North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 155 The Exchange Between the Tokens!

The following day, Azu first arranged for the navy to visit his three shipyards.

Faced with the new high-speed steamships being built rapidly and overtime in three huge shipyards and twenty dry docks, Brigadier General Paparo King and Colonel Griffin of the Navy Department were all amazed!

Moreover, these three shipyards are continuously expanding. More and larger dry docks are being excavated and constructed, visible to the naked eye.

"Excuse me, Governor!" Colonel Griffin gazed at the rows of enormous ships under construction, unable to contain his astonishment. "For whom are these ships being built?"

"Some of these ships were built by our California Coast National Guard! The rest were built for Huamei Shipping Company."

Azu replied.

Colonel Griffin swallowed enviously: "Even the California Coast Guard, and your merchant fleet, will soon be able to use these high-speed steamships?"

“Yes!” Azu smiled and said, “So, if the U.S. Navy wants it, they’ll have to speed things up!”

"Thank goodness, thank goodness...!" Brigadier General Paparo Kim said with a sense of relief, "Fortunately, your Huamei Industrial Company can't manufacture large-caliber naval guns yet!"

"Otherwise, my Pacific Fleet will be unable to even defeat the California Coast Guard in the future!"

“That’s impossible!” Azu continued calmly with a smile: “The navy is the navy, and the coast guard is just the coast guard no matter how strong it is. Our coast guard’s goal is to combat pirates, smugglers, and other illegal and criminal activities at sea.”

"I never imagined that our California Coast Guard would be compared to General Kim's fleet!"

"Haha...!" General Jin patted Azu on the shoulder: "I hope so! You rascal, even if you create a real navy, I won't be surprised at all!"

As General Paparo King paid more and more attention to the young governor in front of him, and the entire China Industries, the more he learned about him, the more terrifying he felt this guy was.

Once everyone boarded the newly renovated "Taishan", the long-awaited Captain Griffin and other Navy representatives finally experienced what it felt like to be on the high seas!
The super-high speed of up to 28 knots is on paper, but the actual experience is completely different.

Even after this rare firsthand experience ended, Colonel Griffin and the other naval representatives still felt as if they were in a dream.

After experiencing it firsthand, all my previous doubts about General Jin's report were completely dispelled.

Instead, there was an eagerness to order this revolutionary high-speed steamship!

That afternoon, General Kim and Brigadier General Griffin, representing the entire Navy Department, signed a contract with Huamei Shipyard for the first batch of five high-speed steam warships.

Three of them are 1,500-ton armored frigates.

There are two more, which are 3,000-ton armored cruisers.

The total value of these first batch of five warships exceeded one million three hundred thousand US dollars.

This doesn't even include the price of the naval guns!
If you add the approximately two hundred naval guns needed for the five warships, the value of these five warships will well exceed one million five hundred thousand US dollars.

After the contract was signed, General Jin found a suitable time to talk to Azu alone.

"Governor, I have some good news to share with you in advance!"

Seeing General Paparo King's beaming face, Azu asked with interest, "General, is there any good news?"

"These representatives from the Navy Department, besides coming to inspect your captain, also brought me some very unexpected news. Well... to put it simply, I might be promoted to Rear Admiral and become the Commander of the Home Fleet!"

"What?" Azu was greatly surprised and said, "Then should I congratulate the general on his promotion in advance?"

"Hahaha...!" General Paparo King laughed heartily: "The American Continental Fleet is the foundation of the American Navy! All the fleets, including the Pacific Fleet, and all the warships combined, are absolutely no match for half the strength of the Continental Fleet!"

"Putting everything else aside, the home fleet alone has concentrated all the capital ships of the U.S. Navy. This is the kind of powerful fleet that every naval commander dreams of commanding! Hahaha...!"

"Well, congratulations again, General...!" Azu really didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing for him that General Jin, with whom he had gotten along so well, was being promoted and transferred.

General Jin, full of vigor, patted Azu on the shoulder heavily and said in a deep voice, "Actually, through my own information channels, I also learned some inside information about this job transfer."

"What inside story?"

General Jin smiled mysteriously and said, "Well, speaking of which, these inside stories are related to you!"

"It has something to do with me?" Azu was even more curious.

"Yes!" General Jin lowered his voice when he saw that no one was around, "Those idiots in the Freemasons, haven't they always wanted to get rid of you?"

"Of course I know!"

"Hehe, but what you don't know is that if the Freemasons want to deal with you, they must have their own military force in California."

"The only forces capable of challenging you, the governor of California, are either the U.S. Army or the U.S. Navy."

"Thomas is a newcomer, and the Freemasons can't take him down. So, they're going to bring me down!"

General Paparo King's tone became even more mysterious: "I'm an old man who has done nothing wrong and have no dirt on me."

"The Freemasons' constant meddling has ironically attracted the attention of the White House."

"As you know, the current president and vice president don't get along with the Freemasons. Now, whether it's the Army or the Navy, those two gentlemen in the White House are gradually replacing the Freemason generals one by one."

