Fengxian Jiangshan

"Zhuoyan, are you here for Wu Junsheng's business?" Yang Yuting sighed and said, "Recently, the commander-in-chief often asks me about military production. It seems that the commander-in-chief has moved his mind."

"Ning Ge, can you persuade me?"

"No!" Yang Yuting smiled wryly and shook his head: "Not only no, I also want to add fire to the commander. The shipyard in Huludao has already achieved results. A new shallow-water gunboat has just been built. Now the air force is complete!"

Chapter 421 Shallow Water Weapon

Knowing that the emergence of a large number of new weapons will stimulate Zhang Zuolin's ambition to win the Central Plains, but some things are not based on human will. Zhang Tinglan has been tossing for so long, and moved a full set of machinery and equipment and technical personnel from Russia. The upper and lower members of the Shangfeng army were full of enthusiasm, and now it was time to reap the rewards.

The shipyard in Huludao is the same. After half a year of hard work, their first shallow-water gunboat of nearly [-] tons has finally been officially completed. Wu Yulin can't wait to report the news to Fengtian, hoping that Fengjun can send important personnel to participate in the launch ceremony.

"Humble words, the production of shallow-water gunboats is still the task you entrust to them, and you should go to the launching ceremony, and you can also give them pointers to see where they are not doing well." Yang Yuting said with a smile.

"Chief of Staff, when this warship is launched, our navy is considered to be officially established. This is because my subordinates are a bunch of landlubbers, and there is no one who returns to the water. You need to arrange a knowledgeable person for me."

A smug smile appeared on Yang Yuting's face: "Zhuoyan, in the past, I didn't have any good candidates, but it's different now. Some time ago, a group of naval talents came back from the United States. When they arrived in Beijing, I asked someone to contact them. I invited them to visit Fengtian, a group of seven people arrived in Fengtian yesterday, the best of them is Shen Honglie, this man is very talented and knows the navy well, I am going to recommend him to the commander in chief!"

When Zhang Tinglan heard the name Shen Honglie, he was not unfamiliar. He was the founder of the Northeast Navy in history and an important general in the Feng army. After the September [-]th Incident, the Northeast Navy lost its foundation and became a bereaved dog. , Shen Honglie took refuge in Nanjing again and has been stationed in Qingdao. Shen Honglie also served as the mayor of Qingdao and did a lot of useful work.

When Shen Honglie surrendered to Nanjing, it seemed that he had betrayed the Fengjun, but Zhang Tinglan knew in his heart that there was no way to do it. As a naval general, he must have a place to settle down. There are no eggs, generally speaking, Shen Honglie is quite capable.

"Linge, since you recommended Shen Honglie, why not let him go to Huludao together, visit the newly launched warships, and let him see the strength of Fengjun."

"Alright, let's notify them now and ask Shen Honglie to go to Huludao with you."

After the discussion, Zhang Tinglan reported the situation to Zhang Zuolin. When Zhang Zuolin heard that a warship was launched, he was very happy. It can be said that the Fengjun has the three armies of the sea, land and air. Looking at the country, among all the warlords, including the Beiyang government, All first class.

"Zhuoyan, go and comfort the workers in the shipyard, and then seize the time to form the navy and form combat effectiveness as soon as possible."

Seeing Lao Zhang's urgency, Zhang Tinglan's heart skipped a beat. He tentatively said, "Marshal, the navy is a technical arm that requires long-term accumulation and training. Once the ship is launched, there must be enough sailors to go to the sea." Manipulation, I am afraid it will take a lot of time to really form combat effectiveness."

Zhang Zuolin frowned slightly, turned around on the ground a few times, and then said to Zhang Tinglan: "Zhuoyan, do you think I'm pushing you too hard?"

"Marshal, the faster the development, the better, but some things need a cycle, and the process must be completed step by step. There is no way to reach the sky in one step."

Lao Zhang nodded: "Zhuoyan, you have always told me that you have to work hard and accumulate strength. Only when you can compete with the Japanese can you consider moving to the Central Plains. I have always agreed with you. But recently someone asked me A new suggestion was made. Japan is at war with Russia in the Far East. Both sides have invested a large number of troops. The energy of the Japanese to pay attention to the three eastern provinces has been dispersed. You can't take the whole world, as long as you control North China, integrate the strength of North China and Northeast China, and then deal with the Japanese, you will be more confident."

Hearing Zhang Tinglan confide in his heart, Zhang Tinglan listened carefully, and kept thinking and reasoning in his heart. What Lao Zhang said was indeed reasonable. If the Japanese were deeply involved in the war with Russia and were unable to take care of the army, then they would serve the army. Through this period of time, quickly control the central power, and then concentrate all efforts to turn around and fight against the Japanese.

This plan cannot be said to be wrong, but Zhang Tinglan always feels that the risk is still too great, so he said: "Marshal, this idea sounds good, but the timing is too difficult to grasp, and how much will it take to defeat Beiyang and take control of the Beijing regime?" Power, if Sun Wen’s party in the south also sends troops, how to deal with it, all of which need to be carefully weighed!”

