After the basic provisions for aircraft carriers were finalized, negotiations on the Tessie Naval Treaty were slightly suspended for two days.

Two days later, the meeting was reconvened and Talleyrand, as the presiding officer, spoke first:

"The main agenda of today's meeting is to determine the specific specifications of the cruiser.

"In accordance with the previously determined specifications of capital ships, armored cruisers have been included in the category of capital ships.

"Battleships with a full load displacement of more than 10,000 tons and a caliber of more than 160 mm of main guns should be considered capital ships.

"Then the standard ceiling of the cruiser stipulated in our treaty is, naturally, no more than 10,000 tons of full load displacement, and no more than 160 mm of main gun caliber.

"Now the question is where the lower limit of the cruiser should be set, and how it should be distinguished from the destroyer of the lower rank.

"Let me first talk about what we have learned about the situation in Daming, which can be used as a reference target for us to formulate standards.

"The ship system of the Ming Navy has undergone tremendous changes in the past seven years.

"The tonnage of the new high-speed cruiser, which was born at the same time as the brand-new high-speed battleship, has exceeded 15,000 tons, which has actually reached the standard of traditional capital ships, and traditional armored cruisers cannot reach this level.

"These new cruisers were all capable of speeding at more than thirty knots, but they were equipped with only one hundred and sixty mm guns.

"The actual tasks of these ships in the Ming naval system should be close to the five or six thousand tons of sub-cruisers in the traditional navy, and they are just ordinary 'cruisers' in the Ming Dynasty.

"Then there is the new destroyer, which the Ming calls a 'high-speed destroyer', with a full load displacement of more than three thousand tons, and is likely to approach four thousand tons, which is obviously the level of a cruiser in the navies of our Europa countries.

"These high-speed destroyers are similar to high-class cruisers in the Ming Dynasty, and their speeds have all reached thirty knots, and they can fight with the main fleet, but none of the main guns are more than one hundred and twenty millimeters.

"Finally, the new escort destroyer of the Ming Dynasty is a small ship with a displacement of less than 2,000 tons, a speed of less than 25 knots, and a main gun caliber of less than 100 millimeters, usually used for patrol escort missions, referred to as escort ships or frigates.

"In the traditional naval ship system, the tonnage of destroyers is usually only about 1,000 tons......

"The navies of our Europa countries are building their own naval systems with reference to Daming's new ship system, but the situation in Europa countries is very different from Daming, and we should not blindly copy it.

"To put it bluntly, we don't have the ability to use a 15,000-ton ship as an ordinary cruiser, and we don't have the ability to use a 3,500-ton ship as a destroyer.

"Therefore, I still suggest that we continue to refer to our previous plan for dealing with capital ships, and list high-speed destroyers in the Ming sense as our cruisers.

"That is, combat ships with a full load displacement of 2,000 to 10,000 tons and a caliber of 120 to 160 mm of main guns are included in the category of cruisers.

"Small ships with a full load displacement of no more than two thousand tons and a caliber of main guns of no more than one hundred and twenty millimeters are defined as our naval treaty destroyers.

"Ships used for patrol escorts, which differ too little from destroyers, are merged into the category of treaty destroyers.

"If you don't have any opinions, let's use this standard as a premise to discuss the total tonnage standard of the cruiser."

After Talleyrand finished speaking, he looked at the other delegates and waited for their reactions.

After hearing this, the delegates did not speak immediately, but each muttered to his companions.

Most of the delegates didn't think there was anything wrong with the specification.

Talleyrand put it bluntly, seven years ago, traditional destroyers were only about 1,000 tons, traditional cruisers were usually only 2,000 to 6,000 tons, and armored cruisers may not be able to exceed 10,000 tons.

In fact, during the World War, Britain's largest capital ship, with a tonnage of just over fifteen thousand tons, was just over 15,000 tons.

After the war, the ship level of the Ming Navy expanded rapidly, directly opening a large level with the traditional navy.

Now ships of 15,000 tons are just conventional cruisers, and ships of less than 4,000 tons are considered destroyers.

Although all the countries of Taixi are learning from the Ming Dynasty, they have no way to counter on this kind of issue.

Otherwise, the proposal to include armored cruisers in the category of capital ships would not have been so easy to pass.

The actual effect of this proposal is to put the "heavy cruisers" that have not yet appeared in the world directly into the capital ships from the official definition.

In the original history, among the countries that were not the strongest navies, heavy cruisers were regarded as secondary capital ships.

