

At the end of the aristocracy of the 19th century, it was also a strict oath to take the name of the family, especially for a family as "prestigious" (not in the eyes of the royal family) as the Bonapartes.

"Actually...... There's nothing you can't say! After a moment's hesitation, the Secretary of State reorganized his language and said, "We did have some doubts in our minds when you gave the order for Secretary Dick to be the head of our navy. Some believe that the republic abandoned the Navy, and some work began to drag on!

At the beginning of his tenure, he set an example and asked us to keep pace with his work, and the whole department was running at a high speed under his leadership, even the previous minister did not act as vigorously as he did. ”

"Are you feeling tired?" Jérôme. Bonaparte then asked.

The secretary of state nodded and replied, "I did feel tired at first, but as time went on, I was able to strengthen the pace of the minister. ”

Immediately, after a pause, the Secretary of State looked at Jérôme with keen eyes. Bonaparte said: "Before he took office, the minister told us that France should not only build a world-class army, but also build a navy that is on a par with the army, so as to ensure the interests of France and maintain peace in the French region, which is our mission!" ”

"That's right!" Jérôme. Bonaparte couldn't help but rely on Dico a little more in his heart: "We must build a global navy, so that it can be more conducive to France to protect our own interests!" That's why I'm here today! ”

Right here in Jérôme. As Bonaparte whispered, there was movement from the desk in the minister's office. Bonaparte, along with the secretary of state, turned his gaze to the desk in the minister's office.

Dick was waking up from his slumber and yawned and stretched.

When he got up from his chair, he suddenly realized that the people sitting on the couch were none other than the president and his secretary of state.

"Presidential !!" Minister Diko looked at the president who appeared in his office with his mouth open in surprise.

"Good morning, Minister Dico!" Jérôme. Bonaparte greeted Dico with a kind expression.

Seeing this, Minister Diko hurried to Jérôme. Next to Bonaparte: "When did you come over!" ”

Jérôme. Bonaparte took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time, and it was already about 8:30.

"About half an hour ago!"

"Why didn't Your Excellency the President wake me up when you came in?" A hint of anger appeared on Dico's tough face, and he angrily scolded the secretary of state. Bonaparte was elected an outsider.

"I'm not going to let him wake you up!" Jérôme. Seeing this, Bonaparte hurriedly relieved the siege, he patted Dico's shoulder and said earnestly: "Minister Dico, the affairs of the Admiralty are indeed important, but the body is also very important!" ”

"Your Excellency, I'm fine!" Dickor had a flattering expression on his slightly puffy face.

"Minister Dico, you have to serve the government for a long time! You can't afford to be sloppy with your health! "Jérôme. Bonaparte said with a straight face to Dico.

"I see!" Dick understood that this was the president's concern for him, which the average person would not have at all.

"Minister Dico, there is still a long way to go, don't rush it!" Jérôme. Bonaparte's tone softened.

"Yes!" Secretary Dicko very decisively admitted his "mistake", and then changed the conversation and asked: "Your Excellency, why didn't you come to the Admiralty in advance, we are so prepared!" ”

"If you had notified in advance, I'm afraid you wouldn't have seen this scene!" Jérôme. Bonaparte said to Dick in a mocking tone.

Seeing this, the Secretary of State also left the Office of the Secretary of the Navy with interest.

After all, the president is here to meet with the minister, and he is only a secretary of state.

After the departure of the Secretary of State, Jérôme. Bonaparte invited Dico to sit down and asked, "How does it feel to be a minister?" Did you encounter any difficulties? ”

"Your Excellency, the Admiralty is united, and we have acted in accordance with the President's instructions without encountering any difficulties!" Minister Diko immediately sent a letter to Jérôme. Bonaparte stated.

"I know!" Jérôme. Bonaparte nodded.

After the two chatted for a while, Jérôme. Bonaparte gradually extended the topic to the construction of the navy and the escort of warships.

"If we have a 100,000-strong force to land in the Near East, can the naval escort formation support it as soon as possible?" Jérôme. Bonaparte tactfully asked Minister Dicoeur for his views on supplies in the Near East.

"Mr. President, my opinion is that it is entirely possible for the Navy to complete the escort mission, and I have confidence in our fleet!" Diko first expressed his unswerving position, and then revealed his hidden worries: "In terms of supply, it may be difficult for the existing ships of the Navy to complete this operation!" ”

"How much additional budget do I need?" Jérôme. Bonaparte asked Dico directly.

"It's not a budget issue!" Dick thought for a few seconds before turning to Jérôme. Bonaparte said: "I personally think that the Navy may not be able to handle the transport ships in the later stages of the war, and we should appropriately allocate a part of the transportation to the civilian sector!" At this point, I think the Admiralty should have a body that can coordinate with civilian vessels! ”

In order to prevent Jérôme. Bonaparte's suspicions, Dick tried to speak tactfully.

