African Nationhood

Chapter 436 Patrol Class Submarine

May 1905, 5, Map Port.

Navy Commander Xue Youfu brought a team of naval soldiers to the Nanhua Shipyard to receive their new ships and also conduct trial sea trials of the new ships.

Zheng Tingxiang greeted him with a smile on his face. Xue Youfu chatted with his old classmate for a while, and then they entered the dock.

A submarine, which is 58 meters long, 3.8 meters wide and 6 meters high, is moored at the shipyard berth and is dark and shaped like a cigar.

This ship is the first ship of the "Guanghai-class" submarine and is named "Guihai Yaksha".

Xue Youfu and his party stood on the shore and listened to Zheng Tingxiang's introduction of submarine data.

"This submarine has an underwater displacement of 495 tons and uses a double-layer hull. The inner hull is a steel pressure-resistant hull to ensure that the submarine can withstand the hydrostatic pressure corresponding to the depth when moving underwater.

The outer shell is a non-pressure-resistant steel hull that does not bear seawater pressure. Between the inner shell and the outer shell are equipment such as the main ballast water tank and fuel tank.

这台潜艇装备了2台900马力的强劲柴油机和1台300马力的蓄电池式电动机，水面航速10.6节，水下航速4.6节，续航力3500公里。

Especially with the invention of the internal combustion engine, various countries began to research on gasoline engines. Experiments proved that it is completely feasible for gasoline engines to become the power source of submarines. Therefore, many countries have adopted gasoline engines as the main power source of submarines.

Based on this latest submarine, the General Armament Department of the National Defense Commission reported an improved design drawing.

There are two disadvantages of high-pressure oxygen bottles. One is that they are inconvenient to transport, and the other is that they are prone to rupture when the air pressure in the inner and outer chambers changes.

……

After Chairman Shi saw it, he proposed to experiment with the design of the "snorkel" on this submarine to ensure that the diesel engine can work when the submarine is sailing underwater.

As for the internal breathing problem when the submarine dives, the designers of the General Equipment Department can only provide one solution, which is high-pressure oxygen bottles.

……

During the East-Russian War, the Russian Navy used the "Dolphin" submarine they designed in actual combat. However, the submarine exploded due to gasoline volatilization, causing the ship to sink.

The designers of the General Armament Department were very obedient and installed a thick snorkel on the submarine. They did not realize the importance of this device and just habitually obeyed Chairman Shi's orders.

At the same time, the power was replaced by the high-power diesel engine recently developed by Nanhua. Generally speaking, it is OK.

The weapons carried by this submarine have also been greatly enhanced. The number of torpedoes has been increased to 8, which are placed in 4 457mm torpedo launch tubes and 4 external pylons in the bow. "

While the range is greatly increased, it can also carry 34 officers and soldiers.

The snorkel helps the submarine's diesel engine operate properly while sailing underwater.

France, Britain and the United States have also begun the development of submarines, but gasoline engines also have disadvantages.

Submarines have been experiencing slow development since Leonardo da Vinci proposed the concept. In the 19th century, the development of submarines became more and more in line with actual combat needs.

……

The gasoline engine internal combustion engine cannot solve the problem of gasoline volatility, which has caused the development of submarines to stagnate.

In this way, the diesel engine can both power the submarine and charge the battery, greatly increasing the submarine's endurance.

Since Nanhua has been holding on to the invention patent of the diesel engine and has not released it, no major maritime country in the world has found a power source to replace the gasoline engine.

This design drawing is simply modified based on the British one, widening and lengthening it.

In 1904, the South China Kingdom obtained the research and development results of British submarines during negotiations with the British, and obtained a "Holland VI" submarine from them.

After reading the report, Chairman Shi ordered the General Equipment Office to find a way to develop a device that can continuously produce oxygen: the direction given was an "oxygen hair growth plate" or an "oxygen candle."

Of these two solutions, the "oxygen candle" is the easier to solve.

