"Time window? From when to when?"
The Duke of Wellington didn't understand for a while. After all, he was a master of the army and didn't know much about the navy's armaments.
Viscount Palmerston said: "Mr. Prime Minister, according to the analysis of naval intelligence officers, the reason why the Ming Empire is selling off the Hero-class battleships and Haohan-class armored cruisers is that in addition to supporting the Rakshasa Kingdom and France to cause trouble for us, there is another important reason. The reason is that it will take some time for their new generation of capital ships to be fully developed."
"Horatio, is that so?" the Duke of Wellington asked Nelson.
Earl Nelson nodded slightly: "Yes, the Indian Grand Fleet has been sending intelligence personnel to collect information on the development of the Ming Dynasty's naval armaments for many years. After investigation, it was found that the Ming Empire is likely to be implementing a ten-year naval war preparations The plan includes the construction of a large number of large shipyards, some of which can be used to build giant ships of 50,000 to 80,000 tons!
At the same time, they are also building large oil storage facilities and refineries in Guangdong, Shanghai, Nanjing and other places, and sending people everywhere to search for oil. It is obvious that they are fully betting on all-oil power.
In addition, they also built a power plant that uses oil-fired boilers and steam turbines to generate electricity. The installed capacity may exceed 60,000 kilowatts! Currently, the plant appears to be operating in good condition. According to my understanding of the Ming Dynasty's armament construction rules, they should soon miniaturize this device, and then begin testing of shipboard oil-fired boilers and steam turbines.
For a battleship that uses oil-fired boilers and steam turbines as main engines, its main engine power can easily reach 70,000-80,000 horsepower, which will be equivalent to seven or eight times the power of the monarch!
It can also be inferred from this that the standard displacement of Ming Dynasty's new naval battleships will reach more than 30,000 tons and can maintain a high speed! "
Wellington didn't know how powerful the 30,000-ton battleship with 70,000 to 80,000 horsepower was, but he knew that the Sovereign-class battleship currently owned by Britain only had a displacement of 15,000 tons, which was only half of others. Big ships are always better than small ones, right?
"So when will this battleship be put into use?" Wellington asked again.
"It is estimated that all designs will be completed within two to three years, and the first batch of 30,000-ton battleships will definitely be in service in five years!"
"So... our victory window is 5 years?"
"No," Earl Nelson shook his head, "It's one and a half to two years. Because we ourselves also need to update the fleet. It will take us about three years to complete the upgrade and update of naval armaments."
"There are only three years," Wellington muttered. "Three years is enough for the Army to prepare, but can the Navy be ready?"
Earl Nelson smiled bitterly: "Duke, it must be possible! Because we will not be able to develop a high-power all-oil power system within 10 years. Without high-power all-oil power, our battleships can only burn coal. In this way, we You can only sacrifice speed in exchange for higher defense and firepower. But facing an enemy with comprehensive speed, defense, and firepower, a battleship that sacrifices speed has no advantage. Moreover, if the enemy also sacrifices speed in exchange for firepower and defense, strategy, then they will be able to build a super battleship of more than 40,000 tons!"
In fact, there is a 30,000-horsepower ship that can build a 40,000-ton ship. The historical American Iron Turtle Colorado-class battleship only had 28,900 horsepower. It can still push the Iron Turtle with a full load of about 38,000 tons at 18 knots. The speed of left and right reaches 9700 nautical miles.
Today's naval shipbuilding engineers have just begun to come into contact with high-power main engines with tens of thousands of horsepower. They have not fully understood the relationship between hull shape and resistance, so they dare not think of using a main engine with less than 30,000 horsepower to push 40,000 tons. of great battleships. However, they could still imagine the scene of a 70,000-80,000-horsepower main engine pushing a large ship of more than 40,000 tons everywhere.
Therefore, the senior staff officers of the British Royal Navy can think with their heels that once the Ming Dynasty's 30,000-ton and 40,000-ton ships are built like dumplings, the British Empire will be over!
The Duke of Wellington frowned and said, "Horatio, does the Admiralty have a specific plan now and how much will it cost?"
"The plan is still being developed," Nelson said, "but the general direction has been set."
"Can you tell me?"
"Of course!" Nelson said, "We plan to imitate the Ming Dynasty's ideas and build our own Heroes and Heroes. In order to sell ships, they have published some of the drawings and technical parameters of Heroes and Heroes. We can even order Heroes and Heroes through friendly countries. Get copies of all the design drawings directly! With these drawings as reference, it is not difficult for us to copy the heroes. Of course, we will not actually copy them, we will upgrade and modify the heroes accordingly. For example, the 280mm main gun of the Hero class will be replaced by our 12-inch main gun, and the two single 240mm main guns of the Hero class will be replaced by two 9.5-inch main guns of the 2-mounted gun."
Viscount Palmerston added: "Because we can refer to the design of the heroic hero, the design plan can be completed as soon as the end of July. The first keel of the first ship will be laid in August or September, before 1830 , our own heroic heroes can serve. As for the cost, if mass production can be achieved, the cost of the imitation hero class can be controlled below 1.8 million pounds, and the cost of the imitation hero class can be controlled below 1.2 million pounds.
The Navy Department hoped to start construction of 10, 15, and 15 imitation Hero-class ships and the same number of imitation Hero-class ships in the three fiscal years of 1828, 1829, and 1830. At the same time, we must also conduct a comprehensive assessment of all battleships, armored cruisers, protected cruisers, and destroyers that are under construction or already in service, and then formulate corresponding upgrade and reconstruction plans. Focus on improving firepower, air defense and communications. All the above tasks must be completed by the beginning of 1831! Among them, the imitation hero class and imitation hero class that were started in 1828 and 1829 should all be in service in the first half of 1831.
In other words, by the first half of 1831, we will have 25 imitation hero-class ships, 25 imitation hero-class ships, and at least 200 battleships, armored cruisers and protected cruisers that have been upgraded and refitted. The Royal Navy will have a completely new look! "
"Very good!" Duke Wellington nodded, "So, do we have a plan that can defeat the heroes and heroes?"
"A plan to overwhelm the Hero-class and Hero-class classes?" Earl Nelson was stunned, but nodded, "Yes, of course there is. We are preparing a standard displacement of 20,000 tons, with a speed of more than 20 knots and a main engine power of more than 25,000 tons. Horsepower, battleship plan equipped with 10-12 12-inch main guns.
In addition, we are planning to develop a fast armored cruiser based on a 25,000-horsepower host that can suppress the Hero class! "
"Are there any more radical preparations?" Duke Wellington looked at Earl Nelson and emphasized his tone, "I mean preparations! Horatio, I need battleships and armor that can completely suppress the Hero and Hero classes. Cruisers even if they take 5 years to develop! Can the Admiralty make them quickly?"
"Of course, of course," Earl Nelson thought for a moment, "there is a ready-made plan for a super armored cruiser with a standard displacement of more than 16,000 tons and equipped with a 40,000-horsepower main engine!
In addition, we also have battleship preparations with a standard displacement of 22,000 tons, a main engine power of more than 30,000 horsepower, and a 13.5-inch main gun and a backpack turret.
But this kind of plan is too radical and may not be developed in five years.”
"Then join France, Prussia, Austria, Rakshasa, the United States and other countries to conduct research and development!" Duke Wellington said, "We Western countries should unite in arms research and development to fight against threats from the east!"
