The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 893 The British Empire’s “Game Changer”

10: 00.

On the other side of the battlefield south of Oahu, the bridge of the second ship of the Constitution-class, the United States, had been blackened by gunpowder smoke. The acting commander, Colonel William Sampson, who had just raised the flagship flag, a veteran who had commanded ironclad ships and fought two Vicksburg battles during the Civil War, trembled as he took off his bloodstained white gloves. His predecessor, Vice Admiral Dahlgren, had sunk forever into the depths of the Pacific Ocean with the flagship, the Constitution.

"Report the ship's status!" Sampson's voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"The front main turret is stuck, and the Y turret can only be rotated manually!" The gunner's report came from the megaphone, "The starboard armor belt has been penetrated in three places, and the engine room has been flooded by two feet!"

Colonel Sampson scanned the chart with his one eye - his left eye, which was taken away by shrapnel in the Civil War, was aching slightly. He punched the compass and said, "Send a signal to the New York and Virginia: Turn southeast and break out immediately! This ship will hold back the enemy!"

This decision almost exhausted all his courage. As the most senior officer in the fleet after Vice Admiral Dahlgren and Major General Brooke, he had been teaching at the Annapolis Naval Academy before the outbreak of the Second American Civil War, and most of the officers in the fleet were his students. He could have ordered any destroyer to pick him up, but his years of naval career had cultivated a strong sense of military honor in him. He couldn't abandon his battleship and escape alone, and he also knew that his "United States" would soon be besieged by two American battleships and two American Western cruisers. The "United States", which had been hit by more than a dozen 2mm armor-piercing shells, was already scarred and its speed dropped to about 200 knots, making it impossible to escape.

Now the only thing the "United States" can do is to sacrifice itself and win an opportunity for friendly forces to evacuate the battlefield.

"Sir!" the communications officer suddenly screamed, "'Boston' and 'Richmond' request to take over the covering mission!"

Sampson looked out the porthole - two Charleston-class protected cruisers were turning to face the gunfire of the California and Washington, and the waves split by the bows were glowing bloody in the sun. These brave captains were going to use their lives to buy time for the New York and Virginia to escape.

"The enemy fleet is beginning to disperse and break out!" The Californian's observer's voice changed due to excitement, "Target Battleship C and Target Battleship D are accelerating to break away!"

Lieutenant General Luo Zhongtian drew an arc on the sea chart with his finger: "Order the Huazhou to continue attacking the United States. This ship will turn to intercept target Ding!"

But at this moment, the observer of the "California" once again sent a hurried report through the megaphone: "The enemy cruiser group was found to have cut into my pursuit route!"

Through the telescope, three American cruisers and four destroyers were lined up in a desperate formation. Thick chemical smoke spewed out of their chimneys, like a moving wall of fog blocking the "California" and the fleeing enemy.

"It's the 'Boston-class'!" The captain of the California recognized the slender ships, "They are going to sacrifice themselves to cover the retreat of the capital ships!"

Luo Zhongtian's fists creaked. The courage of these Americans was admirable - they were able to organize such a tenacious rearguard action under absolute disadvantage. He grabbed the megaphone and said, "Attention all turrets! Destroy the intercepting ships first!"

The roar of the 240mm cannon shook the sea again. After eight rounds of salvos, a 200mm shell hit the bridge of the "Boston" squarely, and the entire command tower collapsed in an orange-red fireball. But shockingly, this cruiser, which had lost its command, continued to move forward, and even fired round after round of counterattacks with its 152mm cannon on the side!

"Crazy!" The captain of the California looked at the burning cruiser, "Don't they know they are seeking their own death?"

"They are buying time for the two Constitution-class ships," Luo Zhongtian said solemnly, "Order all ships to keep their distance and fire. Don't risk getting too close. It would be bad if they were hit by a torpedo at this time."

On the tilted bridge of the United States, Colonel Sampson looked at the gradually receding New York and Virginia with a wry smile on his face. His decision worked - two precious battleships were escaping, but at the cost of him and all the officers and men of the United States.

"Sir! The last boiler has stopped working!" The chief engineer's voice was filled with despair. "We...we can't move."

Sampson straightened the collar of his uniform that was blackened by the gunfire. "Raise the abandon ship flag. Tell the boys that you can abandon ship now."

Just as Colonel Sampson gave the order to abandon the ship, a 240mm shell fired by the Washington State suddenly penetrated the ammunition depot of the United States, and the shock wave of the explosion threw Sampson high into the air. In the last moment before he lost consciousness, he vaguely saw the white bell tower of the Annapolis Naval Academy and the cadets who would never wait for his return.

On the sea filled with gunpowder, Colonel Montagu's pen scratched on the leather journal. His gold-rimmed glasses reflected the flames of the explosion in the distance, while Major General Brooke stood beside him, watching the one-sided massacre with a gloomy face.

