Chapter 138 Entering Service

Sandu Australia, this geographical term, to some extent, means the future of the Chinese navy. It has China's largest and also one of the two limited naval bases of the Chinese navy. At least another naval base, Lushun, which has just been recovered from me, has long been completely destroyed by artillery fire.

Similarly, as China's largest naval base, it also has China's largest naval shipyard. Although the shipbuilding here has actually only had maintenance efforts until now, and even only has only one installation platform, but for the Chinese navy, at least, this is the hope of the Chinese navy to return to the ocean. Hope.

At night, the blinking eyes of the Sandu-O Naval Shipyard are watching Sansha Bay, the first port in China. At this time, the naval shipyard was still heavily guarded near the equipment platform. But the atmosphere here tonight is more tense than ever, and a team of patrolling marines can be seen almost every three minutes.

Especially near the loading platform of the shipyard. Lin Ligang sentry and the marine soldiers highlight the tense atmosphere here. Compared with the strict security outside. At this time, it was on the dressing table of the naval shipyard. However, it is a piece of light, and the fitting-out platform, which was once stacked with materials such as turrets and rangefinders, was replaced by a temporary viewing platform.

Although the curtain is thick, the stage is full of people. In addition to many officials of the Admiralty. There are also shipyard technicians and thousands of shipyard workers. Most of these workers are Chinese workers. There are also German shipbuilders from the United States. At this time, everyone looks happy. Whether it is the technicians of the shipyard. Or officials of the Admiralty or those naval officers and soldiers.

They are proud that their country can finally build a powerful and beautiful capital ship. From time to time, there are praises and laughter... Today is the day when the "Zhiyuan" battlecruiser was launched.

is the completion of the first ship of the two "13.5-inch gun" "heavy artillery cruisers" built by His Majesty in the name of "cruisers" in the name of "cruisers".

Although His Majesty was angry at first because of the "bullying" of the navy, in the end, His Majesty personally named these two warships. To be precise, it was a "life type" - battlecruisers, far exceeding the speed, armor and firepower of various cruisers in the same period, and slightly inferior to battleships in armor, and better than most battles in terms of the war in armor. The new warship of the battleship, at this time, anyone who sees the towering 8 13.5-inch guns on the huge turrets of the front and the back understands that a new era of warships has begun, and this era has been opened by the battlecruiser Zhiyuan!

"Today is the inauguration ceremony of the first "Jiyuan" of our naval battlecruiser. It's a great honor for Yu Zhi to participate here. It can represent the opinions of the whole country because we are well aware of the history and rapid progress of the project since the opening of the factory. It is on the same side with Europe and the United States. Today, we can build the capital ship needed by our navy. It is really the most gratifying for us. All the public know that "Zhiyuan" is in our navy. It was the consciousness of our army! I don't want to say more! Just give it to each other in two words!" Don't forget Jiawu!" Snow Jiawu Shame! ......"

Ye Zugui, the naval minister standing on the rostrum, was a little excited when he spoke. Especially when looking at the pocket battleship with a beautiful bow in the ship's dock. He is the largest warship built by China since ancient times. It is not inferior to Europe and the United States, and even far more than Europe and the United States. It has created an era, a brand-new era of warships.

When looking at the word "Zhiyuan" made of brass on the bow. Ye Zugui felt that his eyes seemed to be a little blurred. The voice even sobbed during the final thank-you speech.

"Don't forget Jiawu!"

"Snow Jiawu Shame"!

This oath has been the hope of many Chinese naval soldiers in the past 25 years. After the First Sino-Japanese War, there is no navy. Today, with the launched by this capital ship, the navy of the country finally anchored again!

In the process of coming down, it is nothing more than some words of gratitude. There is no boast in the modesty of the answer.

But everyone knows it. What does this warship mean to China and the navy? People looked at the warship. There is always an unconcealed pride and infatuation in his eyes.

Although the hull of the Zhiyuan was lowered in Shanghai, before, in order to avoid the ensignation ceremony, His Majesty was angry and forced the navy to dismantle the hull. As early as the hull was built, the navy began to manufacture the equipment system in the Jiangnan Naval Manufacturing Plant. At the same time, it imported various equipment from abroad, and the hull was basically completed. After being fully launched, it uses its own power to sail into Sandu Australia under the escort of the navy for the construction of weapons and the superstructure of the hull.

In order to seize the construction period, when sailing out of the Jiangnan Shipyard, the navy even deliberately used weights to carry out various tests in advance during the voyage in order to cause "pre-facts". But in the end, the navy's worries were superfluous. For your majesty, he may be dissatisfied with the navy's bullying, but in the end, he accepted this. In fact, he even named the Zhiyuan class "Battlecruiser" with great interest.

