1890 King of Southeast Asia

After Liu Yiming said goodbye to Xu Hui, he came to the shipyard. At this time, more than a hundred technicians and more than a dozen designers had gathered.

"Prime Minister, is there something wrong?" Zhang Liming, director of the Navy Shipbuilding Department, asked.

"Who is your chief designer?" Liu Yiming asked.

"Mr. Robert, come out for a moment." Zhang Liming said to an old man with a white beard.

Liu Yiming looked at the old man, whose beard was gray and whose hair was still gray-brown, and turned to look at Zhang Liming.

"I have seen his designs. His designs are novel and he likes to use new technologies. The Italian Navy has a class of warships that use his technology, and the British Design Bureau also invited him to go. He also designed our destroyer." Zhang Liming said.

"Hello, Mr. Robert, I am the prime minister of this country. Thank you very much for coming here from afar." Liu Yiming heard this and shook his hand enthusiastically.

"Oh! Mr. Prime Minister, you are so young. I like it here. Everyone is full of vitality, not like those countries governed by aristocratic bureaucrats, full of the smell of rotten meat..." Robert immediately started to mutter.

"Excuse me, Mr. Robert, I'm here to discuss something with you today." After Robert had complained about the Italian Navy for ten minutes, Liu Yiming finally interrupted.

"Oh! Yes, sorry I forgot, it's just that the bureaucracy is too hateful." Robert scratched his head.

"I hope you can design a first-class torpedo boat, with fast manufacturing speed and high reliability." Liu Yiming said.

"You are too general, be more precise." Upon hearing this, Robert rushed to his desk at a speed that didn't match his face and put on his glasses.

"What are your requirements? Please mention them one by one, and I will take notes." Robert took out a pen and paper and gestured.

"First of all, there is a tonnage limit. Are there any requirements?"

"No special requirements, but it must be made quickly!"

"Then exclude large torpedo boats and weapons requirements."

"It can carry 21-inch torpedoes, and other weapons are not required."

"I roughly understand. What you want is a weapon that can win with one strike. At present, it seems that Nanhua's technical reserves are sufficient. I have a rough idea."

"Nanhua's 500-horsepower diesel engine weighs about eight tons. It is equipped with two diesel engines, plus the necessary facilities, and the total tonnage is about 30 tons.

One thousand horsepower, my God, this must be the fastest torpedo boat in the world.

"Okay! How long will it take to manufacture it?" Liu Yiming said.

"Don't worry, Mr. Prime Minister, the structure is very simple. I know a lot of such designs. You only need to change the power system to use it. I will give you the drawings in two days." Robert said.

"I need him to serve as soon as possible. How long will it take to build it?" Liu Yiming asked.

"I have already considered this. Don't worry. The construction time is between two and three months, which also includes the verification time. "Robert said.

"Thank you for your help." Hearing this, Liu Yiming breathed a sigh of relief. "Liming, cooperate with them and make it as soon as possible..."

After leaving the shipyard, Liu Yiming went to the engine factory again. Li Minbo was working on a single-cylinder diesel engine for tractors.

"The Prime Minister is here? I was just about to report to you that the diesel engine has been made. It has 12 horsepower and has been tested for 500 hours without any failure!" Li Minbo said excitedly when he saw Liu Yiming.

"Very good! Diesel engines are very useful. Consider mass production." Liu Yiming said.

"By the way, how is the production progress of the 500 horsepower diesel engine?" Liu Yiming asked.

"The production line has been started and can produce eight gasoline engines every month, which will not delay the manufacture of warships." Li Minbo said.

"That's almost enough." Liu Yiming calculated in his heart.

"The production of 12 horsepower diesel engines can be put on the agenda. By then, agriculture, transportation, and logistics will all need a large number of diesel engines! "Liu Yiming patted Li Minbo on the shoulder and said.

The engine manufacturing plant is a huge area, divided into four areas: gasoline engine manufacturing plant, diesel engine manufacturing plant, steam engine manufacturing plant, and steam turbine manufacturing plant.

Opposite the diesel engine manufacturing plant is the steam turbine manufacturing plant, and the person in charge is Qin Youde.

Qin Youde and Li Minbo are alumni, but he studied machine tools, which is not a match. Liu Yiming, who couldn't catch him, pulled him over to develop steam turbines.

Looking at the steam turbine manufacturing plant, there was a loud noise, which should be the steam turbine being tested.

After thinking about it, Liu Yiming still didn't go in and turned away.

