Nanyang Storm 1864

In the eyes of the world's major powers at the beginning of the 20th century, the United States was an economic giant, a military dwarf, and a political invisible man, with its international influence severely limited.

Because of the existence of the eight main islands of the Great Chu Empire and its occupation of the vast majority of islands in the Pacific region, the United States' influence could not cross the Pacific Ocean and radiate to the western Pacific region.

Because of the existence of the two provinces in Central America of the Great Chu Empire, the influence of the United States was tightly limited to the area north of Mexico. North America, including Mexico, and other South American countries were the regions where the United States and the Great Chu Empire fiercely competed for influence.

The Monroe Doctrine, the core of America's foreign policy that has been upheld for over a century, has had an influence limited to Florida, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

Continue south
In Venezuela and Brazil, the influence of the Great Chu Empire is strong, and the two sides are typical competitors.

Faced with such a strategic predicament, the United States has in fact listed the Great Chu Empire as its number one enemy.

The same strategic dilemma existed in the German Empire in Europe, and it increasingly constrained Kaiser Wilhelm II's actively led "world Germany policy," forming an irreconcilable and sharp strategic contradiction.

The old colonial empires, primarily Britain and France, used their vast colonies and powerful naval fleets to confine German influence layer by layer, like wrapping a rice dumpling, within the North Sea and tightly restricting it to the European continent, suffocating the German Empire.

Its powerful military, political and economic influence cannot extend beyond its borders, and its international influence is seriously mismatched with its strength.

It was precisely because of the same strategic dilemma that the relationship between Germany and the United States quickly drew closer, forming extremely close economic ties, and the German-Italian-Austrian alliance became the United States' main European market.

In 1907, the United States upgraded the Pacific Squadron to the Pacific Fleet. Over the next five years, it continued to strengthen the Pacific Fleet, building a powerful lineup of up to six main battleships, demonstrating its ambition to conquer the Pacific.

By early 1912
The United States has a total of 17 battleships, mainly distributed in the Atlantic Fleet and the Pacific Fleet.

Among them, the Atlantic Fleet had 11 main battleships, mainly dreadnoughts equipped with twin 305mm main guns, and its overall level was 9-10 years behind the world's advanced level.

The three American-made battleships currently under construction are all planned to be assigned to the Atlantic Fleet.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet has six main battleships with an average age of only 2.7 years, all of which are newly built warships built in the last five years, demonstrating the United States' strong industrial capabilities.

In response, starting in 1911, the Great Chu Empire dispatched new and advanced main battleships to the Pacific Fleet, Atlantic Fleet, and Caribbean Fleet, mainly the improved Type C of the "Kunlunshan" class, with each fleet to be equipped with two main battleships equipped with 343mm main guns.

In addition, each squadron is equipped with 4 to 6 heavy cruisers armed with triple 280mm main guns, thus forming a strong counterweight to the US Pacific Fleet.

Because the Great Chu Empire controlled the Panama Canal, it could easily mobilize the main warships of the Atlantic Fleet and the Caribbean Fleet when needed, forming a pincer movement against the US Pacific Fleet.

So, on the surface

The strength of the Great Chu Empire's Pacific Fleet may seem weak, but this is actually far from the truth.

A single Kunlunshan-class improved Type C battleship had a full-load displacement of over 32300 tons, equipped with four triple 343mm main gun turrets, possessing 12 343mm main guns and 20 152mm secondary guns, giving it an absolute advantage in terms of thick armor, powerful firepower, and long range.

Its overall technical level is 8-9 years ahead of the US-made main battleships, giving it an overwhelming advantage.

The Nevada-class battleships that the United States is eagerly pursuing are currently in the technical design phase and are scheduled to begin construction in the fourth quarter of this year, but there is still no sign of them yet.

The new Nevada-class battleships were planned to be equipped with 10 356mm main guns, including two triple 356mm main gun turrets at the bow and two twin 356mm main gun turrets at the stern, for a total of ten 356mm main guns.

This design reveals that the triple 356mm main gun turret of the Nevada-class battleships was highly experimental and its technology was not yet fully developed.

Two ships of this class were planned to be built, the first by New York Shipbuilding Corporation and the second by Bethlehem Steel, both of which were commissioned into the Atlantic Fleet.

By the time both of these main battleships were completed and put into service, it would be around 1916, which is about four years later.

