1890 King of Southeast Asia

Berlin, William II was plotting with his navy minister about the situation in Southeast Asia.

"Tirpitz, do you think we have a chance?" William II waved his arm on the map of Southeast Asia with a red face, but if you look closely, you will find that William always uses only one arm.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the Dutch will not give up, this is an opportunity!" Tirpitz knew what William meant. The young emperor was obsessed with his navy and colonies.

During the Dutch period, Germany could not directly attack the Dutch, so that as the only two empires on the European continent, the area of ​​its colonies was not even one-tenth of that of its defeated opponent (the Franco-Prussian War of 1871).

France received blood transfusions from its colonies, 5 billion francs, and recovered in just a few years, which made the newly born industrial country jealous.

Unfortunately, the colonial order has been established, and there are very few unowned lands. What they got were all tasteless and a pity to abandon.

This time, the Dutch were driven out of Java, and it seemed that they would not be able to fight back in a short time. William felt that this was an extremely good opportunity. Java was rich, better than all German colonies, and had an important strategic position. Building Java into an offensive bridgehead would make it easier to interfere in the situation in East Asia.

"Your Majesty, what is the Dutch response?" Tirpitz asked. William had already had preliminary discussions with the Netherlands in the name of visiting relatives.

"Maria did not answer my question. The Dutch Prime Minister should want to solve it alone. It's okay. They will find us. I sent Hans to Java. I plan to sell some scrap steel to Java to help their independence cause." William said a little irritably.

Scrap steel is certainly not scrap steel...

"That old guy has been laid off. The new Prime Minister will pass the naval budget for the next three years. Tirpitz, can my warships really not float?" William thought of his warships again.

Tirpitz was eager to let the monarch know that professional things should be done by professionals...

When William and Tirpitz were meeting, the conversation between William and Queen Wilhelmina reached the ears of the old guy in William's mouth, that is, the former Prime Minister Bismarck.

"Our emperor is getting more and more lonely..." Bismarck sighed, holding the intelligence and combining it with current events.

Then he stood up, walked to the globe, carefully looked for the location of Java, and sighed after comparing it with the British Straits Settlements.

"Alfred, we can't do this. This position is not something Germany can touch." Bismarck sighed.

"Duke, this matter is no longer decided by us!" said the bearded man called Alfred.

"This will make Britain dissatisfied, not in terms of trade and diplomacy. Gibraltar, Suez and Malacca are minefields that cannot be touched. Britain can start an anti-French war once, and it can do it again. Germany's enemy is France. Before solving the continental problem, too much involvement in the ocean..." Bismarck continued to sigh.

"I want to see the emperor."

"It's useless. You are no longer the prime minister. His Majesty will not listen to you." Alfred said.

"I still want to go!" Bismarck began to pack his luggage and prepared to go to the palace. Alfred saw this and did not stop him, nor could he stop him.

………………

"Hey, my friend, your design was rejected by the Admiralty." Charles came to Liu Yiming and said.

"What? But I should have only given a plan, no design drawings?" Liu Yiming was very confused. How could this be rejected?

"Yes, you want a ship of 7,000 to 9,000 tons, but you were stingy and only gave him six six-inch guns. The designer refused to design this plan, and the Admiralty had no choice but to reject it." Charles realized how outrageous this idea was after reading the telegram.

"Hey! You can be bolder. The first-class cruiser Edgar under construction in Britain is equipped with ten six-inch guns and two nine-point two-inch guns. You are just a fraction!" Charles hopes to convince Liu Yiming, who does not understand the navy, that using the number of guns for comparison is the best way.

"?" It was Liu Yiming's turn to be dumbfounded. Is the firepower so strong?

"Do you have a schematic diagram? Can you show it to me?" Liu Yiming said.

"I can draw a sketch. You know, this has not been put into service. If you are not a big customer, I will definitely not do this." Charles said.

"I understand! I understand!" Liu Yiming nodded and handed Charles a pen and paper.

Charles wrote and drew, and drew a schematic diagram of the gun position in one or two minutes. It can be seen at a glance that for an orthodox officer, the ability to draw is also a necessary condition.

Two single-mounted 9.2-inch guns, one in front and one in the back, ten six-inch guns are arranged on both sides, five on one side, and there are also a large number of 57 guns and 25 guns. There is no direct standard, but lines instead.

"Look at this one, what do you think? Designed speed of 18 knots, 7,400 tons, total power of 10,000 horsepower, endurance of 10,000 nautical miles, armored cruiser, 127 mm armored, the first one is about to be launched, only 500,000 pounds, how about it?" Charles tempted.