In the next month, the army did not make any major changes, and replaced the equipment one after another. Liu Yiming repeatedly traveled between the shipyard, engine factory, and torpedo manufacturing plant.

Nanhua's torpedoes are imported white-headed torpedoes. They didn't exist originally, but were introduced last year and prepared for destroyers and light cruisers.

…………

While Liu Yiming was urging the torpedo boat, the fleet heading north to Sulawesi had already occupied Bangkier.

"It seems that there is no value here. "Captain of the heavy frigate immigration ship, Ma Chaoqun said tactfully.

"A small village, a fisherman's dock, even if they were all sold, it wouldn't be enough to pay for the coal." Sun Yu was much more direct. He is now the captain of the gunboat formation and also the captain of the 502nd.

"I thought there would be at least a few defenders..." said Jiang Wang, the commander of the special forces battalion, disappointedly.

The special forces battalion is still called the special forces battalion, but it is no longer a simple military organization.

It was more about espionage than special operations. For example, the special forces battalion had spies disguised as natives who infiltrated the Dutch East India Army in Sumatra.

There were also bribed people among the Dutch mercenaries.

"I measured the water depth. There is an underwater cliff about ten meters away from the north bank. The water depth is suitable. Anyone with a draft of less than eight meters can come in." The engineer battalion commander said.

"Captain Zhou, how long will it take to build this?" Ma Chaoqun asked.

"I heard that the order came after the Japanese left, so we hurried here." Jiang Wang held a telescope and watched his men set up camp.

"Are we going to stay here permanently?" Ma Chaoqun asked.

"It won't be short anyway. Take your time. In a month, the temporary dock can be built anyway!" Jiang Wang said.

"Those natives, are they going to pretend to be Labor Day?" Jiang Wang asked, watching the camp take shape.

"It's useless. They are all technical jobs. These people are useless." Zhou Qizhen, the engineer battalion commander said.

"That's fine." Jiang Wang nodded, then waved to the soldiers in the distance.

"Should we kill them?" Sun Yu asked.

These people have experienced the native riots and will not have any psychological burden.

"They are very useful. Give them a few guns and drive them to the forest. The rest will be left to time." Jiang Wang knew the practice of the Brunei colony and carried it forward.

The special forces battalion sent various captured and purchased smoothbore rifles of more than 2,000 pieces, and more than 1,000 Mauser 1871s to the hands of the Sumatran resistance organization.

…………

Time passed quickly.

In a month, the relationship between Nanhua and Japan became visibly closer.

Xiao Songyuan received two commendations in a month, but what made him unhappy was that he was never able to sign a useful treaty with Nanhua.

"Xu Sang! Nanhua has been slow to sign an agreement, which is really disappointing."

Look, Xiao Songyuan found Xu Hui again today, looking up.

Xu Hui finally understood why Liu Yiming said that Japan had small gifts but no great righteousness, and was particularly disgusting.

"Consul Komatsubara, I can't make the decision on this matter, or no one in Nanhua can make the decision." Xu Hui thought of the way of Tai Chi that Liu Yiming taught him.

"The mid-term election is coming soon. After the mid-term election, only after the president and prime minister are officially appointed, will someone be qualified to sign the relevant treaty." Xu Hui said.

"Why can't we sign it before the election? If you sign the treaty, the Japanese Empire will support you in your election as president!" Komatsubara smiled self-righteously, and even fantasized about controlling this president and relaxing immigration restrictions.

Then a large number of immigrants, and finally merge comics with the empire, just thinking about it, I can't help but get excited.

"Mr. Xu Hui! The Japanese Empire will support you in your election as president." Komatsubara smiled crookedly.

"Please leave." Xu Hui has lost his temper. My country's election of the president, do you need to intervene?

"Mr. Xu Hui might as well consider it. The Imperial Navy can support you at any time." Komatsubara said.

"Guards! Throw this man out!" Xu Hui couldn't bear it anymore and shouted.

"You can't do this! I am the Consul of the Japanese Empire! I have diplomatic immunity!" Komatsubara shouted anxiously.

"How could this happen? It shouldn't be like this. There must be an informant in his office, Liu Yiming, the poisonous dictator!" Xiao Songyuan thought.

…………

At this moment, the dictator he was talking about was surrounded by a group of designers, looking at the two ships in front of him.

"Standard displacement 28 tons, full load 41 tons, 1,000 horsepower, trial speed 34 knots, this is the fastest ship of this era..." Robert said.

"How is the sea trial?" Liu Yiming asked.