"The home fleet, originally under the control of that old guy Cook, had become one of the Freemasons' main supporters."

"So, those two gentlemen in the White House definitely want to replace Cook. But they just can't find a general with enough seniority and prestige...!"

Upon hearing this, Azu finally understood: "So, those two gentlemen in the White House have their eyes on you, General? They want to promote you to Rear Admiral and then transfer you to the position of Commander of the Home Fleet?"

“Yes!” General Jin nodded emphatically, his face beaming with joy. “However, as far as I know, the Freemasons didn’t put up much resistance to this appointment and transfer… That’s really strange!”

"Logically speaking, the Home Fleet is the Freemasons' stronghold in the Navy, and they wouldn't let me get involved so easily."

Hearing him say that, Azu frowned slightly: "General, once you are transferred to the home fleet, won't the position of commander of the Pacific Fleet be vacant?"

"If the Freemasons want to deal with me, they will definitely promote one of their people to the position of commander of the Pacific Fleet!"

Azu pondered for a moment and said, "General, the Freemasons have deep roots and great influence in the home fleet. Even if you were to become the commander, you wouldn't be able to change this situation in a short time."

"On the contrary, once the Freemasons take over the position of commander of the Pacific Fleet, they will be able to deal with me without restraint!"

"For the Freemasons, although they lost a commander of the home fleet, they gained a more valuable and much-needed commander of the Pacific Fleet. Perhaps they really didn't lose out?"

Azu's words were like a wake-up call for General Jin!
"So, from what you're saying, those two in the White House, including myself, were all tricked by the Freemasons?"

Ah Zu shook his head slightly: "It's not so much a scheme as I suspect the Freemasons are just going with the flow and playing along."

General Paparo King frowned and said, "If the Pacific Fleet really falls into the hands of the Freemasons, you will face unimaginable pressure...!"

"Although you have repeatedly thwarted those idiots in the army on land, at sea, you and your Huamei Company are simply a bunch of landlubbers at the mercy of others...!"

Azu nodded calmly: "You're right! If the Pacific Fleet falls into the hands of the Freemasons, they can do whatever they want at sea, and we will have no ability to resist."

"Sigh...!" General Jin's joy vanished instantly. He truly felt that this young Chinese man was very much to his liking.

Moreover, they are currently in the same trench fighting against the Freemasons, and he is unwilling to see this young man, who rose like a comet, fall so easily.

Brigadier General Paparo Kim patted Azu on the shoulder: "Have you thought about what to do? Although my transfer order hasn't been issued yet, the possibility is very high. You should prepare as soon as possible."

"The coast guard force I established was precisely to prepare for this day!"

Azu continued, "However, this day has come too soon! General, you said that the construction of the navy is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and I still need time."

"Time... well, I'll try to buy you as much time as possible!" General Jin said in a deep voice, "It will take at least three months, at most six months, and I estimate I'll eventually be transferred. In such a short time, can you put together a reasonably decent coast guard force?"

"I have no shortage of ships, and cannons aren't a big problem either!"

Faced with this old man who genuinely wanted to help him, Azu said honestly, "But I lack naval personnel, especially training and tactical personnel...!"

"Hmm, I can help you think of a solution!"

General Jin said in a deep voice, "I can arrange for a group of experienced old guys to retire as soon as possible, and then...!"

"Then, I hired them at high salaries to join the Coast Guard...!" Azu's eyes lit up slightly!
"Smart!" General Jin smiled slightly, "But this is all I can do to help you!"

"That's enough!" Azu was deeply grateful, grabbing Brigadier General Paparo Kim's hand and shaking it vigorously. "General, I really don't know how to thank you!"

"Hehe...!" General Jin laughed, "The reason I'm willing to help you is firstly because last time at sea, you were crazy enough to break the Freemasons' deadly trap in one fell swoop using the most reckless method. Therefore, I admire you very much."

"Secondly, our U.S. Navy desperately needs your revolutionary high-speed steamships! In just a few years, when our U.S. Navy is equipped with a large number of these high-speed steam warships, we might actually be able to put up a fight with that damned, powerful British Navy!"

"In your shipyard, I see the hope for the future of the U.S. Navy!"

"Therefore, I cannot stand by and watch you and your Huamei Shipyard be destroyed by those Freemasons!"

"Therefore, you don't need to thank me! All you need to do is build a large number of high-speed steam warships for the U.S. Navy, and that will be enough!"

"My greatest wish for you is that, while I am still alive, I will see the high-speed capital ships of over 6,000 tons that you have built be able to challenge the invincible British Armada on the high seas!"

Azu nodded emphatically: "Believe me, General, you will definitely see this day!"

"Hahaha, very good!" General Jin patted Azu's shoulder heavily again: "I hope to see that day soon!"

Currently, Huamei Shipyard is building its largest warship, a 1,500-ton armored frigate.

With the current capabilities of Huamei Shipyard, it can build armored cruisers of up to 3,000 tons, which shouldn't be a problem.