Now they may no longer have the title "heavy cruisers", but they have received a more formal status.

If a country is willing to build a ship of this class, there will be no historical restrictions.

The range from a caliber of 10,000 tons with a full load displacement of 160 mm upwards to a full load displacement of 40,000 tons and an artillery caliber of 360 mm can be fully defined.

It's just that as long as they are seasoned admirals and engineers, they will gradually discover the existence of "medium-sized ship traps".

It is conceivable that the final choice of the vast majority of naval countries should be to build high-speed battleships at the top level, rather than to engage in "large, advanced, and heavy" cruisers.

Originally, the "heavy cruisers" in history were actually products with the limitations of the times that were spawned by naval treaties.

At present, the new proposal put forward by the French in the light of this premise has not met with any objection, and the representatives of various countries have expressed one after another that they can accept such a premise for discussion.

There must be a premise for it to be discussed.

Talleyrand confirmed the views of all the delegates in turn, announcing that the criteria would be refined and included in the official text of the treaty, before moving on to the next step:

"Based on the current situation and the standards we have formulated, our original armored cruisers, as well as the new high-speed advanced cruisers that may be designed and built with reference to the Ming Dynasty, are included in the category of capital ships, occupying the tonnage of capital ships.

"At the same time, aircraft carriers, which were supposed to belong to the category of cruisers, were also separately allocated a share of dedicated tonnage.

"So the tonnage of our cruisers should be limited enough in relation to the actual situation.

"My proposal is that the total tonnage of cruisers of all countries should not exceed 80,000 tons."

Now that the specific amount is discussed, Talleyrand's words will not receive so much approval.

Lucia's Wedemeyer spoke out almost without hesitation:

"I don't say the purpose of including armored cruisers and advanced cruisers in the capital ships, and everyone understands it in their hearts.

"Maybe there will be countries that will build new large cruisers with the tonnage of capital ships, but we Lucia will not do it.

"The vast majority of our Lucia's share of 320,000-ton capital ships is only new high-speed battleships.

"So in our opinion, the tonnage of the cruiser specified in the treaty should meet our real needs.

"We demand at least 240,000 tons of special tonnage share for cruisers."

Prussia's Hardenberg hesitated for a few seconds, then agreed:

"The tonnage of our capital ships will also be used normally for the construction of capital ships, so we also support the relaxation of the cruiser tonnage limit to 240,000 tons."

The Prussians agreed with Lucia's opinion, but the Lucians were not at all happy.

The approval in this case does not at all indicate how good the relationship between the Prussians and the Lucians is, but rather shows that the Prussians regard the Lucians as potential competitors that should be actively targeted.

If you build a 320,000-ton capital ship, I will build a 320,000-ton capital ship, and if you want a 240,000-ton cruiser, I will also build a 240,000-ton cruiser, and I can't discount any of them.

I'll follow you whatever you do!

So Lucia's Wedemeyer heard the voice of Hardenberg in Prussia, and subconsciously frowned and looked over.

Hardenberg replied with a very polite faint smile, as if to say "no need to thank me for my support".

Talleyrand frowned and glanced at the British and the Spaniards, wondering if you had come out to say a few words.

The situation of the French and the English and Spaniards was similar to that of Prussia and Lucia.

Both are actually in a relationship that may be competitors, but tend to agree with each other in terms of the goals of the negotiation.

So although Grenville in England was uncomfortable, he still cooperated after receiving Talleyrand's eyes:

"The tonnage of the new generation of high-speed battleships has generally reached the level of 40,000 tons, which has opened a huge gap with cruisers and other escort ships.

"Therefore, the tonnage ratio of the new cruiser to the capital ship cannot refer to the traditional ratio of the capital ship to the escort ship.

"Twenty-four thousand tons of cruisers, plus 80,000 tons of aircraft carriers, has already exceeded the three hundred thousand tons of capital ships.

"This is clearly beyond the actual needs of a normal navy.

"Let me just say that, if you Lucians really built an ordinary cruiser with a total of 240,000 tons, you would not be able to play their actual role at all.

"After all, you Lucians don't have large, complex, scattered colonies like the Ming Dynasty.

"The limit of 240,000 tons, placed in the current navy, is equivalent to no limit.

"According to our experience, after removing the high-class cruisers, compared with the 320,000-ton capital ships, the total tonnage of an ordinary cruiser can be 100,000 tons.

"Even we, the United Kingdom, which has three colonies in South Tianzhu, Southwest Mexico, and the United States, think that a total of 100,000 tons of cruisers is enough.