"The stability is very good. My design is correct. There will be no capsizing. The structural strength is also up to standard. The most important thing is the endurance. The endurance of 1,500 nautical miles can almost fight independently!" It can be seen that Robert is very satisfied with this ship.

"I see a cannon on it?" Liu Yiming asked.

"A 37mm rapid-fire cannon, which seems a bit redundant now. It can't be operated at full speed, but it can be used for offshore patrols after the war. This is simply a treasure!" Robert always finds the bright spot.

"It's already May. How many can be manufactured before the end of July?" Liu Yiming knew that torpedo boats needed to be formed into formations for battle.

"Your people are too hardworking and work overtime all night. You should give them a raise." Robert said,

"One ship requires twenty skilled workers and five technicians. Two shifts are required for twenty days of construction. There are only two vacant slipways, and the large dock can also accommodate two..." Robert was calculating.

"Twelve ships!" Liu Yiming said.

"Yes! Twelve ships, provided that there are enough workers. You have to let them rest well so that they have the energy to work!" Robert said.

"I will transfer personnel from the Batavia Shipyard and work in three shifts." Liu Yiming paused, "Can you buy ready-made torpedo tubes from Italy?"

"Of course!" Robert suddenly turned into the shape of a gold coin.

"We are still short of 22 torpedo tubes and matching torpedoes." Liu Yiming said.

Liu Yiming also wanted to make it domestically, but the production line had just started, and the first torpedo had not yet come down, and the torpedo tubes could not be produced in a short time.

As for buying British goods? Britain will sell it, but Liu Yiming does not intend to let Britain know about it.

"Don't worry, Mr. Prime Minister, I will definitely give you a more favorable price than the UK!" Robert said happily, and then went to write a letter.

On the same day, the Immigration entered the Batavia dock and began the renovation work.

All the main guns and secondary guns were removed, and four three-inch guns were installed as self-defense weapons. The deck was cleared and four sets of 18-round naval version 102mm rocket launchers were arranged instead.

The naval version of the rocket launcher has a longer body and increased range. The effective range has reached ten kilometers, and the charge remains unchanged.

And with the assistance of the loader, theoretically, it can be loaded once in twelve minutes.

After the modification is completed, it will become the world's first fire support ship.

Everything is preparing for war, as if everything is developing in an orderly manner.

…………

In early June, the Navy's four light cruisers completed the final commissioning, were delivered to the South China Navy, and embarked on the return journey.

It was also on this day that seven Japanese merchant ships, pulling a wing, landed on Kalimantan Island.

"Mr. Japanese Minister, I need an explanation." After hearing this news, Liu Yiming stared at the person in front of him and said.

The most ironic thing is that this news was told to him by the person in front of him.

Liu Yiming's momentum shocked Xiao Songyuan.

"Didn't we make an appointment? It's almost the same now, but it's just more than a month in advance." Xiao Songyuan didn't dare to look at Liu Yiming's eyes.

"In other words, the Japanese government is unwilling to withdraw its troops?" Liu Yiming said.

"Withdrawal? The Japanese Empire will not withdraw its troops, and the British Empire will not allow it!" Xiao Songyuan reacted and said angrily.

Liu Yiming certainly knew that Japan would not withdraw its troops, it was just a routine matter.

"I now officially inform you that in view of the actions of the Japanese government, we will temporarily suspend all matters agreed with the Japanese government, reserve the right to make further responses, and make all information public." Liu Yiming threw out a document.

"You can't do this!" Xiao Songyuan said.

It would be better if Nanhua didn't participate, but Nanhua couldn't withdraw! Otherwise, who would take the blame? The Japanese?

"It's too late, the press conference is almost over." Liu Yiming drank a sip of tea.

Komatsuhara snorted coldly, and left with a stinky face. He had to conduct crisis public relations.

"Order, four days later, start the Sumatra operation plan, and within ten days, destroy and occupy Medan." Liu Yiming said to Secretary Yang.

The Dutch ruling center of the Dutch East Indies was originally in Batavia, and later in Palembang. Palembang was too close to Nanhua, so it was moved to Medan.

This time, Liu Yiming needed to occupy the Dutch ruling center, then claim ownership of the Dutch East Indies, and then defend himself against Japan.

In theory, this is completely reasonable, so let the Japanese and the natives fight! Anyway, the Chinese are concentrated in South Kalimantan and Sarawak.

And it will also reduce the vigilance of the Japanese, and achieve the effect of surprise attack!