"You mean to coordinate the mobilization of civilian ships to complete the supply mission in wartime?" Jérôme. Bonaparte said to Minister Dico.

"That's right!" Diko nodded to Jérôme. Bonaparte explained: "This saves unnecessary expenses and stimulates the French economy." ”

"This question, you try to do it first! If you have any questions, you can report them to me at any time! "Jérôme. Bonaparte went on to say to Dico: "Is there any more problem? ”

"We don't need enough iron for our ships...... "Minister Diko told Jérôme. Bonaparte gave the request.

"Iron?" Jérôme. Bonaparte suddenly remembered that the reason why he came here was not to understand the problem of ironclads: "By the way, I heard that you have studied a new type of warship!" I don't know, the news is true! ”

Minister Diko looked surprised, as if to say how do you know, President, and he nodded in acknowledgment of Jérôme. Bonaparte's statement: "That's right! We plan to build a fleet of iron-clad fleets in batches, which can effectively defend against enemy shore defense artillery, and at the same time, can be effectively defended in close combat. ”

With that, Minister Diko placed a stack of documents in his office in Jerome. Bonaparte faced, with a proud expression on his face, said: "This is the fleet drawing of our latest model!" ”

Jérôme. Bonaparte picked up the first sheet and looked at it, and the drawings were marked with a large number of Latin numerals, each with a corresponding name written in French in the lower right corner.

Judging by the style, it should be a type of small gunboat.

Jérôme. Bonaparte pointed to the gunboat on the drawing and asked Dico, "Has the thing on the drawing been tested?" ”

"There is no ...... yet," said Minister Diko to Jérôme. Bonaparte replied.

"Not tested...... Not tested ...... "Jérôme. Bonaparte muttered quietly as he flipped through the contents of the information.

Minister Diko looked at Jérôme with apprehension. Bonaparte was afraid that the president would accidentally veto what he had painstakingly worked out.

When Jérôme. Bonaparte looked at the gun emplacements of the gunboats. Jérôme. Bonaparte suddenly found that even the ironclad ship in front of him was a semi-finished product, and she still used the all-through artillery deck of the first half of the 19th century, and the multi-layer artillery was indeed conducive to the output of firepower, but it led to a great reduction in the combat effectiveness of the ironclad ship.

Jérôme of half an ironclad enthusiast. Bonaparte pointed to the main guns arranged on both sides of the drawing, and suggested to Dico: "Mr. Minister, can you make some adjustments to the position of the main guns, and move them to the center of the battleship!" In this way, we will be able to strengthen the defense of the fleet as much as possible and increase the survivability of our fleet. ”

Jérôme. The method used by Bonaparte was none other than that of the later English designer Edward. The central gun emplacements method used by Reed.

Minister Dick seemed to be a little tempted to increase the survival rate of the fleet, but he also said with some concern: "It may cost us firepower!" ”

"Firepower does not depend on the number of naval guns!" Jérôme. Friction explained to Dicko, "Besides, every good Navy member is an indispensable resource, and I'd rather sacrifice some firepower than increase their chances of going home!" ”

Ten years of army, 100 years of navy, every maritime power needs a lot of accumulation.

The ship has nothing to rebuild, and the crew may collapse without a legacy.

Jérôme. Bonaparte understood too well the pain of having ships and no one without people, and the United States, the first industrial power of the later generation, still had a miserable artillery hit rate in the early stage when it had a large fleet.

Had it not been for Britain's help and policies, the United States would not have become a true naval power in a short period of time.

Jérôme. Bonaparte's "concern" for the naval staff was so warm that he believed that the president was indeed as willing to work for the construction of the French navy as he was.

"I also have to work the choice of the steam engine! Every fleet must be the pride of France! "Jérôme. Bonaparte then ordered.

"Yes!" Minister Dico responded.

"You have to take a step forward, and after the success of the experiment, a gunboat like this will be expanded! The main fleet of the French fleet can be replaced by this! "Jérôme. Bonaparte continued to encourage the Admiralty: "If you lack something, tell me ......"

"Actually, there are some small problems!" The head of the 3G Section must be Jérôme. Bonaparte said.

"What's the problem?" Jérôme. Bonaparte asked Dico.

Dick told Jérôme about the lack of skilled workers in the shipyard. When Bonaparte heard this, Jérôme Bonaparte immediately said that he would definitely send a group of workers to work in the shipyard.

"Yes, President!" Minister Diko to Jérôme. Bonaparte responded.

After encouraging Minister Diko, Jérôme. Bonaparte pleaded with Minister Dico: "Mr. Minister, I have something to trouble you! ”

"Speak!" Secretary Dico said humbly, knowing that this was nothing more than a polite remark from the President.

Jérôme. Bonaparte told him about the Marquis d'Alai and told him all about the navy.

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