Nanyang Storm 1864

"Our country is shattered, and we are bullied by everyone," General Zheng Guoguang commented, concluding with a deep sigh.

After hearing this, Gu Huaiyu, the royal secretary, frowned slightly, quickly glanced at the emperor's expression, kept his mouth shut and did not reply, and began to concentrate on studying the sand table.

The Northern Divine Continent is everyone's homeland, yet they remain attached to it, which inevitably raises suspicions of "being in Cao's camp but having their hearts in Han's."

After General Zheng Guoguang finished speaking, he realized something was amiss. He glanced at Emperor Zheng Guohui with a guilty look, then quickly turned his head away, saying something to save face.

"These Japanese devils are really crazy. In just one day of fighting on the 24th, they attacked the Lushun Fortress and the casualties exceeded 20,000. How many days can they hold out with such high intensity of fighting?"
"His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief's latest information indicates that the Japanese army has ceased its full-scale attack."

"I knew it! This is no surprise. If we keep fighting like this, an army will be wiped out in two or three days. Even the most abundant resources can't withstand such squandering!"

“What you say is very true, sir. We think so too,” the official standing by the sand table replied.

Emperor Zheng Guohui ignored them and instead listened intently to the worried words of Admiral He Zhucheng, the Minister of the Royal Navy.

"...

Based on the performance of the Shanghai battle

The Fusang Naval Combined Fleet has grown into a formidable rival to the Imperial Navy, a fact that cannot be denied.

With its current fleet of six main battleships and six heavy cruisers, the average age of the ships is less than five years. They possess the advantages of British warships, such as high speed and powerful firepower, and pose a real threat.

The aging capital ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet were completely suppressed. Our fleet also had similar concerns, mainly due to the slow speed of the capital ships, poor firing range of the main guns, and unreasonable distribution of gun rooms among the ships, which affected the performance of combat effectiveness.

Japanese warships had an average speed of over 18 knots and their side-fire capability was extremely strong.

In contrast, the Royal Navy's fleet of 13 main battleships mostly has a speed between 13 and 16 knots, with the fastest newest warships not exceeding 16.5 knots, which is no longer adequate for the current demands of ocean domination.

The earliest Manila-class destroyers originated in the late 80s and have been in service for over 17 years, with an average age of over 10 years. They are indeed incapable of undertaking the major missions assigned to them in the new century.

Traveling against the current, retreating if not advancing.

The three years of stagnation in the Royal Navy's development coincided with three years of rapid growth for maritime powers around the world.

Over the course of three years, major maritime powers such as Britain, Germany, the United States, and France have launched a large number of battleships representing the world's top-tier capabilities. The United States alone has as many as nine, while France has seven under construction or in service.

Britain has developed four types of battleships totaling 15, and is currently planning to build the new generation of "all-heavy guns" Dreadnought-class battleships.

Compared to the global trend of naval development, the Royal Navy of our Great Chu Empire is still relying on its past achievements and is gradually falling behind the development of the new situation.

The latest class of heavy gun battleship, the "Yecheng," achieved a top speed of 18.2 knots during sea trials, but it has not yet entered service and has no combat capability. It is the only one of its kind.

At the current pace of construction and commissioning, the second HMS Surabaya will be launched for rigging in the second half of next year, and after sea trials, it will be delivered to the Royal Navy, which would be by the end of the year.

The Royal Navy's warship construction and commissioning process has been too lengthy and is no longer suited to the demands of today's global maritime competition.

Take the UK as an example

The construction cycle for a 16000-ton main battleship is only four and a half to five months. With more than three months of sea trials, it can enter service with the Royal Navy in eight months, which is one and a half times more efficient than ours.

It must be recognized that the Russian Navy was facing the danger of total annihilation.

It is highly probable that the Japanese navy could capture or salvage sunken Russian warships, thereby rapidly expanding the size of the combined fleet to more than 10 ships in its main force.

Given the vastness of the mainland waters of our Great Chu Empire, it is impossible to gather the mainland fleet together at all times. It would take at least 1 to 2 weeks, which could give the Fusang navy the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Although this possibility is unlikely, we must still be on the safe side.

Admiral He Zhucheng left with an unspoken message: if two or three of his main warships were to be severely damaged in a surprise attack by the enemy, the problem would be serious.

With this increase and decrease, the balance of power between the Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire and the Allied Fleet of Fusang on paper is now 50/50.