In chemistry, "candles" made by catalytically decomposing sodium chlorate can be used, which are particularly suitable as starting devices for chemical oxygen self-rescuers.

The main component of oxygen candles is sodium chlorate, which can decompose to produce oxygen and chlorine when heated to 300 degrees Celsius.

The by-product chlorine in these reactions can react with active barium peroxide and other substances and be absorbed to produce oxygen again. Theoretically, an "oxygen candle" can allow 40 people to breathe for one hour. Because it generates high temperatures, the oxygen candle also has a lighting effect.

As for the "oxygen regeneration board", it requires long-term research, but with the guidance of Chairman Shi, the General Equipment Office has a research and development direction, and their research and development work has taken shortcuts.

……

After listening to Zheng Tingxiang's introduction, Xue Youfu nodded excitedly, "Thank you very much, Lao Zheng."

Zheng Tingxiang chuckled: "Don't be in a hurry to thank me. We are crossing the river by feeling the stones. We still need to experiment with the performance of this submarine.

Now your men can board the boat and try it out. "

Xue Youfu nodded, turned behind him, and shouted to the young soldier with the rank of second lieutenant: "Lan Rulong."

Lan Rulong is twenty years old this year and belongs to the Nanhua generation. He was a gunboat captain before and was tempered in the Mapu Defense War.

Last year, I went to the British Naval Academy with more than 20 petty officers for a year of further training and learned professional submarine driving.

In this trial mission, after fierce competition among more than 20 non-commissioned officers, Lan Rulong finally stood out.

His soldiers have also received special training in submarine driving. They have all boarded Holland's latest submarine obtained from the British.

Lan Rulong took a step forward, gave a formal military salute, and said loudly: "Arrived!"

"Now I am ordering you to lead your soldiers aboard the 'Yaksha' to participate in the trial mission. Do you have the confidence?"

Lan Rulong immediately stood up and replied loudly together with more than 30 naval soldiers behind him: "Please rest assured, Commander, our platoon guarantees to complete the mission!"

Xue Youfu continued to ask: "This trial voyage is very dangerous, are you afraid?"

Lan Rulong and the soldiers behind him continued to reply loudly: "Don't be afraid, we are not afraid!"

Xue Youfu nodded, then gave a military salute to these soldiers, and then said loudly: "Get aboard!"

As the order was issued, Lan Rulong entered the submarine first, and subsequent soldiers entered the submarine one after another.

……

The "Guihai Yaksha" submarine is equipped with radio communication devices just like the ships of the South China Navy.

Therefore, after Lan Rulong and others entered the submarine and closed the hatch, they could also communicate with the shipyard command room.

Since the shipyard has already conducted equalization experiments on the submarine, the trial team does not need to repeat the operation.

Platoon deputy Huang Qi walked up to Lan Rulong and reported loudly: "Report to the platoon leader, we are already in place."

Lan Rulong nodded, "The correspondent reported to the command room, we are ready."

The correspondent nodded, "Yes."

After a while, the correspondent reported: "The command room ordered us to start the trial mission."

Lan Rulong nodded, walked to the loudspeaker, and loudly gave the order to the loudspeaker: "Sail!"

As the order was issued, the main engine of the "Xuuhai Yaksha" was ignited. After the huge noise and vibration, the "Xuuhai Yaksha" started from the shipyard berth and soon left the shipyard waters.

After Lan Rulong drove the submarine to the waters of Mapu Bay, he ordered the correspondent to telegraph the command room without delay that they were going to start a dive trial.

The shipyard command room immediately contacted the port management office. After confirming that there were no ships entering the deep channel at the entrance of the bay, Commander Xue Youfu in the shipyard command room nodded: "Agree for them to dive!"

After receiving the order, Lan Rulong loudly ordered: "The first dive experiment of the 'Guilin Yasha' has officially begun. Start diving now!"

Soon the hull of the floating "Xunhai Yasha" gradually dived, and soon disappeared.

There are only two devices left on the sea, one is the periscope and the other is the snorkel.

(End of this chapter)