Chapter 769 The eldest prince is going to India

"What is this? Take it back and redo it!"

"What? You are a pig brain. Ji Rushan said he would give it to you if he wanted it! My seventh fleet is almost gone, and the new ship must give priority to supplementing them!"

"Who said that? Lord Tang? Tell Tang Pangzi that he can't repair the Jiangsu account in two months, and I will lead the troops to copy his equipment department!"

In the early morning, the naval headquarters roared endlessly, and the unique voice of Commander Long seemed to calm God. The sky cleared up for the first time in the New Year.

But it was sunny, but Commander Long was still angry. This time, in order to intercept the Indian fleet and the South African fleet, the Imperial Royal Navy cost a lot. Jiangsu was seriously injured, and Captain Yan Feng sacrificed. He also paid 2 Yangtze River-class cruisers, 7 destroyers and 4 submarines, especially the cruiser Nenjiang in the 74th Fleet. At the last moment of the raid of the destroyer at night, it was unfortunately hit by a 381 mm shell shot by Malaya, including 725, including the captain. Only 71 people escaped!

A total of more than 2,000 people were killed and injured, which may not be a big deal in a war that often uses millions of troops, but it is already great in the eyes of the New China Navy. What made Long Guozhang most angry was that as soon as he got the information, Campbell finally returned to Cape Town, South Africa, with three battleships and six cruisers, and his dream of encircling and annihilating all the Indian fleet was finally shattered.

"Commander, the Marines have arrived at the port of Mumbai." The staff officer came in and reported.

"Didn't you encounter resistance?"

"No, the destroyer fleet entered along the channel where the Indian Grand Fleet left. Captain Chen also said that they took all the sailors away when they left, and the rest of the British troops had already withdrawn from the harbor. At present, he is leading troops into Mumbai City, which is expected to be under control in the afternoon, and

"And what? Don't hesitate."

The staff officer muttered secretly that he just wanted to sell a trick, so he was said to be hesitant. It seems that the commander is in a bad mood today. Be careful! He quickly said, "The Marine Corps also seized two French battleships that were damaged in the last battle in the harbor. According to the preliminary inspection, except for the shells and anti-aircraft guns that were dismantled, all the other equipment was intact. However, an Indian businessman said that the French ax had sold them to him as abandoned ship and asked us to let them go."

"Fird your mother's fart! Tell Chen Dong to catch that guy." Commander Long was furious. Someone dared to take food from him. He really lost his life. He roared, "The crime is to deal with the enemy!"

"Yes."

The staff officer shrank his neck and was about to convey the commander's order. A sentence behind him almost made him fall.

"Wait, this guy must be very rich if he can buy two battleships. Why don't you just copy his house!"

Don't mess with our commander! Since the beginning of the war, there has been no loss of the Yangtze River-class light cruisers. This time, two ships have been lost, and so many soldiers have been sacrificed. It's hard to get some trophies and some people dare to stand up and rob. Isn't it looking for death!

You deserve it!

Seeing a staff officer gritting his teeth and coming out of the commander's office, Cheng Biguang, who was about to enter, did not know that the commander was playing the topic. The reason was not all because of the loss of the Seventh Fleet, but because the news from the general staff yesterday that the last four Honolulu-class light cruisers under construction by the navy were planned to be cut off!

You should know that these four light cruisers are about to lay keel, and the reason for the cut-down is not only that the war will end in the first half of next year at the earliest and the second half of the year at the latest, and no longer need for so many warships, but also because they have to make way for the new four large bombers of the air force. .

The four-scale bomber project was finally finalized last month. It is said that because of the high cost, the Prime Minister's Office and the General Staff had a disagreement over the number of construction. Finally, the General Staff made a compromise. In order to make the bombers form a large-scale combat effectiveness in the shortest time, they cut off a lot of non-essential projects, if not Taiwan. The level and Xi'an level have come to an end, and it is estimated that they will also be "black hands".

As soon as two ships were lost and not yet replenished, the new ship project over there was cut off. It can be imagined how angry the commander was.

After 4 ships were cut down, there are only 22 Yangtze River-class and 4 Honolulu-class light patrols left on the surface of the navy, which is a blow to the navy that has always wanted to maintain the scale of 12+10+10+32 after the war.

