Chapter 482 The Background of the United States

@@@@@@In the study, Li Mo blinked his eyes.

The Pensacora-class heavy cruiser is a first-class American heavy cruiser known to many naval fans. Among them, the second Salt Lake City participated in the Battle of Comandox and the Battle of Guadalcanal, and joined the artillery formation to strongly support many landing battles.

But the problem is that this is a perverted product of thin armor and multiple turrets during the navy holiday!

Li Mo quickly opened the intelligence folder to see what the new Pensacra level looked like. After opening it, the design drawings and data above really opened his eyes. In addition to holding overseas, the excellent working ability of the intelligence department also made him secretly admire it. However, when he turned to the last page, he twisted his eyebrows and his face was extremely gloomy. .

History is finally completely forked at this moment!

Because whether it is data, indicators, or sketches, he can see the shadow of the invincible class. In addition to multiple chimneys and traditional American cage masts, whether it is the L45/305mm naval gun or the thin 127mm armor, it is completely the American version of the invincible class battle. Cruiser!

Although Americans also learn from themselves and start the classification of heavy patrol, it's not a big deal. Even if such a cruiser is doubling, it can't scare itself, because last month the British only experimented the first 2,000 horsepower steam turbine, and came back with such a big golden finger from the Jinghai class. It has taken 16 years to fully mature the supporting facilities. No matter how strong the British ability is, it will take at least 6 to 7 years to install the capital ship, so they are desperately trying to improve the efficiency of the current reciprocating steam engine.

Historically, before World War I and even after the war, the power system of warships has always been a big trouble, and boiler explosions are common. Therefore, whether in the United States or Europe, battlecruisers and heavy cruisers, the maximum speed can only reach 25 knots.

What really stunned and frowned him was not because there were six more battlecruisers in the United States, nor the name of the Pensacora class of later generations, but the six power cabin split layouts and boiler and steam engine models in the sketch obtained by the intelligence officers!

If the intelligence department hadn't got the invincible design draft before, he might not have paid so much attention to it, but now it's completely different! Because he saw the same boiler compartment layout and the same power combination model!

This is definitely provided by the UK!

In fact, because the invincible level uses more boilers than in history, the boiler compartment layout is extremely precise and complex. If other countries don't get the drawings, they can only copy the appearance, but what about now? What's more, the models of the boiler and steam engine are exactly the same!

This is not a trivial matter!

After entering the era of super fearless, both the battleships and the three latest Lion-class battlecruisers that Britain have started construction have encountered great power trouble. The speed of the Orion class has dropped to 18 knots, and the design speed of the Lion-class battlecruiser is only 23 knots!

At present, there is no doubt that Germany has the best technology in the reciprocating steam engine. The Caesar class, which has started construction, and the King class, which is preparing to start construction, still have a full load displacement of more than 27,000 tons, which is still 20 knots, which is only one section less than history. Therefore, in order to hide people's eyes and ears, I deliberately sent people to travel. Britain and Germany finally bought six sets of the latest reciprocating steam engines and all the drawings from the more friendly Germany at a very high price, and pretended to be used on the Yanjing class and subsequent battleships.

With the haze stagnant in Europe, the competition has reached white heat, and the free economy has been completely destroyed by the two major groups! Everyone began to consciously cover up the technology, but at this time, the arrogant Britain generously took out the latest power model to an unpleasant United States. What does this mean?!

It shows that some tacit understanding should have been reached between the two countries!

This has never happened in history. Before the war, the United States remained neutral in order to gain benefits from both allies and allies. Now it has turned to Britain. Is this just a commercial cooperation, or is it aimed at something?

If it is the former, the problem is not very big, but if it is the latter!

Then the target must be yourself! It shows that Britain has foreseeed that war is inevitable. With their arrogance, they will never think that they have the opportunity to participate in the European battlefield, so they must have begun to worry about the security of the colonies in the Pacific Ocean after the war, hoping to take this opportunity to pull the United States into the water to contain themselves!

Because no matter when and where, power is the heart of a warship! What else can you explain if you dig your heart to others unless you are an ally?

"Da Zhuang, go to Chen Ping immediately and tell him to immediately order the Intelligence Department, the National Security Agency and the Military Intelligence Agency to start investigating whether there is any secret agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States. It must be clarified!"