"The humble words are also reasonable. Let me think about it carefully. You go to Huludao first and support our navy. Even if you don't have combat power for the time being, it's good to use it to support the facade."

Zhang Tinglan and Zhang Zuolin have been in contact for a long time, and they are very familiar with Lao Zhang's temper. This general is a very good leader, but Lao Zhang is also very stubborn. Once he has made up his mind, he will not change his mind easily.

Zhang Tinglan had already heard a hint of displeasure from what Old Zhang said. Obviously, this time, Old Zhang didn't listen to Zhang Tinglan's opinion, but had other ideas!

Zhang Tinglan also knew that he couldn't say much at this time, otherwise it would only arouse Lao Zhang's rebellion, so he could only think of other ways to persuade Lao Zhang.

After leaving the commander's mansion, Zhang Tinglan took Shen Honglie and others directly to the Huludao Shipyard. Shen Honglie was in his early thirties, wearing a pair of glasses, gentle, like a scholar rather than a soldier.

After meeting Zhang Tinglan, Shen Honglie seemed very excited, and said proactively: "Commander Zhang, I heard about your name when I was in England. Recovering the Middle East Road and defeating the Russians really raised the prestige of the Chinese people. Even overseas All the newspapers have reported this incident, and we wanderers are also proud to be here!"

Shen Honglie said this from the bottom of his heart. At this time, the entire Western world is full of contempt for the Chinese. Even if it is a very good talent, it is difficult to gain the real respect of the other party. Behind you is a declining old empire. When did one step out of the country to truly understand the meaning of the motherland, and the national destiny is closely linked with the individual.

Shen Honglie also faced all kinds of ridicule and contempt in the UK. Suddenly Fengjun defeated the Russians, and when it spread to the Western world, it immediately became a news. Some British people also began to look at the Chinese with different eyes. Before and after The contrast made Shen Honglie more and more aware of the value of having a strong motherland, so after returning to China, he brought his companions to Fengtian, hoping to serve Fengjun.

"Mr. Shen, Fengjun is developing, and the most lacking is all kinds of talents. If you can come to Fengtian, we will definitely provide enough stages for you to fully display your talents."

As soon as Zhang Tinglan met, he showed the intention of soliciting. The two sides had a very happy chat. Shen Honglie also told Zhang Tinglan all kinds of experiences in Europe. Zhang Tinglan also asked about the situation of the European war from time to time. , did not rest, and rushed directly to the shipyard.

Wu Yulin had been waiting here for a long time, when Zhang Tinglan arrived.Wu Yulin greeted him with a smile: "Commander-in-Chief, no one in the shipyard has dared to slack off after receiving the instruction. After several months of hard work, the first shallow-water gunboat has finally been produced, and it is waiting for your inspection and acceptance!"

"Director Wu, I have long been looking forward to the launch of the warship, let's all go and have a look!"

Wu Yulin took Zhang Tinglan to the dock quickly, and a huge warship appeared in front of them. On the warship, there were still some workers doing finishing work.

Seeing this warship, Wu Yulin also showed a very happy smile on his face: "This warship, from the inside to the outside, all the equipment is produced by ourselves, including power and weapons, in addition to using a lot Except for the Russian technicians, everything else is our own!"

After Shen Honglie heard this, he was immediately taken aback. China also has several shipyards that can produce ships, but most of the steam engines and weapons used have to be imported, and some even have to import steel plates. This time, Shen Honglie was also frightened. He even felt that Wu Yulin was bragging.

"Originally, the Dagu Shipyard had the ability to build warships under [-] tons. We have also integrated the shipbuilding equipment technicians from Hailan and Vladivostok. There is no problem in building small ships, and Khabarovsk's machinery manufacturing plant is We have also obtained the production of ship power equipment, and it is not difficult to produce steam reciprocating machines. As for the artillery, Jilin Arsenal can produce it!"

Listening to Wu Yulin's introduction, Shen Honglie also had to accept this fact: "It's really unexpected. The three eastern provinces with the latest development are the most industrially powerful in all of China. The Fengjun's rapid rise and defeat of the big powers is indeed a result of strength. Extraordinary!"

Wu Yulin was also very happy, and introduced them with a smile: "This shallow-water gunship has a displacement of 930 tons, a length of 72 meters, and a width of 150...47 meters. The secondary gun is powered by a [-]-horsepower steam reciprocating engine with a maximum speed of [-] knots. It has a low freeboard design and a maximum draft of [-] meters. It can be used in coastal waters and inland rivers. The powerful The firepower can provide an effective strike capability, and it is definitely a great weapon for fighting in shallow water and supporting infantry!"

Zhang Tinglan was still a little confused about the navy, but Shen Honglie's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked: "Factory Manager Wu, listening to what you said, I'm afraid this warship exceeds the equipment of the Beiyang government in terms of firepower and tonnage." The Chu character ship!"

"En!" Wu Yulin nodded happily and said, "There are six ships in total, all of which were ordered by Zhang Zhidong from Japan's Kobe Kawasaki Shipyard. The shallow-water gunboat has two outstanding designs, which have greatly improved its combat capability."