The 12+10+10+32 plan is the most important set of numbers in the navy's plan for the next decade, namely 12 heavy aircraft carriers, 10 battleships, 10 cruisers and 32 light cruisers. At present, if all aircraft carriers are in service, there will be 11 heavy and 2 medium-sized, the battleships will retain 4 Taiwan-class and 6 Guam-class, and the eight Hebei-class will not be dismantled and sealed for the time being.

There are 6 Xi'an-class main cruisers, and 4 Yanjing-class will also be modified and relegated to cruisers after the war. The most important marine all-faceted light cruisers were originally 24 Yangtze River-class and 8 Honolulu-class, but now the Yangtze River-class has lost 2 and 4 more Honolulu-class have been cut off, which is insufficient.

Of course, this is not a big problem. Not to mention that the navy can maintain its advantage in aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft for at least 10 years, large cruisers alone can temporarily make up for this lack. What really makes Commander Long unhappy is that the navy's military funds have been misappropriated or made up to the air force that was originally despised.

That's why Long Guozhang felt unsentful.

Long Guozhang waved his hand to Cheng Biguang to sit down. He was born in a scientific class and joined the navy after the founding of the People's Republic of China. His military ability may not be outstanding enough, but the overall situation and overall planning ability are good, and he was also pulled up by the former Chief of Staff Tan Xiaozeng. It is said that at present, there are many arrogant soldiers and strong generals in the navy, but people like him are the most scarce, so after several years of observation, he slowly took the position of chief of staff.

Compared with the commander's anger, he, who had always been low-key, smiled. The price this time is indeed painful, but the harvest is very rich. The two Spanish-class battleships fell in their hands almost intact. Although the two prestige-class battlecruisers and two Avenger-class battleships sank in the port of Seychelles, Ye Zugui has sent a telegram, which can be salvaged, plus the other one captured. Some ships, just tearing down and selling scrap iron, the navy will be sure to make a profit this time.

Seeing Cheng Bi smiling, Long Guozhang couldn't get angry again. He took out his cigar and asked, "What's the matter with me?"

Cheng Biguang said with a smile, "Commander, Ye Zugui just sent a telegram saying that the Spanish vice admiral hoped to send a telegram back to China."

"Send a telegram back to China?" Long Guozhang was slightly stunned and couldn't figure out what Tonis was going to do. He couldn't help asking, "What the hell is Ye Zugui doing? Have you forgotten the rules of captivity?

Cheng Biguang smiled and explained the reason. It turned out that Tonis had always felt that he had been sold by Hill after he was captured, so he wanted to send a telegram back to tell Spain what had happened to the Spanish political axe.

"This is a good thing!" Long Guozhang is so cunning. How can he not understand the mystery of this telegram? When the Spanish political axe gets the telegram and knows the details at that time, he will definitely trouble Britain. He may not withdraw from the war, but the relations between the two countries will certainly be greatly damaged. Besides, among several allied countries, Spain's strength is already poor, and the domestic political situation is unstable. The call to withdraw from the war is no worse than that of Russia before. In addition, after the beginning of the war, the economy and people's livelihood are almost paralyzed. Now all three battleships have been lost at once, which must be worse, so the news will definitely stir up after returning home. However, there is a big wave.

"I feel the same way, so I have replied that Ye Zugui promised him." Cheng Biguang continued: "In addition, the General Staff just sent a telegram to approve the construction of a joint naval and air force base on Diego Garcia Island ( Chagos Islands), but before that, we need to find a way to remove the indigenous people above."

Long Guozhang nodded. The strategic location of the Chagos Islands is very important. It is known as the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and the most important barrier in the west of Australia. The conditions of the bay and ports are also very good. It is a rare transit point in the Indian Ocean. As for the aborigines above, it goes without saying that he will be "cleaned up".

Since the Prime Minister's Office and the Parliament have reached an agreement with the Provisional Government of the Maldives to imitate the British example and become the protectorate and suzerain of the Maldives, Seychelles will also refer to this method in the future. Therefore, in order to plan for the future, Xinhua must also have a completely own army in the Indian Ocean. It is a base, so the Chagos Islands must be included in the territory of the empire, or at least become an unincorporated territory.