If Liu Yiming hadn't known the development trend of the navy in the next twenty years, he would have placed an order. But fortunately for him, Liu Yiming, the armored cruiser is still okay now, but it will have to retreat to the second line or even the third line in ten years.

Liu Yiming plans to use it for at least twenty years, and then retreat to the second line, so first of all, he must ensure the transformation potential of the warship. Edgar is good in everything, but due to the awkward middle section, it still has obvious shortcomings.

"Slightly modify, weaken the dome armor, leave one or two inches, and then put the armor on the water line. Eight inches thicker in the waterline, extend up and down and become thinner, can it?" Liu Yiming heard Charles.

Charles took out the paper and started to record, "Yes, but the ship will worsen."

"You can cancel the horn, torpedo." Liu Yiming said.

"Are you sure? Then your weapon has only artillery." Charles asked in surprise.

"Yes, torpedo can be carried by smaller warships." Liu Yiming said.

"Yes, is there any more?" The customer was God, and Charles fully reflected the sentence.

"Can the speed be improved again? The conventional speed of 20!" Liu Yiming asked.

"God, do you know what you are talking about? In verse 20, this is an 8,000 -ton warship. No wonder you only need six six -inch guns!" Charles said.

"Theoretically, this tonnage is very wasteful, and a large number of tonnage and space have given power systems." Charles said, "Three strokes and three swelling machines, equipped with twelve -seat water pipe boilers, the total horsepower can exceed 16,000 horsepower exceeding 16,000 horsepower , Specifically, know "".

"I heard that you are making new three -swelling machines and boilers." Liu Yiming said thoughtfully.

"It's just an experimental model, do you need to use it? Then there is no problem." Charles said indifferently, "But I want to remind you that experimental stability is not necessarily good."

"Yes, there is no problem. Three three -swelling machines use new machines." Liu Yiming knew that this new machine will be mature next year, and at the same time, it is used on the Brankon Karada.

"Seeing that you are a big customer, I agreed." Charles laughed, "So what about martial arts? Or do you want to use the six -door cannon? I have to remind you that the ability to wear a six -inch cannon is not good. I heard that I heard that Six inch -speed guns have made great progress. You can use him as a vice gun.

"Double combined! Double -loading nine -two inches, weight loss, keep the eight -door and six -inch gun, unify the small -caliber cannon to three -seven guns, twelve doors, three -seven guns." Liu Yiming considered it, Charles said It does not make sense, after the emergence of hardening armor, basically there is a armor, and it is difficult to penetrate the six -inch gun, especially if you have not ordered a hat -piercing bomb.

"You are too idealized. Even so, it will greatly increase the displacement. The ammunition warehouse of the new artillery, and the double -fired turret. The chest said, "Fortunately, you removed the horn and torpedo, and the torpedo cabin was empty, and it would not exceed 9,000 tons."

"What about the cost?" Liu Yiming asked, "In addition, what about the small cruiser I need?"

"I have to go back to account for this, but be prepared for the price increase." Charles said, "As for the small cruiser, we recommend the same -class ship on May 25th. Fight.

"May 25? What parameters?" Liu Yiming passed, but couldn't remember what a boat was.

"Full load of 3,500 tons, Wu Bei is two eight -inch guns, eight -seven inch speed guns, and eight inch. The firepower is very considerable. Four -seat reciprocating steam engines, horsepower 8500, speed of 21 verses, enough to keep up with it, enough to keep up Your baby has no fire boat. "Charles laughed.

"The same is true, you can change the horsepower to replace the two three -swelling machines. Six water pipe boilers, on the martial arts, replace the eight -inch cannon into a six -inch gun. In addition, the six -inch gun is finalized. I think, the six -inch speed gun should be You have time, right? "Liu asked.

"Maybe? It really doesn't work, you can install ordinary six -inch guns first, or wait at a shipyard. It won't take too long. These warships should be delivered early in 1893." Charles said, "What else is there?"

"Almost that's it, you go for a quotation. In addition, I need naval training." Liu Yiming said.

"No problem! The Navy of the British Empire is the most trusted!" Charles said happily.

"At the same time, I need the ammunition production equipment of the corresponding weapons." Liu Yiming also said.

"Is it just a device?" Charles considered, "Yes."

"I also need to train workers, all orders are." Liu Yiming found that this bottom line seemed a little high.

"I can only say that it does not involve secrets, it is okay." Charles thought about it, except for certain equipment, nothing else needs to be overly confidential.

"Is there any more?"

"It's timeless for the time being." Liu Yiming couldn't think of anything for a while.

"Then I go to the Ministry of Navy to quote." Charles got up and left.