Chapter 282 Commander of the Atlantic Navy

"This country is just like more than a decade ago, the whole world buys the machines they need, and the only difference is that this time they send a huge group of international students. They not only want to buy machines, but also learn the working principle of machines and the research methods of science and technology..."

For the industry of various countries, they are most concerned about the former, not the latter. It is also the former that can also make a country crazy. For Germany, a few months ago, a machine order with a total of 100 million marks was enough to make the whole of Germany rekindle a good impression of the Eastern country. In the following months , orders of millions or tens of millions of marks per month, although these Chinese have a bad problem, that is, if they order machinery and equipment in various countries, the attached condition is that technology must be transferred! Although this stinky problem is indeed disgusting, the huge order and future market still make the country's industry and banking industry full of confidence, especially the "historical" happy cooperation makes them more confident.

Berlin, the palace of the resplendent German Empire, three officers dressed in the Chinese navy are sitting boredly. As members of the Chinese navy receiving regiment, although they came to Europe with Cheng Biguang, they did not return with them. They want to inspect the fleets and naval technology of various countries in Europe in order to serve him. It is said that the development of the Chinese navy provides reference.

Whether it is Hong Hailiang, Liu Peimin or Jiang Zhixian, this is not the first time they have gone abroad, but it is the first time they have come into contact with the palace of a European power, so they are full of curiosity about everything around them, from the decorations of the Hohenzollern family in the hall to the murals full of Western atmosphere in the corridor, from overflowing From exotic Baroque furniture to distinctive Persian-style carpets, he attracted his attention.

Hong Hailang's eyes kept looking around and asked Liu Peimin in a low voice from time to time. Although they had attended banquets held by navies and industry, they were extremely strange to European palaces. Only Jiang Zhixian turned a blind eye to this and only tasted it with a wine glass with a smile.

"It's obvious that the German Emperor wants to meet us. Why hasn't there been any movement so far?"

After waiting for a long time, Liu Peimin, who was tired of watching, finally couldn't help muttering.

"It's not urgent. The slower he is, the more he values us."

Jiang Zhixian's words made Hong Hailiang and Liu Peimin both look puzzled. What kind of logic is this?

However, Jiang Zhixian himself couldn't help laughing after saying that. Although he had never seen William II, he carefully searched for information about the emperor after arriving in Germany from France. At birth, his left arm was paralyzed and atrophied, which led to the emperor's inferior and arrogant surname from childhood. It was he who This surname made him spare no effort to build a first-class fleet. His grandfather William I was a hero who made Prussia a European power by training the army, and he, William II, will build a fleet to make Germany one of the world powers. There is no doubt that he will be this fleet. The commander-in-chief - Admiral of the Atlantic.

Originally, Jiang Zhixian, who was only a lieutenant colonel, did not have much confidence in the reception of William II. After all, how could this conceited emperor meet the small naval lieutenant colonel of the oriental country he despised?

But in the end, the ruling axe signed orders of up to 140 million marks signed with the German industry in the past few months, and their move to only inspect German shipyards and arsenals without making orders, the original confidence a hundred times, feel that they can at least get it from the Chinese navy. Arms dealers with orders of less than 40 million marks became impatient. Finally, at the suggestion of the business community, His Majesty the "Atlantic Admiral" finally decided to meet these three small school-level officers.

Based on his understanding of the "admiral emperor", Jiang Zhixian clearly knew what the other party was doing at this moment - changing clothes! The German emperor, who is extremely conceited and inferior, has to change four sets of clothes a day with different jewelry and medals. He uses ostentatiousness to cover up his inferiority.

If he wants to meet a person who he thinks is more important, he must dress up carefully. The more important the other party is, the longer he spends on dressing up. Why does he "dress up" at this time? Maybe it's because he wants the other party to feel his strength!

At this time, a close attendant came over.

"Please follow me!"