"In addition." Cheng Biguang was not used to smoking cigars, so after lighting a cigarette, he continued: "The Chief of Staff asked us to prepare for the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean."

As soon as he heard that he was going to enter the heart of Europe, Long Guozhang also forgot the depression just now and quickly asked, "What's wrong? Is the maintenance of the canal ahead of schedule?

"No."

"Then why do you let us go in? Where did it come from? Long Guozhang was about to say "ad forward to the base" when he suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up: "Cuba has an echo!"

Cheng Biguang nodded. The navy did not want to enter the Atlantic Ocean for a day or two. In fact, there is no problem with the waterway from the Mediterranean Sea, but it is more troublesome to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, so what everyone wants most is to find a forward base in the Caribbean Sea west of the Panama Canal, and it is best to rent it for a long time. Used for lease.

Long Guozhang and Chen Ping previously thought about Puerto Rico, which is now equivalent to an American colony and can take the opportunity to occupy it. However, Li Mo prefers Guantanamo in Cuba, and has been secretly negotiating with the Cuban political axe for several years to secretly lease the Guantanamo base for a long time.

As a reincarnated person, the advantage is that you don't have to analyze the whole world to find a strategic place. You just need to circle the places where the future generations of American emperors will not let go.

Guantanamo is famous in later generations. It is a base that the United States is unwilling to give up. Even if it is not incompatible with Cuba, it has never thought of letting go, just because it is so important here!

And Guantanamo Port is the best natural seaport in the Caribbean Sea. It is bordered by the Windward Strait to the east and the passage of the Atlantic Ocean into the Caribbean Sea. The strategic location is important.

The bay is in the shape of a horseshoe, divided into two parts: the inner port and the outer port. The bay is long and wide, but the entrance is only 3 kilometers wide. Before the war, Xinhua took advantage of its good relations with Cuba and has repaired the harbor in the name of assisting the construction of the Cuban navy. At present, it is one of the main bases of the Cuban navy, and giant ships can enter and exit freely.

From the perspective of facilities, it is very perfect and is a very good forward base.

Cheng Biguang also knows the important surname of Guantanamo. In addition, at present, Xinhua is like Zhongtian. Central and South American countries can hardly resist strong diplomatic and military pressure, so the loan is almost stable, waiting for the Panama Canal to restart.

So he immediately said, "Deputy Foreign Minister Gu Weijun has arrived in Cuba and is negotiating with the Cuban political axe. Judging from the current situation, the Cuban political axe has agreed to the lease agreement in principle, but they hope to get some naval compensation."

"Navy compensation? What do you mean!" Long Guozhang immediately pricked up his ears vigilantly. This word was not good to hear.

Cheng Biguang smiled and said, "The Cuban navy has a weak foundation. Only two old destroyers and more than a dozen torpedo boats we support have been suppressed by the United States before the war. Even the country's economic lifeline has been pinched in the hands of American businessmen. Now there is a chance to turn over and you will definitely be moved, so I hope we can help some naval equipment. It's better to be a battleship."

"Assistance to the battleship!" Long Guozhang jumped up directly and said that he was greedy, but now he is simply a little witch compared with the Cubans! As soon as you open your mouth, you have to help the battleship! I really want to treat the empire as a wrongdoer!

"Fuck you, I'll go and beat it down by myself!" Long Guozhang muttered that he didn't want to, battleships! It's not a cabbage. Even if it's captured, it's a big deal to sell, which is enough to rebuild four Honolulu-class light patrols!

Looking at Cheng Biguang with a smile, Long Guozhang suddenly understood. After daring to go around a big circle, he fell in love with the broken warships he had captured. He quickly scratched his forehead and asked, "I knew it. It must be Yuan Shou and Duan Qirui who asked you to be a lobbyist!" Isn't that right?

"I said wall light, you are also my chief of staff, and your elbows can't go out! If those captured warships are sold, we will have enough self-financing to build a light patrol, which is a top priority.

"Ha ha, how could I not know?" Cheng Biguang smiled and said, "But the two Spanish-class battleships are of little use to us, but they are good for Cuba, and they are still feuds with Spain. If they are equipped with a few auxiliary warships, I guess."