The Great Chu Empire was not idle during this period either, and was actively developing super dreadnoughts equipped with 381mm main guns. The progress was basically similar to that of the British Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class ships with the same caliber guns, both representing the pinnacle of battleship technology in the world today.

In the Great Chu Empire

The latest class of super dreadnoughts equipped with 381mm main guns are called the Duke-class, with the lead ship being the "Duke of Manila".

Construction of the ship is currently underway and is expected to begin in early 1913, be completed in the third quarter of 1914, be fitted with rigging, and be commissioned into the Royal Navy in early 1916.

That is
In the field of developing and equipping main battleships, the Great Chu Empire has always maintained a level advantage over the United States.

This is the core technological advantage that allows the Great Chu Empire to maintain its hegemony in the Pacific; no matter how much money is spent, it cannot be bought.

The naval arms race intensified at the beginning of the 20th century. Countries such as Britain, Russia, France, Germany, the United States, Russia, and Japan increased the caliber of their main battleships' main guns and the displacement of their warships, generally approaching the 3-ton level.

Britain's newest Queen Elizabeth-class battleships and the Chu Kingdom's Duke-class battleships have a full-load displacement of nearly 3.7 to 3.8 tons, just one step away from 4 tons.

In just over ten years
The tonnage of the main warships used in naval battles has doubled, from an average of 1.5 to 1.6 tons to around 3 tons, and this trend is showing no signs of abating.

Correspondingly, construction costs also skyrocketed.

Taking the Great Chu Empire as an example

The early Manila-class battleships, equipped with 305mm main guns, cost between 660 million and 700 million silver dollars per ship, equivalent to about 130 million pounds.

In the 20th century, the new "Kunlunshan" class of battleships was developed, equipped with eight 343mm guns, with a full-load displacement of over 30,000 tons per ship, and a construction cost of nearly ten million silver dollars, equivalent to about two million pounds sterling.

The latest "Duke" class battleships are planned to be equipped with an unprecedented eight 381 mm main guns, each shell weighing as much as 891 kg. The ship has a total of four turrets, arranged two forward and two aft along the centerline.

Such a super dreadnought would cost as much as 1400 million silver dollars, or about 280 million pounds.

Such a huge expenditure would be a heavy financial burden and put enormous pressure on even major powers like Britain, France, Germany, and the United States.

However, all countries are gritting their teeth and developing their naval armaments. From Europe and North America to the South Pacific, there is a tense atmosphere of developing naval military capabilities everywhere. Even the United States, which is located in North America, has been drawn into it.

In just six or seven years, a staggering 17 battleships were built, averaging nearly three per year. This means
The United States has invested more than $44 million in naval funding for the main battleships alone. This includes funding for the main battleships under construction and subsequent research, development, construction and technical support, involving 17 American universities and more than 100 large and medium-sized enterprises.

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, those who fail to keep pace with technological advancements will easily fall behind.

巴拿马

This port city, situated on the Pacific Ocean and guarding the vital Panama Canal, has developed into a city with a population of over 77, primarily based on maritime trade, finance, port operations, and cultural education.

It was the 13th largest city in the Great Chu Empire, and also the largest, most prosperous, and most dynamic city in Central America.

The Panama Canal alone has created 33,000 jobs. Panama Bay, bordering the Pacific Ocean, is teeming with ships, and its busy transoceanic transport, transshipment, supply, warehousing, and fishing and processing industries have created more than 100,000 jobs.

these years
With the preferential immigration policies of the Great Chu Empire, as many as 30 new immigrants of Chinese descent arrive in Central America every year, widely distributed in the Central Province and Costa Rica Province, with a small number settling in the Kingdom of Colombia.

The arrival of these new Chinese immigrants promoted deeper development in Central America. The remote areas that were originally covered by dense tropical jungles gradually developed new roads, bridges, and Chinese settlements.

Taking the two banks of the Panama Canal as an example

Originally just Panama City on the Pacific coast of the Panama Canal and Colon City on the Caribbean coast, it now has a population of 113 million, accounting for more than 90% of the population of the canal-adjacent area.

With the continuous arrival of new immigrants, the banks of the Panama Canal have been gradually developed, giving rise to a large number of plantations and farms, especially those producing natural rubber, tea, coffee, cocoa, and rice, which are agricultural products in high demand.

Tropical products such as natural rubber and coffee cocoa are exported to the nearby US and European markets.