But building a capital ship of more than 6,000 tons is a completely different matter!
The ship's hull structure design, armor protection, power system, and large-caliber naval guns are all capabilities that Huamei Shipyard currently lacks.

All of this requires time to accumulate and improve gradually; it cannot be achieved overnight.
-
After personally seeing off Brigadier General Paparo King and his naval delegation, Azu welcomed the Army delegation, personally led by Brigadier General Thomas, the next day at the National Guard training ground.

Brigadier General Thomas's displeasure at being ignored by the young governor for two days was clearly visible on his face.

"Governor, you must be a very busy person!"

Brigadier General Thomas said with a hint of sarcasm, "So many of us have been stuck in your luxury hotel for two days, unable to get anything done, just for this one display of firepower!"

"Even the weapons and artillery that you were unwilling to sell... If it weren't for my chief of staff's insistence and strong advocacy, I wouldn't understand the point of this display of firepower at all."

Azu calmly smiled and said, "General Thomas, rest assured, this demonstration of firepower will completely overturn your understanding of land warfare!"

"Really?" Brigadier General Thomas said dismissively, "I'll be watching!"

Azu, accompanied by the army delegation, sat high on the reviewing stand.

On the huge training ground, two railway tracks were set up at some unknown time, and on the tracks, rows of densely packed wooden targets dressed in army uniforms were arranged horizontally!
There are fifty wooden targets in each row, up to twenty rows, totaling a thousand!

Among them, fifteen rows of wooden targets are infantry targets, while the last five rows of wooden targets are surprisingly lifelike cavalry targets!

This basically represents the charge size of a standard line infantry regiment, combined with a cavalry battalion.

Seeing that everyone was ready, Azu nodded slightly to Feng Zicai, the commander-in-chief of the exercise, and said, "Let's begin!"

"Yes, sir!!"

Feng Zicai turned around and shouted at the huge training ground: "Firepower demonstration, begin!"

The messenger beside him waved a flag and conveyed the order to everyone.

"Beep beep beep beep...!"

On the training ground, a steam locomotive, completely encased in thick steel armor and airtight, began to slowly move along the tracks, belching out black smoke.

The locomotive, pulling the twenty rows of wooden targets behind it, began to move towards the reviewing stand.

As the locomotive accelerated, the entire thousand wooden targets dressed in military uniforms began to resemble a massive army charging forward simultaneously.

The locomotive was getting faster and faster, propelling the wooden target to a speed that was now comparable to that of a galloping horse.

Is this a demonstration of an infantry or cavalry charge?

Brigadier General Thomas couldn't help but ask Azu.

Azu smiled and nodded.

"I don't see the point in this!"

"Don't rush, General!" Azu said calmly.

When the armored locomotive, pulling a thousand infantry and cavalry targets, charged to a distance of five hundred yards.

"Fire!!"

With a loud shout from Feng Zicai, five Maxim machine guns suddenly appeared below the viewing platform!
"Da da da da...!"

"Da da da da...!"

Five Maxim machine guns opened fire almost simultaneously!
The bullets spewed from the five Maxim guns were like five fire dragons connected end to end, sweeping away the thousand infantry and cavalry charging towards them!

"Da da da da...!"

The powerful firepower of the five machine guns never stopped, relentlessly unleashing an incredibly dense hail of bullets at the charging wooden target!
"Da da da da...!"

In that instant, all the army officers on the reviewing stand could no longer sit still and jumped up in utter shock!

Brigadier General Thomas and Colonel Walton, along with all the other Army officers, stared in disbelief and horror at the five machine guns that were spraying bullets wildly!
"What...what...what is this?"

In the blink of an eye, the thousands of wooden targets that charged forward were swept away into countless flying fragments by a torrential downpour of bullets...!
"Da da da da...!"

The machine guns fired wildly, seemingly without stopping!

The rows of infantry targets were all shattered by bullets!
Even the cavalry targets following the infantry targets, because they were larger, were also riddled with bullets!

"Da da da da...!"

The Maxim machine gun, which uses belt-fed ammunition, would temporarily go silent after firing one belt. With the help of the assistant gunner, it would quickly be reloaded with a brand new belt and regain its powerful firepower!
To the astonishment and disbelief of the American Army officers, a thousand wooden targets were swept away by the armored locomotive, with the vast majority falling within a mere 500 yards!

Finally, when the train stopped a few dozen yards from the reviewing stand, only a few dozen of the luckiest wooden targets were still standing!

The remaining targets, whether infantry or cavalry, were all shattered into pieces by the relentless barrage of bullets!
"This...this...this...!"

Brigadier General Thomas, his eyes wide with disbelief, could hardly believe his eyes!

With just five guns, a thousand-strong infantry and cavalry charge was wiped out in an instant.
What kind of gun is this?

What kind of incredible weapon is this?
Having witnessed all of this, Brigadier General Thomas, his eyes bloodshot, almost roared at Azu, "Damn it! Tell me, what do you want in exchange for selling us these guns?"

(End of this chapter)