The Great Chu Empire was a world power with a territory exceeding 1657 million square kilometers, stretching from Central America and the Patagonia Viceroyalty in the east to the Congo River Viceroyalty in West Africa in the west. Its territory spanned four continents and five oceans, and its maritime interests that needed protection were too extensive.

It is impossible for a major maritime power to hesitate to send its main warships out to carry out long-range deterrence patrols for several months just because it is concerned about the threat from the Japanese Combined Fleet. This is also the usual practice of the world's maritime powers.

The usual long-range deterrence patrol missions last from 6 to 9 months, with a main battleship leading a fleet of heavy cruisers and naval coal transport ships to patrol the waters on the frontier of the Empire.

It is generally divided into the Eastern Mission Area and the Western Mission Area, with two mission patrol directions.

The Eastern Mission departs from a port in Manila, passing through Guam, Weke Island, Midway Island, and Hawaii Island before arriving in Panama City in Central America. After a brief stop there, it crosses the Panama Canal and reaches the Caribbean Sea.

Then they cruised from the Caribbean Sea to Puerto Santa Marta, a port city in northern Colombia, which was also an important port for the Caribbean fleet of the Great Chu Empire.

Finally, we visited Caracas in Venezuela, Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Paramaribo in Suriname, Natal and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Finally, they arrived at Porto Blanca in the Viceroyalty of Patagonia, and then headed south through the provinces of Atlantic, Central, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, crossed the Cape of Storms into the Pacific Ocean, and then headed north to Zieno, having traveled almost halfway around the world.

Such long-range deterrence voyages require the dispatch of task forces every year to continuously exert influence on coastal countries, which is also an effective multiplier of political influence.

In some years, the Royal Navy fleet of the Great Chu Empire, on its long-range ocean patrols, would also visit the southern states of the United States, with New Jersey and Florida being frequent destinations, and even as far north as New York State.

It was through such friendly naval exchanges that the Great Chu Empire continuously exported its influence to countries in North and South America. Incidentally, it also led to closer economic and trade exchanges among the people, a superior status for the Chinese, and very few instances of unilateral suppression, discrimination, abuse, or injustice.

Even if some wealthy Chinese businessmen are murdered overseas, these are isolated criminal cases and are usually handled quickly by local authorities to prevent the Great Chu Empire from taking advantage of the situation.

This is the source of the influence of the world's top powers: wherever their warships and cannons are pointed, justice and righteousness prevail. Even today...
The fact that wealthy Chinese merchants of the Great Chu Empire were able to expand their businesses worldwide and become the world's second-largest industrial economy in terms of export volume is inseparable from the power projection of the Royal Navy.

Powerful warships are the simplest and most direct language: if you're not happy, we'll beat you up. It's that straightforward.

The western mission area is in another direction. The task force carrying out the mission departs from its home port of Manila, passes through Aceh port and enters the Indian Ocean, and visits Calcutta, the British Governor-General's residence, and Cochin along the way.

After entering the Arabian Sea, the fleet will travel via Dubai to Kuwait, then to Basra in Iraq, and finally to Delam in the Kingdom of Iran for a stopover. During this stop, the fleet's officers and soldiers will interact with the local people and government officials.

They organize social gatherings, hand out candy, and sometimes even accidentally fire cannons to sink suspected pirate ships, openly or covertly showing off their military might.

As for whether the sunken ship was a real pirate ship?

The truth is not important; what matters is the display of naval power—it's that brutal and direct.

The following itinerary includes a stopover at Dinghai Port, under the jurisdiction of the East African Governor's Office, for a 2-3 week resupply and replenishment period. This port is also the home port of the Red Sea Squadron.

Here, the task force will receive orders from the Imperial homeland. If there is a mission to visit Europe, then after passing through the Suez Canal, it will proceed to visit the coastal ports of Europe.

If not, then after crossing the Suez Canal, the ship will sail along the North African coast, stopping at Tripoli, the French Governor-General's residence in North Africa, and Tunisia, before arriving at the Grand Bay City under the jurisdiction of the Congo River Governor-General's District.

They traveled south, passing through East Sang City to Cabinda, and then entered the Congo River to reach Kinshasa, where they rested for at least 1 to 2 months.

If a warship needs maintenance, it can be docked at the Cabinda shipyard, which has four 3-ton dry docks and two 5-ton dry docks, giving it the capability to build and repair large ocean-going vessels. Repairing main warships is naturally no problem for them.

The next leg of the journey involves leaving Kinshasa, entering the Atlantic Ocean from Cabinda, and continuing south along the African coastline, eventually reaching Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in South Africa, which are also important supply ports.

