"I need a ship that can cross the ocean and give protection to my merchant ships." Chen Jianqiu said, "When necessary, it can also assist in landing missions. ”

Armstrong was stunned again.

If he can still understand the caravan escort, what the hell is a landing operation?

Doesn't he mean he's just a businessman? Do you want to open up new colonies?

But as an arms dealer by profession, it's a work ethic to not ask about the privacy and purpose of your customers.

So he kept his mouth shut, and instead introduced his own product.

"Come with me."

He led Chen Jianqiu and the others into a place that looked like a showroom.

There are a variety of exquisite models of warships on display, which appear to be from the shipyard's collection.

Chen Jianqiu stepped through the door and shuttled through the dazzling array of models with Armstrong.

He suddenly wondered if a certain "important minister of the court" had also walked into this room accompanied by Armstrong, and then was caught and fooled.

"Why don't you take a look at the 'Rendal gunboat' designed exclusively by our shipyard?"

Armstrong stopped in front of a few of the smallest ship models.

The ships all looked quite small, but they were all equipped with two cannons that didn't match their size.

He pointed to one of them and said:

"Look at this, Type D 'Rendaul gunboat', displacement 530 tons, speed 12 knots, 1 BL 10-inch (254mm) main gun; 1 BL 6" (152.4mm) Mk I 80-pounder gun; 2 12-pounder guns, and some Nordfield machine guns. ”

Armstrong picked up the model, played with it in his hand, and reported the corresponding data like a treasure.

"We have a finished product in this series, that is, the 'Victoria', which was launched in 84 years and is now in Australia, and has been well received! I think this is a perfect fit for your requirements. ”

Chen Jianqiu glanced at it and shook his head: "It's too small." ”

The model in Armstrong's hand almost fell to the ground.

He began to doubt Chen Jianqiu's purpose for this ship again.

"Mr. Chen, with all due respect, a cruiser with a larger tonnage, we can't sell it to your private here, the government doesn't allow this, not to mention, under normal circumstances, this tonnage is completely sufficient!"

"I mean the firepower is too small." Chen Jianqiu moved his neck.

Armstrong began to scratch his hair.

"Mr. Chen, as we all know, if the cannon is bigger, then the ship needed will also be bigger, which is inevitable."

"I mean, add a little more tonnage, to about a thousand tons, and you don't have to worry about the artillery matter, we can handle it ourselves." Chen Jianqiu said, fiddling with the model of the gunboat.

"You're not going to let us redesign a ship, are you?"

Armstrong's face was ugly.

He thought that this buyer might not be easy to handle, but he didn't think it would be so difficult.

"Your cannon is fixed on the ship, and if you want to fire, you have to adjust the angle of the ship, it's too cumbersome." Chen Jianqiu shook his head as he broke the cannon on the model with his hand.

But the cannon on the model was actually loose.

"Ah, I'm sorry, it turns out that the cannon can be moved" Chen Jianqiu turned the direction of the cannon barrel back to its original position.

Armstrong's face turned the color of pork liver:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chen, it's because the glue isn't sticky."

Chen Jianqiu handed the model back to Armstrong:

"You don't have to worry about money, we have enough money to pay for this ship. All you have to do is listen to what I ask. ”

When Armstrong heard that money wasn't an issue, his attitude returned to his previous form.

He turned his head and said to the designer who was following behind him:

"You take out the notebook and write down Mr. Chen's request."

But before he finished his words, Chen Jianqiu picked up another model of the ship, which made Armstrong's heart tug again inexplicably.

"I said the tonnage just now, it needs to be more than a thousand tons, and the speed is not enough, it should be at least more than 16 knots." Chen Jianqiu began to make his own requests, "The most important thing is that you must leave me enough room for modification." ”

Armstrong froze once again when he heard this, and the designers under him also stopped their pens, and one of them stuffed the notebook back into his clothes.

I talked about it for a long time.

Feelings, you mean that I can prepare a boat rack for you, so why are you still coming to me? Can't you find a merchant ship to toss yourself?

However, Chen Jianqiu seemed to see his thoughts, and laughed at him:

"The ships you build are sturdy, and they are more resistant to beatings than merchant ships!"

Armstrong gave up thinking completely.

But these days, it is a sum of money that can be made in business, and it is a sum of money that can be made.

"Any questions?" Chen Jianqiu asked, as if he were the seller.

"Nope." Armstrong gritted his teeth and replied.

"Then we'll get the deposit this week, and if we start building now, how long will it take?" Chen Jianqiu asked.

"It doesn't take long, the design will take up to three months, and the construction will be completed in about half a year."

Armstrong took a deep breath and said disapprovingly.

It's almost a bare ship, and the drawings of a heavy patrol gunboat or a light ironclad frigate are directly changed, and as for production, it's not a problem, to remove those annoying weapons, it's just a pinch.

Chen Jianqiu nodded with great satisfaction.

"Chen, are you sure you only have enough for a bare boat with them?"

On the way back, Makqin still didn't quite understand Chen Jianqiu's choice.

"If it's a bare ship, how can we escort the gold back then?"

Chen Jianqiu smiled:

"I thought a lot about the specific purpose of this ship on the way, and I'm afraid it's not just as simple as sending gold back."

"So, I'm going to leave enough room for modifications and then do them after I drive them to Mexico, so that I don't give people too much tongue."

"The ship's naval guns, we can go to Krupp for customization and negotiation, in my impression, their naval guns are also very good, no worse than these British."

"But even if that's the case, I'm afraid it won't be too late next year!" Makqin shook his head worriedly.

From the design of the gun, to the production, and finally to the end, it was impossible to complete it in a year and a half.

Chen Jianqiu laughed again:

"You don't have to worry about that."

He looked at the map on the wall in Makqin's office and pointed to that place in the Caribbean:

"What waves these pirates can make, even if I hit them in a boat, I can knock these guys to pieces."