"No matter how much it costs!"

"Yes." Seeing that Li Mo was so serious, Du Dazhuang hurriedly took the order and left.

After sending Du Dazhuang away, Long Guozhang still did not leave. In fact, Li Mo, who put down the intelligence, knew what he was thinking. He was so eager to take the information to himself, or for the four capital ships behind him.

The plan to complete 12 capital ships before 1915 was set by myself. Four Yanjing-class and four of the latest Hebei-class battleships have begun to be built. The first Yanjing is even about to be put on and delivered for sea trials. But the problem is that it is only more than four years away from 1915, and the last four battleships are After a long delay, the potential opponents began to explode again. Within four years, 14 battleships and six heavy cruisers were built in a row, and the strong economic ability finally began to convert into military strength.

This result was not from Li Mo's expectation. In fact, he knew the potential of the United States better than anyone else, but it was not that he did not want to build a capital ship, but that he was really a little overstretched.

The $300 million profit from the United States was transferred to the Prime Minister's Office as military expenses in disguised in the name of buying the world's most expensive new royal cruise ship. The remaining 70 million US dollars of Thomas's sale of the Panama Canal also came back and exchanged for blue coins, which is equivalent to the huge amount of up to 5.6 million in his hand at this moment. Military budget.

Of which 300 million has been delivered to the equipment department for the construction of four Hebei-class ships, as well as logistics and ammunition procurement, and 60 million for new destroyers and third-generation submarines, with 200 million in hand.

200 million seems to be a lot, but in fact, the recent Hebei-level cost has soared from the Yanjing-level 16 million blue coins to 23.8 million blue coins!

More importantly, according to his vision and suggestions, the first 9,000-ton amphibious landing ship built in Dalian Shipyard has been launched for sea trials. Compared with the top Britain, France and other countries, the Xinhua Navy owes too many debts. With the launch of more and more and more supply ships and rapid supply ships, it has been It has been improved, but the transportation of personnel has not been developed for a long time.

At present, the Xinhua Navy has five large troop carriers, plus the cruise ship and roll-ro ship in Lin Yongxiang's hand. It can send a complete armored division at a time, and even half a marine division to a thousand miles away, but this is not enough!

In Li Mo's view, once the war begins, the Pacific battlefield and the European battlefield are completely different. He needs more auxiliary ships that can carry out ocean landing operations, so he must have at least one ability to send at least one armored division or 50,000 infantry.

Although he still has the world's fourth largest civilian fleet in his hand, like cruise ships and ro-ro ships, they are very slow big guys, and the survival ability of civilian ships can't be compared with military products at all, so he was going to invest the money to purchase ten ships when the landing ship completes the sea test.

Of course, Xinhua is not without money. In fact, according to Li Enfu's statistics, today's total national income of Xinhua will exceed 20 billion blue coins, converted into about 15 billion US dollars. It has become the second largest economy in the world, and this is still a conservative estimate.

But the problem is that he does not plan to use domestic funds, because once the defense budget is still increased, the economic development in a period of rapid rise will be suppressed. Just like the current Britain, starting from the dreadnought, the huge naval budget has overwhelmed the country, and the economic growth figure remains only 100 per year. About two-quarters, even Germany, which has maintained more than 10% before the competition, has dropped to about 6% at present, and the United States can only barely maintain 10%.

The expected ship-building frenzy of the United States did not scare Li Mo, but these six heavy patrols suddenly woke him up a lot. Sometimes the technical advantages also need to be maintained by a certain number. According to the time budget, the United States can complete the construction of all the current 20 capital ships before 1913, so even if The construction of the next four ships has started now, and the United States will have two more than itself, not to mention that the New York class in history is destined to start construction!

Suddenly, Li Mo found that his advantage of arson killing all over the world was being offset by the sea of American ships, which made him very uneasy, because this whirlpool was caused by him, but now there are signs that he has even gradually pulled himself in.

And these are all because of the emergence of six American battlecruisers that have never appeared in history! It made the background of this huge thing in the United States burst out all of a sudden!

"Damn the English!" Li Mo cursed fiercely from the bottom of his heart. He heard that the naval fighter Fisher had step down. Why was it still so difficult to deal with?