Every year, the Great Chu Empire imports valuable items such as gold, diamonds, and silver, which are brought back by long-range fleets rather than by ordinary transport ships, thus ensuring greater security.

After entering the Indian Ocean
The return voyage passed through Madagascar and visited various East African colonies before heading north to Djibouti, under the jurisdiction of the Governor-General of East Africa. The rest of the voyage was for the return trip.

The Western mission area also involved circling half the globe, especially when tasked with visiting various European ports, which greatly extended the mission time, sometimes to more than a year.

It was through regular long-range deterrence patrols that the Great Chu Empire established its universal image as a world-class power, laying a solid foundation for promoting Confucian culture abroad and strengthening global trade ties.

During periods of regional tension, such as the Spanish-American War or the Boer War in South Africa, the Great Chu Empire's deterrence patrol fleets were always equipped with two main battleships, which greatly enhanced its international influence.

The dual-main battleship configuration represents the highest level of capability for routine long-range deterrence and patrol missions.

Coupled with the routine dry-dock maintenance and mid-term overhauls of these older ships, the main warships of the Great Chu Empire's Royal Navy are stretched thin in terms of operational capacity, making it difficult to quickly assemble an overwhelming fleet to gain an advantage.

这个世界上

The most effective weapon against a battleship is another battleship; the most effective weapon against a heavy cruiser is the enemy's battleship and heavy cruiser, and so on.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire knew clearly that the modernization of the Imperial Navy was imminent.

Ten of the "Zhen"-class battleships are still in service today, forming the main force of the overseas fleet, but they have been docked in port for a long time due to their age.

The earliest ironclad warship, the "Zhendong," entered service in 1868 and has been in service for 36 years. Its top speed is only eleven knots, and when it sails, it emits billowing black smoke that blots out the sky. It is already very old and worn out.

Faced with the concerns raised by General He Zhucheng, he considered them carefully and said;

"Fleet modernization is indeed urgent. It's already the end of August, and we'll have to wait until the end of the year. The Royal Navy has come up with a new development plan, focusing on heavy cruisers as the main force in overseas viceroyalties, with a displacement of over 8 tons."

The specific construction plan should be selected from the best, the design speed should not be lower than 24 knots, preferably 25 knots, and it should be equipped with 280 mm main guns, still using the stationary twin-mounted turret, with the characteristics of long range and high speed.

The first batch consists of six ships, which will be used to refit overseas fleets.

As for the main battleships, the Admiralty has put forward new plans for discussion, and it is indeed necessary to speed up the construction progress.

His Majesty's statement made General He Zhucheng unable to suppress the joy on his face. He was so happy that he felt like he was about to explode. He nodded vigorously and replied.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured that the relevant plan has already been drafted by the Navy and has undergone more than 10 revisions and verifications, making it highly feasible."

The Admiralty is tracking new directions in the development of the Royal Navy's main combat vessels and plans to build battlecruisers, generally around 13000 tons, with long range and high speed, making them very suitable for serving as the main force in overseas squadrons.

If this modernization can be completed within 3-4 years, the Royal Navy will have a completely new look.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire smiled casually, pointed at General He Zhucheng, and said;
"You lot! It seems you've been waiting for me here all along."

Alright, the Royal Navy's development has stagnated for many years, it's time for a modernization. Let's submit the proposal first.

Included in next year's fiscal allocation plan, the first batch can build 3 ships, with the aim of completing the rigs within the year and delivering them to the Royal Navy for service by the end of the year.

Furthermore, the term "battlecruiser" is poorly chosen; it's neither a battleship nor a cruiser, making it a hybrid of both.

We should still adhere to the standards of heavy cruisers. Even if the warship is larger in tonnage, it should still be a heavy cruiser, to avoid creating something that is neither fish nor fowl and becomes a laughing stock.

"Your Majesty, I have failed to consider this matter properly. Please punish me." General He Zhucheng, still unable to contain his excitement, raised his hand in salute and begged for forgiveness.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty casually waved his hand and said, "The warships that need to be built should be built. The empire is not short of money, but we cannot be outdone by the Japanese. Wouldn't that make us a laughing stock?"

"Your Majesty's judgment is wise; I am deeply impressed," General He Zhucheng replied respectfully.

Anyway, the goal has been achieved, so whatever His Majesty says is fine.
Holding back the Royal Navy from developing new warships was a far-sighted strategy; now that they've turned around and agreed, that shows wisdom and decisiveness—they have plenty of money. (End of Chapter)