Chapter 803 The Prodigal Emperor (Fourth update, please subscribe)

After entering the era of ironclad ships, the rulers of various countries discovered a tragedy with great frustration - the warships that could be used for decades or even hundreds of years in the sailing era no longer existed, and even the ironclad ships that cost huge amounts of money to build would be eliminated in a short period of time.

How short is this time?

It may only take a few years for the once cutting-edge warships to become outdated.

For the Imperial Navy, their feelings were profound. Just like the "Friendship-class" ironclad ship obtained from France, it was still the flagship of the Ming Navy in 1870. However, just two years later, with the commissioning of the "Nanhua", the once powerful "Friendship-class" ironclad ship became synonymous with obsolescence overnight.

Especially after the sister ship of the Nanhua, the Zhenyuan, and four other battleships were put into service, the Friendship and the Alliance became increasingly awkward in the battle sequence of the Imperial Navy. As ironclad ships, their defensive firepower was not as good as that of the Nanhua class, and even worse than that of the later Linhai class.

In a word, they are behind the times.

However, for the Ming Empire Navy, which had a small number of warships, although it was backward, it was still a battleship of more than 7,000 tons.

Now faced with the reality that they are completely outdated, Lin Yuehu, the Minister of the Navy, is a bit embarrassed. Even if they are outdated, they are still warships!

Just a few days ago, he was still calling others spendthrifts!

Why is His Majesty now turning his attention to naval training? Of course, he absolutely cannot use those three words to describe His Majesty.

The prodigal emperor... this thought flashed through his mind.

But then again, this may be beneficial to the navy. If it is eliminated, can't we just replace it with a new warship?

Just when Lin Yuehu was hesitating, a call came from the palace, saying that His Majesty was summoning him.

After arriving at the palace, just a short while later, Lin Yuehu had a feeling that the navy had turned into Tang Monk's flesh!

"In general, I think we can provide them with two to four warships first. Of course, it is not for free, but a military aid in the form of a loan. Overall, it tells everyone that he has our support!"

Emperor Zhu said very clearly,

"Only in this way can Li Xuzhou do what he wants without worrying about Zeng the Barber and Nanjing."

Why hasn't Li Xuzhou dared to act rashly until now?

In fact, just like the shaver in history who did not dare to act rashly, they are all afraid that if they move, they will become a stepping stone for others' wealth and glory.

loyalty!

Loyalty also has a price, okay? Their loyalty is based on the mutual restraint between the Xiang, Huai and Chu armies. Although they are not good at other things, they are quite good at playing political games.

It’s a pity that it’s a bit late now, otherwise it would be nice to get to know each other and get to know each other in depth.

What a pity...

As for Li Xuzhou, since he can't move right now, let's help him create the conditions!

Since Li Xuzhou has gone so far in this world, let's give him a hand and let him go further. As for how far, it depends on his ability!

"And if there are only warships, his threat to the Heavenly Kingdom and Huguang is also very limited. The fleet enters the Yangtze River? The artillery forts in Wusong are enough for him to deal with. Therefore, the fleet will not play much of a role in Li Xuzhou's hands. So? I think that compared to providing other assistance, this kind of assistance is more direct and more effective, but the navy needs to make some sacrifices."

"Your Majesty, the relationship between us and Britain is tense right now. Selling the warships..."

Facing His Majesty's request, while Lin Yuehu was expressing his embarrassment, he was also making his own calculations in his mind.

What if those old warships were handed over to Li Xuzhou? Wouldn't it be possible to free up a lot of ship names and expand the "Second Phase Expansion Plan" at the same time?

As the Minister of the Navy, of course he had to fight for the interests of the navy.

"Will it affect the balance of power between us and the UK?"

"It is indeed possible, but at the moment, the possibility of us or the French going to war with Britain is not great. The growth of the Beiyang Fleet will bring a direct consequence - the British will inevitably strengthen their maritime power in Asia. Whether the Beiyang Fleet takes action in the future or not, it is a potential threat to Britain."

Emperor Zhu thought for a moment and said.

"Besides, the navy can take this opportunity to eliminate a batch of old ships and order new ones. After all, the interests of the Ming Dynasty lie on the sea. Without a strong navy, there is no future for the Ming Dynasty!"

"Your Majesty, if that's the case, the second phase expansion plan will have to be revised."

Lin Yuehu, whose goal had been achieved, thought for a while and said.

"In my opinion, the Friendship-class and Tianlong-class ships can be sold to the Beiyang Fleet, but the navy should build at least two more combat ships and two more armored ships..."

Before he could finish, Emperor Zhu burst into laughter.

"You, I'm afraid you've already wanted to deal with these warships."

Seeing that his thoughts were "exposed" by His Majesty, Lin Yuehu did not hide it.

"I am the Minister of the Navy, so I naturally have to strive for as many new ships as possible for the Imperial Navy. Moreover, in my opinion, the second phase of the naval plan seems to be of a large scale, but in fact..."

After a pause, Lin Yuehu spoke directly.

"The deterrence capability is still very limited. After all, the United States is also expanding its maritime forces. It is impossible to maintain an advantage over the United States while confronting Britain by relying solely on the "88 Fleet" of the first and second phase plans. In my opinion, the navy needs at least 10 combat ships and 10 armored ships to maintain a local maritime advantage and form a strong deterrent against Britain and the United States!"

Faced with Lin Yuehu's proposal, Emperor Zhu was silent for a while, then said.

"For now, eight combat ships and eight armored ships are enough to form a deterrent. Today's technology is improving day by day. According to the plan, the "Youzhou class" will be completed in three years, that is, in the ninth year of Shengde. How advanced will the navy technology be in three years?"

Emperor Zhu said after asking the question.

"The navy's technological innovation is very fast, especially in recent years, such as rapid-fire guns and kerosene-mixed boilers. I heard that General Dynamics is developing a new type of main engine. Maybe in a few years, even the Youzhou class will be eliminated. Let's wait a little longer. The real competition will be after Türkiye."

What is the real competition?

Of course it’s the dreadnought!

The model of the dreadnought had already been in Emperor Zhu's model room. Now all that was missing was some key technologies. As long as those technologies were mastered, the Ming Dynasty would usher in the era of dreadnoughts.

"The most important thing right now is to keep exploring new technologies in preparation for the future. As for the second phase, of course we have to expand it. However, don't consider the Youzhou class anymore. The new battleship must be more powerful. We can redesign a new battleship! However, it must have more powerful firepower and faster speed!"

New battleship!

When Lin Yuehu heard this, a smile broke out on his face that was hard to conceal. There were better things than this.

"I obey the decree!"

With His Majesty's order, the navy can further expand its maritime power, with new battleships that are stronger and faster...

"By the way, what's the situation in West Africa now? How do the British react?"

(End of this chapter)