After the three of them entered a hall with an oil painting of William I's accession to the throne in the Palace of Versailles, the three of them finally saw the conceited German emperor. And next to the German emperor, they unexpectedly saw a person, the president of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce - Ritiffen? Feng? Ke, why is he here? The three of them had a little doubt in their hearts. When they were in France, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce took the initiative to invite them to Germany and arrange their accommodation and travel. Their purpose was very simple, just to do more business with China. Perhaps it was the meeting they facilitated.

"I have met your majesty!"

The three of them bowed respectfully at the same time.

"Ah... Three young Chinese naval officers, it's nice to meet you."

A burst of laughter from William II, dressed in a military uniform, with a sword on his waist, and several medals on his chest, was full of smiles. The emperor obviously dressed up carefully, but Hong Hailang felt that the emperor, who had the same beard as the ruler, could not see the temperament of a soldier.

After the preliminary ceremony, there were only four people left in the spacious hall. At the sign of the emperor, Jiang Zhixian and the other three of them sat on the sofa. Jiang Zhixian could speak English, French and German, so naturally there was no need for translation.

"Well, let's talk about your views on the German navy. Aren't you here on a mission?"

William II is still smiling. To some extent, he is not willing to meet the three officers of the Chinese navy. If it is a general, maybe he can consider it, but at the request of many Berlin financial giants led by the industry led by Kryp and the president of the German Central Bank, he He still decided to meet these three Chinese naval officers, whose naval expansion needed the support of the military industry and the German financial community.

"Your navy has established a strong navy in just 6 years, which is really amazing to us!"

Jiang Zhixian said truthfully that six years ago, the German parliament passed the Naval Expansion Act, expanding the fleet into a fleet of 19 battleships, 8 armored cruisers and 42 small cruisers. The expansion period was six years. Four years ago, with the support of this "Western Admiral", Tirpitz Without any effort, by amending the Navy Act, Congress approved the plan to expand the fleet to 38 battleships, 20 large cruisers and 38 small cruisers.

"Germany is ahead of the world's shipbuilding industry. If it is not ahead of the shipbuilding industry of other countries, it is impossible for Germany to build a strong fleet in the short term."

William II said solemnly that if they hadn't ordered six double ship turrets and two 305mm railway guns in Kryp, he wouldn't have believed that these three small school officers would have carried the procurement task.

The fact that China's ruling lady bought two warships from the British navy reminds the German shipbuilding industry that the country has begun to reorganize its navy. Britain is promoting its military fleet with technical and reputation advantages, and China's ruling wife is British. The couple are about to become the first navy. The minister's Fisher has a lot of personal friends, and the German shipbuilding industry must rack its brains to get its own order to China.

As the emperor, William II is naturally willing to contribute to the shipbuilding industry, which is beneficial to the German navy. It can expand production, increase the revenue of shipyards, and use foreign trade ships to make technical tests for his new ships. The technical accumulation of German armored cruisers comes from China's orders.

"Indeed, compared with British or other national warships, your [***] ship's excellent quality and protection ability have always enjoyed the world of honor, and your country's style of attaching importance to defense is also in line with a country like China, which is unable to buy too many warships but urgently needs warships!"

Jiang Zhixian nodded and echoed. He also told the truth. German [***] ships generally attach importance to defense, which is indeed what China needs.

"German warships are the best in the world. Twenty-four years ago, your country purchased warships in Germany. You are not unfamiliar with German [***] ships. If your country wants to reorganize the navy and is willing to purchase warships in Germany, I think German shipyards will be willing to design and manufacture them at the most favorable price. The quality of warships that can meet the needs of your navy must be far better than the "Zhenhai"-class warships purchased by your country, and the current situation in your country is also in urgent need of warships, isn't it?

Taking advantage of the other party's praise, Wilhelm II immediately promoted the German shipbuilding industry.

