Chapter 831 The Most Powerful Force in History (First Update, Please Subscribe)
May 28, 1876, on the sea outside the French Libyan colony of Tripoli.
32 battleships and armored ships were quietly anchored, the ships like mountains, the masts like forests, and the guns like branches.
Each ship was hung with colorful triangular flags from bow to stern, and huge national flags were flying on the mastheads and bows and sterns, including the French tricolor flag, the Russian tricolor flag, the flag of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and of course the sun and moon flag of the Ming Empire - yes, this huge fleet came from the Ming Empire, the French Empire, the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and history will record the gorgeous name of this fleet: the Imperial Alliance Fleet.
The Imperial Alliance Fleet is a fleet jointly formed by the four major empires, with as many as 32 battleships and armored ships alone!
Twelve French, Russian and Austro-Hungarian warships of 10,000 tons each were lined up in groups of four, anchored and turned off, forming a steel wall several kilometers long along the coastline on the Tripoli side. Within the wall, the four countries' Nanhua-class, Ocean-class and other secondary warships of 7,000-9,000 tons were lined up, and further in were armored ships such as the Linhai-class.
As for small warships such as light cruisers, they were magnificently ignored here! In front of the cannons and giant ships, they were like little mice.
Five days ago, in the Bay of Coon in Marseille, France, the Emperor of the French Empire reviewed the neatly arranged French Empire Fleet - 16 battleships and ironclad ships, which constituted their main force. On the same day, the "French Fleet" with these 16 battleships as the core officially set sail and headed for the newly annexed Libya.
What will be waiting for them here?
They were fleets from the Ming Empire, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They also sent out the main forces of their respective navies. The Ming Empire sent out eight of its ten battleships, while Russia sent out all six battleships, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire sent out two!
After they gathered here, they temporarily formed the "Imperial Alliance Fleet" according to the orders of the emperors of the four countries!
This is the most powerful fleet ever built.
It does not belong to any one country, but to an alliance - the Imperial Alliance!
"When the power of the four empires is combined, the whole world will tremble!"
It turns out that the whole world is indeed shaking!
At this time in Tripoli, various steamships and wooden sailing ships were coming and going near the fleet, and the sailors from various countries on the ships all cast glances full of various emotions towards these warships... joy, surprise, shock, envy, jealousy, and of course hostility!
After all, as the world's most powerful maritime power, Britain owns almost one-third of the world's merchant ships, and there are many British sailors here.
However, the sailors on the "Imperial Alliance Fleet" simply ignored their hostility.
After all, no matter how they look at it, the strength of this fleet is unquestionable!
The naval officers and soldiers of the four countries on the battleship all held this idea, because they knew very well that the battleship they were on had the most powerful force in the world.
This could not be more clear than from their opponents, the British. When the British Royal Navy learned that the "Imperial Alliance Fleet" was formed, at that moment, the proud and superior mood that they had established since the Nelson era by defeating the Franco-Spanish fleet collapsed instantly.
What a huge fleet this is!
This fleet is so huge that it exceeds the entire British naval force.
What has been the British Navy’s military construction philosophy over the past decade?
Their overall strength is equal to the sum of the second and third largest maritime powers. However, the total tonnage of the fleets of the four major empires now far exceeds theirs. They are even willing to bypass most of Europe and cross the vast Atlantic Ocean to send their most advanced warships to the Mediterranean!
What could Britain, which once possessed the most powerful naval power in the world, think of when faced with such a naval power?
They suffered an unprecedented heavy blow!
But the British are not afraid of setbacks. They will only become more courageous. The spirit of the British Royal Navy is more dazzling and eternal than the strength of this allied fleet.
Almost on the day when the fleet was formed, at the Imperial Parliament in London, the Prime Minister, the Admiral and other officials made a speech: "We will make all countries that try to challenge the British Royal Navy realize that they will never win this competition."
What kind of competition is it?
It was an arms race in the navy. On the same day, the Imperial Parliament passed a naval expansion plan to build 400,000-ton battleships in the next five years. Who was such a huge naval expansion plan aimed at?
Of course it’s the Quadruple Alliance.
But all this takes time.
"We have sadly discovered a fact - we simply do not have enough power to fight against the Imperial Alliance!"
While the London press was discussing this reality in a tone full of sadness and helplessness, off the coast of Tripoli, the Imperial Alliance Fleet began their first joint exercise, which required them to devote 100% of their energy. After all, this fleet was established to deter their most powerful and dangerous imaginary enemy - Britain!
The most important purpose of forming this fleet is to force Britain not to interfere with Türkiye through a display of strength.
For a moment, the main guns on the sea roared, and the sea and sky were filled with the roar of twelve-inch and ten-inch naval guns, and heavy shells continued to fire into the distance.
Amid the sound of artillery fire that echoed throughout the sea and sky, Lin Yuehu, commander of the left wing, just quietly observed the artillery tactics of the friendly forces through a telescope.
"Their artillery skills seem pretty good!"
"It's just okay, but the Russian side is a little bit lacking."
At this moment, on the cruiser "Tripoli" a thousand miles away, British Navy Lieutenant Commander Standing held almost the same view.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hans, have you noticed? The Russians' artillery seems to be the worst in the Allied fleet!"
"Yes, the Ming Dynasty has the best artillery. Their firing rate is faster and more accurate!"
As Lieutenant Colonel Hans spoke, he held a cigar between his fingers.
This cruiser is a "yacht" specially prepared by France for visitors from various countries. It is a 3,000-ton yacht and its name commemorates the occupation of Tripoli.
"But it doesn't matter. What matters is that they are now a whole!"
A whole!
This is the most frightening thing about the Quadruple Alliance. They are not afraid of any one of the countries among them, but when the Quadruple Alliance comes together, even a country as powerful as Britain has to be treated with caution.
At this time, the 32 battleships and armored ships of the four countries once again adjusted their formation according to the order, and then they once again fired at the sudden target in front of them.
"See? That's what they're trying to accomplish - we're here, get out of the way or face the consequences."
When the deafening sound of the cannons rang out again, the huge fleet of warships in the distance spewed out puffs of white smoke, making them look more like a mirage disturbed by clouds and fog. At this time, people who witnessed this fleet could guess the power they stored - this power was powerful!
It is enough to make any country feel awe and fear, and of course it will also awaken some potential forces!
To awaken some forces that have not yet been awakened in other countries. Of course, it takes time to awaken these forces.
(End of this chapter)
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