"So we in Britain propose to limit the total tonnage of cruisers to 100,000 tons."

In fact, for Britain, a 100,000-ton cruiser, of course, was enough.

But Grenville knew that it was the stage of bargaining, and he either shouted 100,000 tons or 100,000 tons.

The Lucians must continue to shout.

I and the French will make some concessions in the future, and finally set the data in the range of 150,000 or 60,000.

Coupled with the fact that Britain already intends to build cruisers with a part of the tonnage of capital ships, such a share is almost just right.

However, the superiority of the traditional naval state implied in Grenville's words made the Lucians a little unhappy.

Wademeyer did not shy away from it, and from another angle he replied from the mockery very bluntly:

"The standard for a cruiser is 10,000 tons, and the share of 100,000 tons is only ten.

"The standard for high-speed battleships is 40,000 tons, and our share of 320,000 tons of capital ships can already build eight.

"In addition, there are 84,000-ton aircraft carriers, and a single ship of 28,000 tons is already considered a capital ship.

"So eleven capital ships with ten cruisers, is this how you British naval experience is matched with fleets?

"According to the advice of the Ming craftsmen, for us Lucia, a 100,000-ton cruiser is definitely not enough.

"You British...... It's not that you don't need a 240,000-ton cruiser, but you can't, right? ”

This is very straightforward, it is simply impossible to match a 320,000-ton capital ship with a 100,000-ton cruiser.

A 40,000-ton capital ship, with a 10,000-ton cruiser, plus two or three destroyers of less than 2,000 tons?

I'm afraid no admiral will be able to match his fleet like this.

The British, of course, were not going to match the fleet like this, because the British intended to build cruisers with the tonnage of capital ships.

But this kind of thing is tacit, and even if you say it, you will be ashamed, so you can only hold it in your heart and feel uncomfortable.

Grenville's expression was a little ugly, and he was uncomfortable without money and resources to negotiate.

If Britain is in a good state, if there is no Yinzhou War, Britain should be able to build a navy like the Lucians, right?

How should I answer it now? It's impossible to tell the truth, no matter how you say it, it's ugly.

Grenville once again felt that the prime minister was so tired that he might as well resign and retire.

I am fifty-three years old, and it is time to retire.

The French and Spaniards, of course, wanted to see the British deflated.

But now the three countries can be regarded as on the same front in negotiations.

When Grenville was scolded by the Lucians, Manuel, the representative of Spain, picked up the conversation:

"100,000 tons may be a bit less, but your 240,000 tons are really not used up, and it is really equivalent to no limit.

"So the standard of a twenty-four thousand ton cruiser is impossible.

"Our suggestion is to relax it to 160,000 tons at most."

Manuel took the initiative to back down, and by a large margin.

Then the French and the British immediately looked at this Spaniard, and the meaning in their eyes seemed to say, are you Spaniards rich in hand?

Then the representatives of the two countries realized that Spain might really be in a better position than their own.

Spain's consumption in the years of suppressing bandits in Mexico should not be as good as the war between its two countries in Northern Yinzhou.

Moreover, when Spain ceded the colonies of Nanyinzhou, it took a large number of people and money with them.

The trade of reselling Mexican slaves from Nanyin to America also made a fortune for the Spaniards.

However, Manuel's concession was a concession by the Spaniards themselves, and could not represent Britain and France.

Britain and France can now stand up against Manuel's proposal.

But Grenville, tired and a little reluctant to interject, finally did not say anything.

But Talleyrand couldn't help but speak:

"160,000 tons is a bit much...... Our French idea is no more than 120,000 tons ......"

As soon as Talleyrand's voice fell, Metternich of Austria suddenly spoke:

"We don't really need to waste too much time and energy in this place.

"After the tonnage of the capital ship is determined, what is the reasonable tonnage of the cruiser, in fact, everyone understands in their hearts.

"Considering the total tonnage of capital ships and aircraft carrier carriers, 200,000 tons should be a more suitable total tonnage of cruisers.

"Countries that do not need so many cruisers, or who are ready to compensate for the tonnage of cruisers by other means, do not think about demanding that countries that have real needs give up reasonable needs.

"Countries with real needs should also consider the actual situation and international relations, and not put themselves in the opposite position of most countries and being jointly guarded.

"So let's all take a step back, don't shout anything about 120,000 tons, don't shout anything about 240,000 tons, just set it according to a theoretically reasonable standard."

(End of chapter)