With the visit of German Prime Minister Bismarck, the world's attention quickly shifted to China.

This is the first European prime minister-level official to visit the ancient Eastern Empire in thousands of years and will become a navigation light for political exchanges between the East and the West.

Li Weiguo met Bismarck at the palace and had a cordial conversation. Li Weiguo introduced China's national conditions, national culture and economic development to Bismarck. Bismarck was shocked and envious of China's great brilliant achievements, and said that Germany should also follow China's economic construction model and develop the German economy.

Afterwards, Bismarck also introduced Germany's national conditions, national culture and economic development to Li Weiguo, and conveyed the cordial greetings from German Emperor William I to Li Weiguo, accompanied by a new letter to Li Weiguo.

Later, Li Weiguo held a state banquet at the palace to invite Bismarck and members of the German visiting delegation. A large number of journalists from various countries were allowed to enter the banquet site to take photos and report.

The next day, ministers from three provinces and six ministries in China met with Bismarck and his German delegation, and the two sides started exchanges.

For Bismarck, the focus is on political significance and strengthening cooperation with China. He met with Chinese emperor Li Weiguo and received Li Weiguo's nod. In principle, Germany allowed to purchase various high-tech products from China and introduce related technologies.

Among them, for Germany at present, the most important thing is to introduce the most advanced weapons and equipment and technology from China.

During this visit to China, Bismarck brought a huge German entourage, all of whom were the helmsmen of famous German chaebols. Their visits to China together are focused on commercial and military cooperation with major Chinese enterprises and factories.

Although the Fourth Sino-British Chinese-British War has ended and it is peaceful on the surface, in fact, Britain is guarding against China everywhere, secretly affecting the failure of European and American countries to engage in trade cooperation with China. The most prominent manifestation is that it implies that China's manufacturing of illegal banknotes disrupts the European and American economy. Many European and American countries believe it, but there is no evidence, but they can not engage in trade cooperation with China.

Bismarck led a German consortium to visit China, but helped China reopen the door to Europe, turned Germany into a secondary distributor, and sold Chinese goods to European and American countries.

This requires mutual benefit, so Li Weiguo agreed in principle to the German consortium to purchase various high-tech products and technologies from China.

The Ministry of War, Ministry of Rites and Ministry of Works are the busiest. Because Germany has proposed a large number of procurement lists to the Ministry of War of the Chinese Ministry of War, including advanced artillery, warships, submarines, military trucks, water radium, ground radium, fish radium, etc. German private consortiums have negotiated with the Ministry of Rites of China (Ministry of Health), Ministry of Works of China (Construction Bureau), and Ministry of Farmland (Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce) to import medicines, medical and health equipment, high-strength and excellent steel, petrochemical products, tea, porcelain, silk and other famous Chinese commodities.

After asking Li Weiguo for instructions, the Chinese side finally agreed to sign a large military purchase order with the German side with a total value of 55 million gold marks (approximately RMB 27.5 million), promising to supply the weapons and equipment on the list to the German side in the next three years.

First, the German Army procurement list, focusing on 108 heavy howitzers with 155 mm and 50 caliber diameters. The unit price is 112,000 yuan per door.

At present, German ** is unable to process high-temperature, high-bureau pressure howitzer barrels with a diameter of 50 times the diameter of 155 mm. Even China has this technical capability in the world, and it is necessary for China's special steel, as well as a 10,000-ton hydraulic press and precision lathe to process it.

At the same time, the integrated shell used by the 155mm heavy howitzer used by the Chinese Shence Army is also the most valued part of the German Army.

The integrated artillery shell was first used by the Chinese Army during the Third Yabo War in 1865. In the following five years, it was successively introduced into the armies of European and American countries. However, at present, the largest caliber infantry artillery in the army of various countries in the world is only 130 mm, because no matter how large the caliber, the production of integrated artillery shells is very complex and difficult.

This is because the ******* and blasting drugs used for integrated artillery shells produced by the army of European and American countries are all Heyworts, which are not sufficiently burned and have poor power, which also causes large weight and large volume of the artillery shells. When they are even raised to 155 caliber, the weight and volume of the artillery shells are seriously exceeded, making it very difficult for artillery operations and even unable to resist at all.

In contrast, the 155mm shells made in China are formed in one piece and weigh half the weight of the same type of shells of Europe and the United States. The volume is also one-third smaller. The Chinese artillery can resist the mobile shells for loading, which is easier for the big Europeans.

However, China's shells are expensive. Even the German side, who had just won the French-Prussian War, was in a state of great compensation, was in pain and finally reached a negotiation with the Chinese side. After a 155-millionthres discount, they purchased 2,000 155mm shells.

