The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 847 The future belongs to battleships!
The Pacific Ocean breeze whistled across the deck, and the flagship of the Warsaw Pact Fleet, the Xi'an, broke through the waves, its bow splitting the deep blue water and stirring up white waves. This ironclad ship with a displacement of more than 5600 tons was the latest type of ironclad ship of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Navy. Although it could not compare with the most powerful and latest British ironclad ships in terms of tonnage, armor, and gun caliber, it had design ideas that transcended the times, such as the rotating twin-mounted turrets arranged on the central axis, the cancellation of sails, and the setting of key protections.
In the officer's room of the Xi'an, Luo Yaoguo sat at the end of a long table with a world map spread out in front of him.

Ding Ruchang, Zhou Wenjia, Fan Ruzeng, Huang Chengzhong, Ji Qingyuan and other first-generation naval commanders of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom sat on both sides, while Zheng Yongning, the admiral of the Korean-Japanese Combined Fleet, sat on Luo Yaoguo's right, with a respectful look on his face. Gao Zi, the successor of the chief priest of the Shinyo Shrine, stood behind Luo Yaoguo, seemingly acting as the little maid of this "Angel".

"Everyone," Luo Yaoguo looked around at everyone, his voice steady and powerful, "In the future world war, the navy will decide the outcome. Today, please speak freely and tell us what the decisive battle fleet in your mind should look like?"

Ding Ruchang was the first to speak. The admiral of the Pacific Fleet nodded respectfully to Luo Yaoguo and said, "Your Highness, in my opinion, a 200-ton ironclad ship is the weapon for winning the ocean! With thick armor and fierce firepower, one ship is enough to scare the enemy!" He pointed to the position of the British fleet marked on the nautical chart and said, "We should concentrate our resources to build larger ironclad ships with a standard displacement of at least tons and a main gun caliber of more than mm! Let those British see who really rules the Pacific!"

Fan Ruzeng immediately nodded in agreement. The admiral of the Pacific Fleet's ironclad division said excitedly: "Ironclad ships are king! Although our 'Xi'an' is powerful, it is still far behind the British 'Warrior' class. If we can cooperate with France and build a 10,000-ton giant ship within ten years, we will be able to sweep across the Pacific!" He turned to Luo Yaoguo, "Your Highness, I suggest that the 'Giant Ship Project' be launched immediately, and large docks be built in Shanghai and Guangzhou at the same time."

Zheng Yongning frowned slightly. The Japanese naval commander said softly, "Your Highness, although ironclad ships are powerful, they are expensive and take a long time to build. If the enemy harasses our routes with fast cruisers, the 10,000-ton ship may not be able to respond in time." He paused and added cautiously, "The cost of a 10,000-ton ironclad ship is enough to build several fast cruisers."

It's not surprising that he has this idea. To put it bluntly, the current Asahi Heavenly Kingdom is still a poor imperialist country. Its industrial strength is not even as good as the Twelve States Alliance in the western United States. They are rich after all! Gold, silver, brass, saltpeter, oil... everything! Moreover, the land is vast and sparsely populated, so there is plenty of land for farming, and they can export a lot of wheat to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Asahi Heavenly Kingdom every year.

However, Zheng Yongning's view also had supporters in the Heavenly Kingdom Navy. Admiral Huang Chengzhong of the Pacific Fleet Cruiser Division immediately responded: "Admiral Zheng is right! Speed ​​is the key to future naval battles! I advocate the construction of 4000-ton cruisers, equipped with 150mm rapid-fire guns, with a speed of at least 18 knots, specifically targeting enemy merchant ships and supply lines!" He waved the report in his hand, "According to our calculations, such a cruiser fleet can paralyze the sea transportation lines between India and Australia within three months!"

Zheng Yongning took a deep breath. 4000 tons, speed 18 knots! The cost of this kind of cruiser is not cheaper than that of an ironclad ship!
Zhou Wenjia pondered for a moment. The Taiping Fleet Chief of Staff pushed his glasses and said, "Ironclad ships and cruisers have their own strengths, but when it comes to decisive battles in the ocean, ironclad ships are still better." He opened his notebook and said, "But Admiral Zheng's concerns are reasonable. I suggest adopting a 'dual-track' development strategy."

Zheng Yongning must be very sad! If they want to build the Kingdom of the Morning Sun, it will be even more difficult to play!

Luo Yaoguo listened to the debate, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised. He tapped the table lightly, and the officers' room suddenly became quiet. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the decision of the actual ruler of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

"Everyone, what you said is right, but not entirely right." Luo Yaoguo stood up, walked to the nautical chart, and gently ran his finger across the Pacific Ocean. "The ocean of the future will belong neither to 10,000-ton ironclad ships nor to fast cruisers."

Everyone was stunned, looked at each other, and then looked at him.

"I'm not saying that these two types of ships are not needed, but the future overlords of the sea will be battleships!"

Zheng Yongning frowned: "Battleship? Your Majesty is not talking about a sailing battleship, right?"

Luo Yaoguo shook his head: "Of course not, it's an armored battleship." He picked up a pencil and a piece of white paper, and then quickly sketched the outline of a giant ship on it: "Displacement of more than 1.5 tons, 8 240mm barreled rapid-fire guns, 2 horsepower, maximum speed of more than 15 knots, with key protective steel armor"

The officer's room was completely silent, with only the sound of the sea breeze hitting the portholes. Everyone was shocked by this bold idea.