Thinking of His Majesty's importance to these two warships, Ye Zugui turned his eyes to the warship and could clearly see the obvious "bulging" lightning protection shell near the side waterline.

"This is the torpedo belt designed by Your Majesty!"

Ye Zugui couldn't help laughing. At first, they couldn't understand the intention of adding a lightning protection shell, but in the end, they liked this modification very much. In order to thicken the main armor belt, the underwater protection of the bottom of the Zhiyuan ship was weak, and the hundreds of pounds of charge of torpedoes and mines explode underwater, which could often blow up the battleships. It is said that in the Russian naval battle, the "Pedropavlovsk" of the Russian navy, the British-made "Hatsuse" and "Eight Islands" battleships of the navy all sank after touching one or two mines, not to mention the Zhiyuan with weak bottom protection. After your majesty heard the introduction, he specially studied a solution. The way.

The solution is to add lightning protection shells on both sides of the hull. In order to reduce the importance of this, this is a non-armored shell, which is attached to the armored hull, but does not extend to the bow. It only provides additional protection for the main cabin in the middle of the hull. The shell can be used to store fuel and water at ordinary times.

When the warship is hit by a torpedo or mine, the lightning protection shell will of course be blown up by a large hole, but with the lightning protection shell, the explosion point is at a certain distance from the main hull, and the damage on the main hull is generally less. If there is no lightning protection shell, the torpedo is directly on the main ship. Although the navy has made some improvements to the structure of the lightning protection shell, the design details are a little different from the original plan proposed by His Majesty, but the basic principle is the same.

According to the naval test results, after using the torpedo shell, Zhiyuan can fully withstand the attack of three white-headed torpedoes without much damage.

And the obvious "bulging" lightning protection shell near the side waterline has further improved the buoyancy. The improvement of buoyancy has made the navy thicken the horizontal armor of the warship, thus enhancing its ability to defend against high-explosive bombs. The Japanese army is now unable to produce qualified armor-piercing shells at all. He All they used in the naval battle were high-explosive bombs loaded with explosives.

At this moment, as the warship slowly slid into the sea, the technicians and naval officers and soldiers cheered like thunder on the loading platform of the shipyard.

"Don't forget Jiawu"! Snow Jiawu Shame!

With the waves when the warship entered the water, the people on the dress-up platform seemed to be in a frenzy, and their initial roar resounded through the sky. And it lasts for a long time. On the viewing platform. Several waiters came up with tall glasses full of blood-red grapes on a tray. Everyone picked up their glasses one after another. It seems that the wine glass is as described in Man Jianghong.

Xiongnu blood! It's just that the naval officers here are more willing to think of it as Japanese blood.

They believe that they will have the opportunity to drink the blood of Japanese slaves!

"Your Majesty's telegram!"

Suddenly, with Ye Zugui's shouts, people who seemed to be infatuation were silent at the same time, and people stood in front of the rostrum. Looking at them, Ye Zugui's lips moved slightly.

"The Zhiyuan ship is also the first new warship built by the Chinese Empire. I am willing to defeat the enemy in this way. Invincible. The shame of Xue Jiawu!"

"Conswer the enemy in this way. Invincible. The shame of Xue Jiawu!"

In the roar of people, Ye Zugui slowly left the loading factory, but he did not drive a car, but chose to walk towards the naval headquarters building, accompanied by Liu Guanxiong.

"When I came, Your Majesty especially told me that "Dingyuan" must be put into service as soon as possible!"

"Is it..."

Liu Guanxiong's heart sank, and he vaguely guessed the reason. With the victory of the battle against Ma, the battle of Zhongyu was imminent.

"That's right, the navy should be ready for a decisive battle with the Japanese navy!"

Ye Zugui nodded.

"Can..."

"The Zhiyuan ship must form a combat effectiveness as soon as possible. The best officers and sailors must ensure the combat effectiveness of these two warships. Although your majesty approved a special ship purchase budget of 120 million, you know, time..."

"120 million?"

Liu Guanxiong was scared by this number. He could hardly believe his ears, 120 million! It is enough to buy twelve "Misasa" ships equivalent to the flagship level of the Japanese navy. Even considering warships such as auxiliary ships, at least 5 battleships and 5 armored cruisers can be purchased.

"If this money can be approved last year..."

"I couldn't buy a warship even if it was approved last year! You can't build a warship in a year. Even if you want to buy it now, you have to try your best to buy a useful old ship! Do you understand?"

Ye Zugui shook his head and pointed his hand towards the Zhiyuan ship, which had stopped at the berth.

"With the service of Zhiyuan, all the warships in the world became outdated overnight. The British, German and American warships are all outdated. These countries must eliminate their own warships, so let's seize the opportunity! Try to buy some of the best warships!"

(to be continued)