Unfortunately, the Chinese side refused to export blasting drugs and ****, which made the German Army very depressed.

However, the German side has made up its mind. Even if you risk your life, you must take apart a 155mm shell and take a look. Study the blasting drugs and **** ingredients inside, and strive to develop and produce them yourself, so as to save them from being slaughtered by the Chinese.

Then there are 200 Gatling machine guns, 500 military trucks, and 2,000 ground radium. Among them, the manufacturing technology of Gatling machine guns was introduced to Germany and authorized to produce them by the German arsenal. The first 200 military trucks were produced in China, and the remaining 300 were built in Germany and authorized to produce them. The most critical core components, gasoline internal combustion engines, truck rubber tires, bearing components, etc., are still imported from China.

A weapon like Earth Radiation requires a highly sensitive trigger blasting drug and radium tube. Currently, only China in the world has the ability to produce it. Fortunately, Earth Radiation is not too expensive. The Germans bought 2,000 pieces at one time. While deploying the border defense of Germany and France, they also studied Earth Radiation and tried to find a method of localization as soon as possible.

The German Navy is an emerging force. Before Germany was unified, the naval power was very weak, similar to the Qing Dynasty naval navy, but was just an inland fleet.

However, with the unification of the German Empire, the Juncker bourgeoisie urgently needed overseas colonies and markets, so the development of the navy became a must.

Looking around the world, China, Britain and France are the only ones that occupy the forefront of the world in the field of naval equipment manufacturing. Only these three countries are capable of building various iron armored warships, supporting steam engine systems and naval gun systems.

But the German Navy was almost blank before. Because of the Franco-Prussian War, France regarded Germany as its mortal enemy, and Britain could only stand on the opposite side of Germany because of the French relations, so Britain and France's naval equipment and technology would never be sold to the German Navy.

Then, the only way out for the German Navy is to ask for advice from the Chinese Navy.

The German navy in history was blocked by Britain and France. He could only explore and advance by himself. The naval power developed slowly and could not surpass Britain until the First World War and was always half a beat behind Britain.

But now it's different. The Sino-British War has just ended, and it is the opportunity for the German Navy to take the opportunity to rise.

The Chinese Navy is also happy to see the rapid rise of the German Navy, impacting the maritime order in Europe, causing trouble to the British Navy, and alleviating the huge military pressure on the Chinese Navy to face the British Navy alone in other waters.

Therefore, the Chinese Navy received the imperial edict from Li Weiguo to open the door to convenience.

The first is to build eight ironclad ships and eight dome cruise ships for the German Navy, of which four ironclad ships and four dome cruise ships were built in China. The remaining ones were helped by the Chinese Navy Equipment Department to establish two naval shipyards in Germany and provide equipment parts, which were built by the German shipyards themselves.

The eight ironclad ships are based on the Dingyuan-class ironclad ships and try the latest technology of the Chinese Navy's military preparation research and development department on it. It can be said that this kind of transaction that makes money and can conduct various experiments is untiring. That is quite happy.

In response to the Baltic Sea conditions of the German Navy, the Chinese Navy General Administration improved and partially castrated the Dingyuan-class ironclad ships, and soon designed satisfactory warship drawings for the German Navy.

The "Saxon" class ironclad ship is the nationality set by the German Navy for these eight ironclad ships. Once completed, it will become the latest and most advanced main ironclad ship in the 70th generation Europe.

Because this class of ironclad ships are based on the Chinese Dingyuan-class ironclad ships, the Huangyan Island naval battle fully proved that China's Dingyuan-class ironclad ships completely defeated the twelve British fifth-class ironclad ships, known as the world's strongest ironclad ships, and deserved it.

The "Saxon" standard line is 11,050 tons, with a total length of 94 meters, a wide rice, and a draft of 7.53 meters. This ship type is a typical European slipper type, compared with the Chinese Dingyuan class type. The Saxon class is a short and fat man.

There is no way, this is the idea of ​​the German Navy. The Chinese General Administration of Shipbuilding and Government has to consider the preferences of the Germans, after all, the customer is God.

Except for the change in the ship's shape, the other equipment has basically not changed much. The Saxony class was equipped with two dual-equipped 305mm main guns, 18 155mm secondary guns, 10 75mm near-defense guns, and a 533mm torpedo launcher at the beginning and the rear.

The armor system adheres to the Dingyuan-level design idea, adopts 200 mm uniform forged iron, covering 100% of the hull, turret, command tower, and fish radium protective walls with armor protection.

The power system uses the latest horizontal reciprocating steam engine developed by China. The peak power can reach 10,000 horsepower, the maximum speed is 17.5 knots, it can carry 1,000 tons of coal, and the endurance is 3,040 nautical miles at 10 knots, and the cost is 853,178 yuan.