Ding Ruchang's eyes widened, his voice trembling a little: "Your Highness, this... this is bigger than the British 'Warrior' class! This is simply..." He couldn't find the right words for a moment.

Zheng Yongning was shocked and clenched his fingers unconsciously. He was no longer thinking about naval warfare, but international politics - once the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had such a fleet, the Asahi Heavenly Kingdom would completely become a vassal! He glanced unconsciously at the "Oriental" accompanying the "Xi'an" out of the porthole. The ironclad ship with a displacement of only 2000 tons suddenly seemed so small.

Luo Yaoguo looked at the reactions of the crowd and laughed in his heart. What he really wanted was a 2-ton giant ship like the Dreadnought class, but he would not say it now. This class of giant ship would be the "decisive weapon" for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to fight for world sea power in the future!
If the world war broke out between 1880 and 1900, airplanes and aircraft carriers would not be the decisive weapons. Just like the First World War in history, battleships would have a decisive value. If the Germans could beat the British home fleet in the Battle of Jutland, they would definitely win! Otherwise, even if Germany conquered France, it might face the same situation as "Little Moustache" and "Dwarf".

"Everyone, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is confident that it can build its first ironclad battleship within ten years!" he said loudly, tapping the nautical chart with his finger. "And the future of the Warsaw Pact will be determined by this fleet, so you must be prepared!"

"Yes!"

Amid the crowd's responses, Luo Yaoguo looked at Zheng Yongning meaningfully again.

After Zheng Yongning returned to the flagship of the North Korea-Japan Combined Fleet, the Dongfang, he immediately ordered the wardroom to be closed. The kerosene lamp was turned to the darkest setting, and the three solemn faces looked particularly gloomy in the dim light.

"The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom wants to build a 1.5-ton battleship," Zheng Yongning said in a very low voice, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, "It should be more than one, but a plan to build several within ten years." Yamamoto Gonbei's teacup slammed on the table with a "click" sound: "Multiple ships? Where does their industrial base come from? They need steel alone."

"Xuzhou Iron and Steel Plant is already able to produce Krupp crucible steel, and Marquis Bessermeier is leading experts from the Xuzhou Iron and Steel Institute to develop a new steelmaking furnace that can mass-produce special steel," Nanyun Shichiroemon took out a piece of information from his arms, "I learned this from a Japanese student at Caltech. Caltech will soon send people to Xuzhou to learn how to produce crucible steel, and the same technology will be used at the Denver Iron and Steel Plant!"

The room fell into deathly silence. If Asahi Heaven continued like this, it would become the "third largest country in the Warsaw Pact"!

Zheng Yongning frowned and said, "The national strength of Korea and Japan cannot be compared with that of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."

"Then let's build a bigger one!" Nan Yun suddenly slammed the table and said, "We can build a ship with a displacement of 2.5 tons and equipped with four twin 300mm turrets."

Yamamoto took a deep breath and said, "How much budget does this require? Just the main gun alone..."

"We can always afford to build one!" Nan Yun gritted his teeth and said, "Let's build one!"

"when"

The nanmu rice gently hit the bronze bell, and the crisp sound echoed in the temple.

Yang Chengtian took the secret letter handed to him by his father, his fingertips trembling slightly.

"Father, Luo Yaoguo is playing with fire. He really wants to fight!" He pointed to the data on the document, "A 1.5-ton warship's steam engine needs at least 20000 horsepower, and we don't even have a 2000-horsepower unit..."

"So we need British technology." Yang Xiuqing suddenly interrupted, running his skinny fingers across the world map, "Mr. Zheng, contact the Liverpool shipyard and tell them that we want to order an improved Warrior class ship. We also hope to send engineers from the Asahi Heavenly Kingdom to the Liverpool shipyard to learn the technology for building the Warrior class."

Nanmu Daozi frowned: "But the funds"

"Let's mortgage all our assets in the eastern United States." Yang Xiuqing sneered, "and let the caravans of Zhenyue Shendao Palace increase their opium trade in the eastern United States!"

"Opium?" Daozi was stunned. "But the war in the United States is over. There is a demand for opium."

Yang Xiuqing sneered: "You can't quit it."

Yang Chengtian suddenly looked up and said, "Why not just introduce talents? I heard that the Glasgow Shipyard is laying off employees."

"Not enough!" Yang Xiuqing smashed the tea bowl, "If you want to dig someone up, dig up the entire design team! Tell Okubo, no matter if you use honey traps or poison, kidnap two engineers from Parsons!"

UK, 10 Downing Street.

The pipe of the British Foreign Secretary, the 15th Earl of Derby (his father had just died), flickered in the darkness: "Your Excellency, I have just received a secret report from the Embassy in Japan that Yang Xiuqing is planning to order a Warrior class ship from us and hopes to send engineers to learn the construction technology of the Warrior class."

Navy Minister Coningsby sneered: "The Warrior class is already outdated. If the Asahi Kingdom wants to buy it, we can sell it to them. This is good for us! Japan's position is very critical!"

Prime Minister Disraeli nodded and said: "Britain can sell them 10,000-ton ironclad ships, but it must be accompanied by a secret treaty!"

(End of this chapter)