"I know how to use our naval booty as a favor. Why don't you go to the Air Force and the Army!" Commander Long is very painful. Although two Spanish-class battleships are useless to Xinhua, if they really want to be sold, they can be sold for at least a few million yuan. Now it's a gift. Can you be happy?

"Commander, the Chief of Staff also asked me to tell you that the two French battleships in Mumbai also want."

"Get out of here, there is no door. Tell Chen Ping for me that you can either continue to build four light patrols or never dig a ship from me again!" Long Guozhang finally lost his temper. He finally won a battle and got a booty. That's good. He was targeted before he passed it!

Can it not be popular!

It is not surprising that Cheng Biguang suddenly lost his temper with Commander Long. In the past few days, the Admiralty has been discussing how to use trophy to raise funds to continue to build four light patrols. Now he takes four at once. It's strange that Commander Long doesn't lose his temper.

But he didn't go on. Anyway, he knew that Commander Long's mouth was fierce, but he would never dismantle the stage at a critical time, so he took out the document he had just received and turned to the topic and solemnly said, "Commander, I just received a telegram from the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff. The Prime Minister's Office and the General Staff have decided to send a large The prince went to Mumbai to serve as a wartime naval officer! We are required to do a good job of sending ships for protection.

"Oh? The eldest prince is going to Meng?!" Long Guozhang pulled the telegram and read it in detail.

Although the telegram was sent by Tang Shaoyi and Chen Ping, others may not know what was behind it, but it could not be hidden from him. This must have been from the emperor's instructions. What's more, Li Zhen was still his son-in-law, so he read it more carefully.

"I guess this is the last test of the emperor." Cheng Biguang closed the door of the office as he spoke. Although he was not as close to the royal family as Long Guozhang, at least he had already entered the high-level of Xinhua and knew a lot of things that ordinary people did not know.

Long Guozhang's face gradually became solemn. Although he did not say it clearly, Cheng Biguang's speculation was indeed reasonable. Li Zhen had a lot of influence in the army, especially the shelling of New York to protect the battleships had already spread all over the world. Now he suddenly let him go to India, which must be a further test.

Although Xinhua is a constitutional monarchy, the royal family does not have much power, but it does not mean that you can casually find a royal child to become an emperor. Today's royal family has been recognized by the whole country, and its influence is almost unshakable. Although the outside world's republican, communist and other ideas are also affecting the country, if nothing unexpected happens, it will no longer become a climate.

In addition, the royal family itself is the largest consortium, so it is necessary to choose a good heir.

Long Guozhang is both happy and worried. What is happy is that if Li Zhen passes this, he must be the future emperor, and his daughter will become the queen!

The worry is that India is not peaceful now. First of all, the seaport minesweeping has not yet begun, not to mention the narrow waterways. In case of vandals, it is easy to encounter mines. In addition, India still has a large number of Allied troops. If they know about this, they will definitely launch assassinations and other actions.

Secondly, the domestic situation in India is complex. Although Gandhi's people are making a lot of noise, the ethnic contradictions have not only not decreased, but are getting bigger and bigger. In particular, the disputes between Hindus and Muslims are close to white-hot. There was also a common enemy, the British colonial axe before, but now the British colonial ax is already in name. Death, so the contradiction will only become more and more fierce. Once it is made public, it must be an armed conflict. How to balance and get the greatest benefit from the empire is a test for anyone.

If you can handle this well, you will really be a capable minister!

Long Guozhang took a breath and felt that he seemed to think a little far away. Since the emperor sent the eldest prince, he must have made arrangements. However, he said that he was also his father-in-law in the end, and Li Zhen was still an active naval officer, so instead of sending a ship to protect him, he took this opportunity to show his muscles to India!

After all, it's time to deter the Indians. Whether they occupy it or not, at least let them understand who is the owner of the Indian Ocean now! In other days, those guys who wrap headscarves have other ideas!

Sitting next to him, Cheng Biguang didn't understand Commander Long's thoughts. It's not his turn to take care of the royal affairs, but the face of the Imperial Royal Navy is always wanted, so we must show the strongest strength this time!

"The heavy aircraft carrier Bashu and the battleship Taiwan." Long Guozhang bit the cigar and thought of the two newcomers who had just begun the sea test.

(to be continued)