Wu Yulin pointed to the ship to Zhang Tinglan and Shen Honglie, and then said: "This warship is equipped with two triple-mounted anti-aircraft machine guns, which can deal with ordinary low-altitude aircraft. When fighting in rivers, it can have a strong air defense capability! "

In this era, aircraft have just appeared, there is no real threat to ships, and there are not many gunboats equipped with anti-aircraft firepower.It was also the first time Shen Honglie noticed that he not only asked: "Will the gunboat be attacked by planes?"

"That's right, but it's not our gunboats that were attacked, but our planes attacked the opponent's gunboats!" Zhang Tinglan said with a smile: "After Feng Jun took control of Hailan, some Russians were still unwilling to do so. Not long ago, two shallow-water gunboats tried to approach Hailan and harass us, but they were defeated by Fengjun's air power, suffered two bombs, and fled in a panic!"

Shen Honglie couldn't help but nodded when he heard that there was such a battle. Wu Yulin continued to introduce: "There is another key point about this warship, that is, in the cabin, we installed a large number of watertight compartments, so that the ship has a strong Even if it is hit in shallow water, it will not cause serious damage easily, and it is completely different from the thin-skinned Japanese stuffed stuff!"

Chapter 422 Naval Strategy

The survivability of the ship has a very important value. Just like in the sea battle of Jutland, the British warship had a larger tonnage and faster speed, but after fighting with the German warship, the loss was much greater than that of Germany. If it weren't for the strong foundation of the British Empire, maritime hegemony would be handed over to others.

Strong survivability is a crucial factor for German warships to achieve excellent results. Shen Honglie has experienced great wars in Europe and has personal experience in this regard. Wu Yulin and the others also considered survivability when building ships. This is a very remarkable thing.

"Well, the main combat areas of this kind of submersible gunboats are offshore and inland rivers. The hydrological environment is indeed complicated, with hidden reefs and shoals everywhere. As long as you don't pay attention, collision accidents will occur. Starting from the Beiyang Fleet, there are no warships that sank due to collisions. A small number, it's a pity, it's amazing to be able to focus on survivability from the beginning!"

Shen Honglie said in admiration, and Zhang Tinglan was also very satisfied. He smiled and asked, "Director Wu, we can still produce large-caliber howitzers. I'm afraid it's still a bit difficult for this large-caliber naval gun. How did you do it?"

"That's true. Naval guns are more difficult than field guns. A single gun barrel takes a lot of effort. Fortunately, we got a shipyard in Vladivostok, which has a repair workshop that can repair large-caliber guns. In addition, we have Hailan also captured a few fortress guns, and with these as a basis, we have jointly developed them with the Jilin Arsenal and have overcome technical difficulties, but the current problem is that the production is limited, and only six guns can be produced at most every month!"

"This is already very good. Eat every bite." Zhang Tinglan said with a smile: "First solve the problem of whether there is any problem, then solve the problem of quantity, and finally solve the quality, and there is an opportunity in front of us. As long as we grasp it, our industry will The level can be greatly improved.”

"Commander Zhang, what kind of opportunity are you referring to?" Shen Honglie asked puzzledly from the side.

"Mr. Shen, you just came back from Europe and the United States. The situation in the world should be very clear. The Germans are already at the end of their battles, and their defeat will not be too far away. It is second to none. If we can take advantage of Germany's failure and get some key technologies from Germany, won't we be able to soar into the sky?"

Listening to Zhang Tinglan's words, Shen Honglie's eyes became brighter and brighter. Many people in China are paying attention to the war in Europe.Their biggest expectation is to gain the status of a victorious country by joining the Allied Powers.And then take back China's sovereignty.

But Zhang Tinglan had a completely different idea.It is simply beyond imagination to use this opportunity to obtain German technology, but after thinking about it, it really makes sense, after Germany's defeat.The end will be miserable. The technology that was originally regarded as a treasure by the Germans will also become the price of cabbage, as long as the money can be paid.Definitely be able to get key technologies.

Shen Honglie couldn't help giving Zhang Tinglan a thumbs up, and said with great emotion: "Commander Zhang, now I understand why Fengjun has such a strong industrial capacity, so you are all focusing on these real things. It's really amazing to put things on top of things, instead of those empty things!"

"Mr. Shen, abolishing the privileges of the big powers is also a very important thing, but I have always believed that the truth is within the range of the cannon. Even though we are bound together with the Allied Powers, we also have the hope of becoming a victorious country, but we don't have enough With our strength, the big powers will not look up to us at all, and it is commonplace to sell China's interests."

Whether it was World War I or World War II, China was very lucky to be on the side of the winner, but after the two wars, China's interests were betrayed, the Shandong issue after World War I, and the Outer Mongolia issue in World War II. , In the final analysis, its own strength is not enough.

Zhang Tinglan is familiar with history, and Shen Honglie still can't accept such a decisive assertion. He asked suspiciously: "Commander Zhang, I have heard that someone is asking the government to take back Shandong's rights. This is completely reasonable and reasonable. Germany It is a defeated country and should be returned to China. If the big powers refuse even this request, they will be deceiving people too much!"