The USS Charleston, the ship they were on, had been damaged in the previous battle, so when the battle between the battleships and armored cruisers of both sides began, it was ordered to leave the front line and retreat to Christmas Island.

Therefore, the two of them not only escaped, but also witnessed the two Dinghai-class cruisers and four Constitution-class battleships fighting each other, and they prevailed, and finally severely damaged the Constitution and the United States, and delayed until the arrival of two battleships from the US Western Pacific Fleet. "They are finished." Brooke whispered, with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "They died in vain."

Montagu did not respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the burning American battleship "United States" in the distance. It was like a dying beast, struggling in the gunfire.

"No, General." Montagu finally spoke, his voice calm and almost cruel, "They did not die in vain, but pointed out a path to victory for us."

Brooke frowned, "What do you mean?"

Montagu tapped the data in the log with his fingers and whispered: "The Dinghai-class armored cruiser (8000 tons, 6×200mm rapid-fire guns) hit the Constitution 14 times in total, causing its two main turrets to fail and its power to be damaged, but failed to sink it.

The American Western Battleship I (over 15000 tons, 8×240mm rapid-fire guns) sank the Constitution with only 12 shells. However, your Constitution-class (15000 tons, 4×305mm recoil guns) has a too slow firing rate to effectively suppress the enemy's armored cruiser. Its main gun has a caliber of 305mm but no firing rate. Its main gun only hit the Dinghai-class armored cruiser once, and its combat effectiveness is not even as good as its secondary guns! "

"The problem is not that the Constitution-class ships have bad hulls," Montagu said slowly, "but that they are too slow and their guns are too slow."

Brooke was silent for a moment, then nodded: "If the Constitution has 254mm rapid-fire guns, it may be able to suppress the Dinghai."

"No, it's not just a problem with the rapid-fire cannon." Montagu shook his head, "It's a problem with the entire tactical system."

他翻到日志的最后一页，用钢笔重重写下：皇家海军未来舰队构想1.高速战列巡洋舰：航速≥25节（必须能追上敌方巡洋舰）主炮需要配备8×240mm速射炮（或更大口径）装甲必须拥有280mm主装，确保能抗住敌方200mm炮；任务为前出侦察、骚扰、击伤敌主力舰。2.重型战列舰：航速只需18-20节（无需太快，但必须坚固）主炮需要配备8×305mm速射炮（或更大口径）装甲需要拥有400mm主装+150mm穹甲；所执行的任务则是在战巡削弱敌舰后，给予致命一击！”

Brooke read it and took a deep breath: "So, what you mean is that the battlecruisers are responsible for injuring the enemy, and the battleships are responsible for destroying them?"

"That's right." Montagu nodded. "Look at today's battle. The Dinghai damaged the Constitution with its 200mm gun, but it was the California's 240mm gun that actually sank it. If the Constitution had the cover of a battlecruiser, it might have been able to suppress the Spanish-American rebel fleet instead."

Brooke was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly: "It's a pity that the US Navy only understands this now."

"No, General." Montagu said coldly, "The British Navy has only just figured it out."

He closed the journal and looked toward the burning USS United States in the distance.

"This naval battle not only determines the ownership of the Pacific Ocean," he whispered, "it also determines the rules of the game for future naval battles. But the Pacific War has just begun!"

As dusk fell over the Hawaiian Islands, the pursuit finally ended. The New York and Virginia managed to escape under the cover of darkness, but the Americans paid a heavy price for this: two battleships, three cruisers and five destroyers remained in the area forever.

In the first battle of the Pacific War and the Second American Civil War, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s “number one henchman”, the American-Western Alliance, was defeated!

On the way back to Pearl Harbor, Luo Zhongtian finally saw the number one hero of today's great victory - Luo Xinhua, who had a bandage on his head and a swollen lip.

"Well done! Like father, like son!" Luo Zhongtian smiled and patted Luo Xinhua on the shoulder. "You are the first to contribute in this battle. The Heavenly Kingdom should promote you to the rank of colonel!"

"Heavenly Kingdom?" Luo Xinhua was stunned. "Commander, I will be transferred back to Heavenly Kingdom?"

Luo Zhongtian took out a copy of the telegram and handed it to Luo Xinhua, saying with a smile: "Your father is on a state visit to Japan. He was very happy to hear the news of the great victory in the Battle of Hawaii. He hopes that the fleet can send a senior officer who participated in the naval battle to report to him in person. I guess your Dinghai class will have to be towed back to San Francisco for an overhaul, right? It's a good opportunity to take this trip to have a good talk with your father about the future development of the navy. By the way, go back and get a promotion. When you come back, you can be promoted to rear admiral of the Western American Militia Navy and serve as the commander of the battleship division for me!"

(End of this chapter)