There is another thing that makes him more worried. The original killer is also difficult at present. The aviation gasoline of the high-octane formula is still not up to standard, and the engine is still hovering around 300 horsepower. He is not sure whether it can double as expected in five years!

In addition to the above economic and other reasons, the warship itself also has small technical flaws. Although it is power, structure, even the triangular mast and square stern have appeared, and the five-blade propeller has been applied to the new destroyer not long ago.

But because of his high-minded thoughts, he wants to wait for the 16-inch naval gun to see if it can be done before the war. However, from now on, it is basically impossible to achieve it before 1916, so we must immediately start to consider the plan to build the next four capital ships.

Personally, he is inclined to build a fast battleship with high speed, large endurance, similar to the Yanjing class, and can even accept the continued use of the current L50/305mm gun at the expense of partial protection capabilities, but the Admiralty is more It is hoped that the improved version of the Hebei class will continue to be built, because it is safer, and there are signs that Germany, Britain, the United States, and even France are looking for larger caliber guns, so the opinions of the Admiralty account for the majority.

Looking at Li Mo paking back and forth in the study, even the most anxious Long Guozhang knew Li Mo's difficulties. There was so much money, the plan was so huge, and the previous debt was also large, and it could not destroy the difficult development situation in China, so it was really difficult to fill this big hole!

As a navy, although he can't wait to get all the money to become a capital ship, no matter how powerful the navy's cannons are, it is the army that will finally solve the problem. Today's army is not a person ten years ago. In the era of 200 bullets of a gun, the price of M2 tanks alone is as high as 40,000.

Now it has only purchased 100 vehicles for early personnel training and tactical experiments. If the equipment is rolled out according to the plan, the number will be at least a few thousand, plus cannons, wildcat armored vehicles, etc., the burden is not small.

"Do you have any cigarettes?" Suddenly, Li Mo interrupted his thoughts and snapped his fingers.

Long Guozhang understood that Li Mo usually did not smoke, but whenever he smoked, he must make a major decision, so he quickly took out a pack of Chinese cigarettes and handed it to him.

Lighting the cigarette, he watched the milky white smoke wrapped around his fingertips. The chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down because of the unexpected six heavy patrols. Soon he went back to the desk and began to write.

As time went by, the cigarette butts accumulated on the ground. Long Guozhang did not dare to disturb Li Mo. He always stood far away and didn't know what was written on the white paper.

After five pieces of letter paper were densely filled with all kinds of data and indicators, Li Mo raised his head and handed it to Long Guozhang solemnly: "It's all written on it. The subsequent four battleships will continue to build the Hebei class according to your requirements, but you can contact Tang Xiao and see the L50/356. The progress of the millimeter barrel, I hope to be fully equipped according to this requirement!"

"Yes!"

Hearing this, Long Guozhang suddenly became excited, but when he turned over the letter paper to see how Li Mo had improved, he was suddenly stunned. After a long time, he suddenly raised his head, and the stars flashed in his eyes: "Your Majesty, what is this?"

"Ha ha, tell McKinson that the requirements are all on it. Whether it can be realized or not, you must tell me within a year!"

"That's the way, there's another thing you should do yourself, that is to immediately arrange people and docks, modify the six duke class as I said last time, and go to Osman in person to see if they are willing to buy the improved duke class."

"The Ottoman Empire?" Although the Duke's withdrawal from active service is a long-ined plan, and it is inevitable to sell it, why Osman? What's more, I have asked the Ottoman Empire before. They have always hoped to get a larger super battleship, rather than a second-hand ship like the Duke-class!

This matter was reported last time. Should the emperor know? Then why do you have to go to Osman by yourself? What's more, the funds are already very tight at present. It seems that it is not worth the losses to modify the six Duke-class ships.

"Don't worry, this money won't be spent in vain." Li Mo knew what Long Guozhang was thinking, and suddenly mysteriously hooked the corners of his mouth: "Mohammad V will come to beg us!"

Seeing Long Guozhang, he was still a little hesitant. Li Mo was ready to be said a few words, but the bodyguard suddenly ran in: "Your Majesty, emergency telegram."

Li Mo took the telegram, and his face suddenly became ugly again. He looked at Long Guozhang and sighed.

"There was a big explosion on Ishigaki Island!"

(to be continued)