The three of them looked at each other and finally understood why the conceited emperor met the three of them. It turned out that it was to sell warships to them. Germany's ship-building level was no less than that of Britain, but it seemed that no country looked at Germany. For more than 20 years, the German shipbuilding industry has received the largest order. Fourteen years ago, I came to my own Qing Dynasty to place an order, and then the biggest order was the "Eight Clouds" from Japan. South America and even Russia still prefer Britain and even Italy, rather than Germany. The German shipbuilding industry urgently needs to open up the foreign trade market of warships. What market can be larger than a country that is eager to reorganize its naval armaments? If it hadn't been for this, military enterprises such as the German Volcant & Keng Shipyard, Siemens, the Kaughp Company, and the Kaofu Torpedo Factory would not hope that His Majesty could receive representatives of the Chinese navy. They expressed German goodwill.

"Your Majesty, although China intends to reorganize its maritime armaments, now for China, we are now facing a problem. It is said that Russia is fighting in the northeast of China, while China suffers from the sea without defense. The weak navy urgently needs warships to defend the sea, but what we urgently need is warships that can be obtained immediately. If now We ordered warships from your country, and it will take three years to complete. Your Majesty, the war has ended three years later, and there have been too many changes in the meantime!"

When Jiang Zhixian said this, Hong Hailiang and Liu Peimin were shocked at the same time. Although they received instructions from China to "do everything possible to buy warships!", they did not expect to meet William II for the first time. Jiang Zhixian followed the emperor's words and said his own Need.

Can I get it immediately?

William II was stunned and looked at the colonel with some surprise.

"Yes, Your Majesty, what our country needs is a warship like the "Zhenhai class" that can sail back to China immediately. Our country is eager to reorganize the navy, but at least in the next few years, with our economic strength, it is not enough to support the expansion of the navy. Of course, as a naval officer, we prefer to realize naval power immediately. The expansion of the amount, but Your Majesty, if the war between Russia in the Northeast is over and the face of the sudden disappearance of security threats, I don't think the ruling axe will approve the large-scale naval expansion plan!"

Jiang Zhixian put on a helpless look.

"Like the six armored turrets and railway guns ordered in your country, just to meet the needs of coastal defense, the ruling axe has invested heavily to strengthen coastal defense, in order to achieve no worries on the coast in the short term. At that time, it will be more difficult for the navy to fight for military spending. The ruling axe does not support the construction of warships for the time being is based on This is the reason!"

Listening to the colonel's story, William II frowned dissatisfiedly. He did not expect that his painstaking effort to get such an answer. The Chinese did not intend to order a warship at all.

Baron Ritifen, who listened carefully to the conversation between the two and had never opened his mouth. When he heard Jiang Zhixian's explanation, his eyes flashed, and only two words were beating in his mind.

"Money...opportunity..."

Seeing that the emperor did not intend to continue, he took the initiative to ask.

"If! I mean hypothetical!"

Baron Riffen blinked before he continued.

"If Germany can provide your country with spot warships in the next few months, I don't know if your naval department can get permission to buy ships from the ruling axe!"

"In the next few months."

Jiang Zhixian moved his heart and did not express his position directly, but asked back.

"I don't know, Mr. President, how many months are you talking about!"

With that, he seemed to meditate again, and then looked at Hong Hailang and Liu Peimin beside him, and then said.

"If your country can guarantee that the warship will be delivered before February next year, I think I can apply to the Admiralty. Of course, in the end, this needs to be decided by the Admiralty!"

Although Jiang Zhixian failed to give an affirmative answer, after getting the answer he wanted, Baron Ritiffen smiled. He was not worried that these Chinese would sell warships to Japanese. For example, when the British sold the "Zhenhai" class, it was clearly stipulated in the contract that China would not allow military ships in the next ten years. Sold to a third country, otherwise the British have the right to take back the warship, which is why he does not need to consider other factors.

"Maybe we should discuss this further, shouldn't we? Maybe we can meet the needs of your country!"

This answer shocked Jiang Zhixian, but Jiang Zhixian tried his best to make his voice indifferently calm.

"This... I'm afraid we need to wait for further instructions from the Admiralty!"

(to be continued)