The first ship, the Saxony, started construction in the newly built northern Dalian Shipyard in China in 3971 (1871). The other three ships were also built in several shipyards in northern China. The overall construction period is expected to be two and a half years, and will be delivered to the German Navy before the 3974 year of Jianyuan.

News of China building a Saxon-class ironclad ship for the German Navy spread wildly, and European and American countries were envious, jealous, and hated, and mixed praise.

For Britain and France, they would never be happy to see the German navy strong, especially the world's strongest ironclad ships made by China, the eight of which are the strongest ironclad ships, which are a huge threat to the British and French navy.

The grapes are sour when they can't eat grapes. Due to the Saxon-class ironclad ship's slipper-like shape and the huge double-sided arrangement of four chimneys, the British deliberately gave it the nickname "cement factory" to belittle the German Navy.

But this did not affect the Germans' enthusiasm. Four dome-armored cruisers were then built in China. This time the German Navy did not make any modifications, and it was a completely replica of the Chinese Haiqi-class dome-armored cruiser.

Because the German Navy's finances are also limited, the eight Saxon-class ironclad ships cost millions of yuan, and they are very expensive. However, if the eight Dome Cruises do not change their designs, they will directly adopt the mature design of the Chinese Haiqi-class Dome Cruises, and the cost will be greatly reduced. After all, the Chinese Navy has built nine ships, and the equipment and materials are in place, and the workers are already skilled. The cost cost will inevitably be greatly reduced, and the German Navy has also saved a lot of money.

The British, the Admiralty Department, and the information from Fan5 was sent to the hands of the Navy Secretary Newcastle.

Soon, Newcastle met with British Prime Minister Benjamin in an emergency.

"Prime Minister, you must pay attention to this news."

"Why? I didn't see any problem? Several newly built large shipyards in China are building warships for the German Navy. This is an open secret!"

Benjamin could not see any problem, but Newcaster's subsequent reminder made him nervous.

"Prime Minister, have you not seen that these warships are all built in China's northern shipyards, and China's southern shipyards have no orders. Then, in turn, what are the large southern shipyards in China doing? I haven't seen them idle."

Benjamin immediately looked solemn and asked, "Are you saying that the Chinese Navy has begun a new round of shipbuilding operations?"

"Yes!" Newcastle said: "The Chinese Navy's 99 Fleet case, 9981 main battleships, and there are only 18 at present, and the number will be doubled in the next stage, because they must not only control the Western Pacific, but also further expand the sphere of maritime influence."

Benjamin asked back: "Then are your navy ready? Are the new warships designed? They can fight against China's Dingyuan-class ironclad ships and even against China's next-level more powerful warships!"

Newcastle replied: "We activated Fisher as the Minister of Maritime Affairs. He has unique insights and can design a powerful warship immediately, which can definitely defeat the Dingyuan level."

Benjamin nodded and said, "Then I'll wait for your good news, and the naval allocation will be issued as soon as possible. I don't know how strong the next-level warships in China will be, but I believe our Royal Navy of the British Empire will definitely do it."

Fisher has been reused and is studying the China Dingyuan-class ironclad ship and designing a new ironclad ship in a targeted manner.

At the same time, after sending away German Prime Minister Bismarck, Chinese Emperor Li Weiguo made another southern tour and arrived at the Jiangnan Shipyard.

At this moment, in the dock of Jiangnan Shipyard No. 1, a huge new warship is under construction, and the entire hull has basically been completed.

According to the tone set by Li Weiguo for the development of Chinese naval equipment, the order of designing first level, building first level, and serving first level, when nine Dingyuan-class ironclad ships were put into service, the new warship started construction in secret.

Like the Zheng He, this is also a test ship used to test and test the new equipment and new technologies developed by the Chinese Navy in recent years.

Li Weiguo observed the new ship in front of the drawings. The appearance was not much different from the Dingyuan class, and the design tonnage was about 10,000 tons. In addition to using the latest reciprocating steam engine system, the biggest difference is only the construction materials.

That's right, it's construction materials.

Five years ago, when the Chinese Navy built the Dingyuan-class ironclad ship, because the production of special steel was low and the supply was in short supply, we could only use wrought iron to build warships.

However, as the preliminary projects of major industrial bases in China are completed one after another, steel production continues to increase, and the output of special steel has naturally increased a lot. It is not so difficult to take out more than 10,000 tons of special steel to build new warships.

Yes, this is an all-steel battleship, no longer a wrought iron-built iron ship. It also has a star-like name, that is, the former Fearless Battleship. (To be continued.) Mobile phone users, please visit http://m.piaotian.net
Chapter completed!