The journey from Central America to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or California in the east takes about 5 to 7 days, making trade very convenient. These tropical products are also irreplaceable and in short supply in the North American market.

From Central America to Europe, the voyage for trade routes took approximately eight to eleven days, depending on the port of destination.

Due to its strategic location, the Panama Canal has become an irreplaceable transportation hub for trade between the two oceans, thereby driving the significant development of both Panama and Colon.

Due to the strategic importance of Panama, the Great Chu Empire established the Panama Military Region there, which oversees the entire Central American army forces and has a total of over 6.7 troops.

Colon is the home port of the Caribbean Squadron, with over 1.7 naval officers and soldiers and a large number of main warships stationed there year-round, and its strength has been greatly enhanced in recent years.

The entire Caribbean Military District was primarily aimed at the United States to the north, focusing on the Caribbean coast and the eastern Atlantic coast of the United States.

The Hawaii Military District primarily targets the Pacific coast region of the United States' west coast, including major coastal cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and is dedicated to limiting American influence and military power to the area north of Mexico.

The Hawaiian fleet typically cruises northward, usually reaching the vicinity of the US-Mexico border, and does not continue further north before turning back.

Occasionally, when they cruise north to the Canadian coast, they invariably provoke protests from the United States, a sign of their perceived offense and anger.

Anti-noisy
The ships of the US Pacific Fleet will patrol southward, but will at most stop near the southern border of Mexico. They will not continue to go further south, otherwise they will be intercepted and driven away by the ships of the Great Chu Empire.

The waters surrounding Mexico have become a buffer zone that the two navies tacitly agree to jointly explore.

Ancon Valley in Panama City
There is a magnificent palace in the style of the Han and Tang dynasties, standing high on the hills. With its flying eaves and brackets, it is extremely beautiful. There are ornamental columns and a moat surrounding the palace entrance, as well as a large square.

Showcasing the imperial majesty of the Great Chu Empire, this is the location of the Panama Palace.

His Highness Chu-Zhengyan, who had just taken office as Commander-in-Chief of the Panama Military Region in April, and was also the second legitimate son of Crown Prince Chu-Zhengyuan, was only 27 years old. He had risen to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army and was granted the title of Count of Bali.

His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan's daily residence is located in the Panama Palace.

According to the generational order of the royal offspring of the Great Chu Empire, which consists of the four elements of water, fire, earth, metal, and wood, Prince Chu-Zheng Yan belongs to the imperial grandson generation. Therefore, his name must contain the fire radical, and all imperial grandsons are no exception.

The next generation after the imperial family will have the radical for "earth" in their name.

In the bustling and prosperous Panama City
Two cars stopped one after the other in front of a teahouse. Seven or eight strong men got out of the cars and escorted a distinguished young nobleman into the teahouse.

This tall, aristocratic young man was none other than His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan. Today, he was not wearing a military uniform, but rather a moon-white robe with a brocade vest bearing the character "福" (fortune) on it, and a jade belt around his waist. He entered the teahouse with a leisurely expression.

With the warm hospitality of the teahouse owner, we were taken directly to a private room on the second floor.

This extraordinary aristocratic air attracted many eyes in the teahouse, and many tea drinkers discussed it.

"Look at this gentleman, he looks like a noble young master from the empire itself, he might have quite a background."

"Anyway, they're people we can't afford to offend. It's just that they were born too late, missing the time when His Majesty started the country and raised an army. If they had been born forty or fifty years earlier, they might have been able to get a noble title, and their descendants would have enjoyed the benefits."

"Come on, go back to your room, wash up and go to sleep. You can have anything in your dreams."

"What...did I say something wrong?"

Just as the tea drinkers were discussing amongst themselves, the noble young master and his entourage disappeared into the upstairs private room, leaving four burly men sitting at the tea table outside on the second floor, their eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Prince Chu-Zheng Yan sat down at a seat by the window, from which he could easily see the bustling street outside, with a clear view of the surroundings.

The waiter at the teahouse served eight kinds of dried fruits, candied fruits, and pastries, along with a pot of Maojian tea picked in the spring and some other delicious snacks, before quietly leaving.

This place offers dim sum such as braised shredded tofu, jade-colored siu mai, shrimp dumplings, and chicken feet. It's quite pleasant to eat and chat here.

(End of this chapter)