Chapter 1201: The Peak of Empire Technology (3rd update, please subscribe)
"Of course it's a battleship!"
In the office of the Navy's Ship Administration Department, Wang Zhensheng, the pioneer of the "era of big guns and big ships", responded directly to the question from the director.
"But you can understand it this way - it is both a battleship and a cruiser! It has the heavy armor and powerful artillery of a battleship, and the high speed and long-distance cruising ability of a cruiser."
If Emperor Zhu heard what Wang Zhensheng said, he would definitely think of the "battlecruiser". This type of battleship was developed from the armored cruiser, but it is essentially a high-speed battleship. Compared with the battleships of the same period, the battlecruiser has slightly thinner armor and slightly weaker firepower, but the speed gained by sacrificing some armor gives it extremely high tactical value.
"It's both a battleship and a cruiser? It's about the same as the Linhai-class armored cruiser?"
The Linhai-class armored cruiser was designed by the Imperial Navy based on the Nanhua-class battleship. Its armor was slightly thinner and its firepower was slightly weaker, but its speed was very fast. The reason for building this type of armored cruiser was because the empire's vast overseas colonies needed to be defended.
"Almost. But why didn't we build new armored cruisers after the Linhai class?"
Wang Zhensheng asked and answered himself.
"In the final analysis, it is because after the Youzhou class entered service, its speed reached an astonishing 21 knots, even faster than the Linhai class. In fact, to a certain extent, the Youzhou class is a new type of warship that combines the firepower and armor of a battleship with the speed of a cruiser. It's just that we don't realize it."
Wang Zhensheng began to count with his fingers.
"What does the Imperial Navy need to consider when designing warships? First, it must participate in fleet decisive battles. So battleships are needed. Second, the Empire also has vast colonies that need to be protected, and sea routes need to be defended. This requires cruisers. For this reason, when designing, the Navy always puts forward requirements for speed and endurance. It was also at the request of the Navy that we designed the "Youzhou-class" battleship that combines the strengths of both. Even when designing the "Huizhou-class", a speed of 21 knots was the most basic technical requirement, and this speed is exactly the mainstream speed of cruisers in various countries. In fact, starting from the "Youzhou-class", the battleships we built are actually high-speed battleships, that is, battle cruisers."
Luanda's brows knitted together. What did Wang Zhensheng mean by this? Was he saying that they had never designed a battleship?
"Director, it can be said that it was from that time that we inadvertently ushered in a new era. The era of battle cruisers. Of course, it was also under your leadership that we built a new type of warship that perfectly combined protection, firepower and speed."
Is this a compliment?
This is certainly flattery, but it is also telling a fact. While flattering the director, Wang Zhensheng did not forget to emphasize his previous point. What is this called? This is flattery and the facts are not wrong.
"But now the times have changed. What we need is a faster battle cruiser. After all, 21 knots, or even 22 knots, cannot meet the combat needs of the Imperial Navy. After all, our enemies are also building similar warships."
In the past, it was Britain that led the world's warship trend, but after the "Youzhou class", it was the Empire that led the world's warship trend.
"After the Youzhou class launched the 21-knot revolution, countries around the world have raised their speed requirements for combat ships to more than 20 knots. In this case, the 22 knots of the Huizhou class have no advantage at all. We not only need more powerful firepower, but also a faster speed, more than 25 knots! If possible, it should reach 27 knots, which is the Imperial Navy's requirement for the new generation of cruisers."
"That's a cruiser!"
Deputy Director Ding Shangdong said directly.
"Even our largest steam engine cannot provide such a speed."
A battleship with a speed of 25 knots, it was amazing that he could think of it. Although it only increased the speed by three or four knots, the requirements for steam engines and boilers increased by more than one level.
"Why do we still need steam engines? Since we already have steam turbines, we should use steam turbines. They are smaller in size and more powerful, and can be used as the power source for the new generation of warships."
Wang Zhensheng said bluntly.
"Now a new era has arrived. New ship designs, new artillery, new steam turbines, all combined together form a new type of warship. Since we have entered a new era, we must abandon all the relics of the old era and use a brand new maritime force to welcome the arrival of the new era. If we want to defeat the Royal Navy, we must maintain a comprehensive technological lead!"
In fact, the Imperial Navy has always been radical in adopting new technologies, because the Imperial Navy knew very well who its enemy was - the British Royal Navy. The Royal Navy was not only a strong opponent, but also its naval technology was developing very rapidly. If everyone stayed at the same level, it would be difficult for the Imperial Navy to defeat the British.
Therefore, the Imperial Navy has always hoped to gain an advantage over the Royal Navy through technological advantages. This idea has been maintained since the establishment of the Imperial Navy, and it has also become a tradition of the Imperial Navy - being good at adopting new technologies.
And this is also the fundamental reason why the Imperial Navy can maintain its technological pinnacle - it is because of its proactive adoption of the latest technology that it has repeatedly maintained its technological leadership.
"When the Royal Navy was arguing about the advantages and disadvantages of fire tube boilers and water tube boilers, we indeed chose the more technologically complex water tube boilers. The same is true for the triple expansion steam engine. It is through this leading advantage that we have ensured the leading position in maritime technology in the past twenty years. But now, our technological advantage is being exhausted bit by bit. Based on this, we need to regain our advantage! With the maturity of steam turbine technology, I believe that we can not only build more powerful battleships, but also that steam turbines will ensure that the Imperial Navy's ship technology always maintains a leading level!"
Need any other reasons?
No other reasons are needed. For the Imperial Navy, the reason of "ensuring that the Imperial Navy's ship technology always remains at the leading level" is enough.
Soon, the report of the Naval Administration Department recommending the use of steam turbines was sent to the Navy Department. At the joint meeting of the Navy Department, facing the temptation to regain the world's leading level, the generals of the Navy Department made the choice almost immediately.
After all, they have reaped a lot of benefits from technology in the past few years. People are like this. As long as they have taken advantage of something,
As the meeting was about to end, General Lin Yuehu carefully read the report again and said.
"The only question is whether the current steam turbine technology can meet the needs of the Imperial Navy. I hope it won't be like the water tube boiler, which will need a few years of adjustment first."
(End of this chapter)
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