Chapter 653 Community of Shared Destiny

General Winter left disappointed.

From Antwerp he sent a telegram to the Minister of the Admiralty:

"We all know very well that Shire will not sell this technology."

"If we hold a gun to the enemy's head, we can snatch the bag of gold coins and everything he has without any scruples."

"At this time, we will not agree to let him use this bag of gold coins to buy the gun."

"So, Ciel won't agree to it either."

Balfour hadn't slept for two days and three nights. After seeing the telegram, he could only nod helplessly: "It seems that we have no choice but to find a way to catch up with Charles."

He looked out the window of the War Office Building.

Snowflakes were still floating in the sky of London. The city was still shrouded in depressing fog, and there was no sign of winter turning into spring. It seemed that a more violent storm was brewing.

…

Albert I was quite satisfied with the trip.

He even hummed on the car ride back to Hasselt.

"You know what, Major General?" Albert I said to Major General Eden proudly, "For nearly a hundred years, Belgium has been trying to strike a balance between several major powers, including the Netherlands. Now, we are finally going to end these days of fear!"

Albert I was tired of this kind of social interaction where he had to put on a forced smile and try to maneuver between the great powers, as well as the contemptuous looks from others.

(Note: Belgium separated from the Netherlands and became a country in 1830, which is 86 years at the time of this book.)

"Yes, Your Majesty." Major General Eden agreed from the bottom of his heart: "Forming an alliance with Charles is the best choice for us."

By standing on Charles' side, Belgium, while not leaping from pawn to player, is close.

One day, when Belgium fully implements Charles's defense system and is able to resist the threats of the three major powers, no one will be able to regard Belgium as a road anymore.

"No!" Albert I objected, "Not an ally, but a friend, Major General. The most reliable and trustworthy friend!"

…

Lieutenant General Geprat always insisted on setting up his headquarters at Antwerp Airport, just downstairs from Charles's.

At this time, the war in the North Sea had come to an end, and in principle there was no need for him to stay at the airport.

He was used to feeling the sea breeze and watching the warships in the harbor, and was not used to the noise of planes taking off and landing at the airport, which made his ears buzz and even made him dizzy.

However, he was still reluctant to move to the harbour, even though the airport was not far from the harbour.

"This is not just about operational coordination," Lieutenant General Geprat said to the staff who persuaded him, "It's also about tactics and even strategic direction, understand? Moreover, we should get used to the aircraft, not only get used to it, but also understand it!"

The plane could be everything. Lieutenant General Geprat stood at the window, staring blankly at the fighter jets taking off and landing outside, feeling a little lost.

Gueplat came from a naval family, and his grandfather even commanded a sailing ship under Napoleon.

The idea that was instilled in him since childhood was: "The navy is everything. It determines the prosperity and strength of a country. No other branch of the military can surpass it. You should make becoming an excellent naval commander your life goal and be proud of it!"

However, he suddenly discovered that this was not the case.

The Air Force is about to rise, and the Navy seems to be nothing in front of it.

Warships can only travel at a maximum speed of thirty knots (over 50 kilometers per hour), but airplanes can easily reach speeds of over one hundred or even two hundred kilometers per hour, and will be even faster in the future.

Warships can only see about forty kilometers away, but aircraft at high altitudes can easily spot warships hundreds of kilometers away.

Warships have no fighting initiative and can only passively wait for aircraft to attack, while aircraft can fight or flee...

Vice Admiral Geprat was unwilling to give in. He kept deducing in his mind, hoping to find a way for the navy to defeat the air force, or a way out for the navy.

But in the end, without exception, they were all overturned by themselves.

Finally, he sighed and muttered to himself: "Char is right. Air superiority determines everything, especially naval battles."

In land warfare, the impact of aircraft can be weakened by smoke, forests, trenches, tunnels, etc., but on the flat and wide sea surface, warships can only become targets for aircraft.

With a heavy heart, Lieutenant General Geprat turned to the telecommunications room and ordered the signalman: "Send a telegram to the Brest Shipyard: 'Charles will fund our army to build 10 new destroyers. I hope you can send someone to Antwerp as soon as possible to negotiate.'"

…

Brest Shipyard.

It had been three days since Charles' victory in the North Sea, and Wells's mood had gradually cooled from his initial ecstasy.

He was directing workers at the shipyard to install an "echo sounder" on the destroyer.

The 1,000-ton "Adventure-class" destroyer is facing a dilemma: the displacement is there, and the naval guns, torpedoes, personnel and supplies are almost at the limit.

To install the "echo sounder" and supporting equipment and personnel, it is necessary to reduce other materials and even weapons, such as the number of torpedoes.

"We need more funds." Wells frowned at the blueprint: "We need to build larger destroyers to meet current combat needs."

Wells, however, found this unlikely.

The military used most of the funds to send the army to fight the German army on the battlefield. The navy had little funds to begin with, and the Minister of the Navy planned to turn to the Toulon shipyard for safety. The two newly built battleships were transferred to Toulon.

(Note: During World War I, France built a total of three battleships and two destroyers. The three battleships were of the Bretagne class and construction began in 1909. During World War I, the French Navy concentrated funds to build them in the hope that they would be useful on the battlefield.)

Even if Charles had won the North Sea, it would not change anything. The stubborn Minister of the Navy would still invest funds in battleships.

Then, wait until the last Provence is completed and transfer it to Toulon.

At this moment, the secretary ran up to Wells out of breath and reported: "First, sir, good news..."

Wells asked without looking up, "Another victory?"

This doesn't mean much. The Minister of the Navy will not change his strategy. He always believes that the North Sea and the Atlantic belong to the British. It is redundant, a waste, and a meaningless struggle and adventure for the French Navy to intervene.

"No, sir," the secretary replied, "It was a telegram from Vice Admiral Gaiplatte, who said that Charles would fund the construction of 10 new destroyers for the Navy."

Wells suddenly looked up at the secretary and asked hesitantly, "Are you telling the truth?"

"It is absolutely true, sir," the secretary replied. "Moreover, Vice Admiral Gueprat reported the matter to the government and requested that the ten new destroyers be transferred from the Brest Navy."

"Great!" Wells exclaimed. "10 ships, how much will that cost? The point is, this is just the beginning, a very good start!"

Wells was a businessman, and he knew that once the Brest Navy began to compete with the Royal Navy, orders would pour into the Brest Shipyard.

By then, the Brest Shipyard will not only not decline because of the "strategic direction" of the Minister of the Navy, but will rise rapidly!

Therefore, Wells and Lieutenant General Geprat share a common destiny, which is also the basis for them to become good friends who trust each other.

(End of this chapter)