Chapter 38 The Age of Dreadnoughts

On February 10, 1906, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, England, a grand launching ceremony was being held for a warship. Even Sir Fisher, Lord of the Admiralty, had come from London. The generals of the British navy came even more. It can be seen that the British Navy is full of expectations for this battleship.

This battleship is the most cutting-edge first-class battleship of the British Navy-the battleship 'Dreadnought'. The first keel of this battleship was only laid on October 2 last year. However, it was launched in just over four months. Such a construction speed is a miracle. Of course, except for the British Navy's shipyard, no other shipyard is estimated to have such a speed.

"Minister of the Navy, so far, our construction work has been very smooth. After the warship is launched, the outfitting will begin immediately. It is expected to wait another six months to eight months before the construction can be completed and sea trials will begin. We only In one year, the most powerful battleship in the world was built." The director of the naval shipyard said proudly.

Indeed, their shipbuilding speed has completely set a new record. Of course, the British shipyards have accumulated a lot of shipbuilding experience, which is far ahead of other countries in the world in this regard. At the same time, the performance of the battleship "Dreadnought" is not outstanding among many dreadnoughts. However, as the world's first full-heavy artillery battleship, the launching of the battleship "Dreadnought" is also of epoch-making significance.

Sir Fisher looked at the huge battleship on the berth and nodded in satisfaction. This time, the British Navy once again leads the world. The battleship they built first will make all battleships in other countries in the world obsolete overnight.

The battleship "Dreadnought" adopts the long forecastle ship shape, and the underwater ram angle of the bow is cancelled. The biggest difference between the "Intrepid" and previous battleships is the introduction of the "All-Big-Gun" concept, which uses 10 12-inch main guns of the same model and consistent ballistic performance. Five twin-mounted main gun turrets, one at the bow and one at the stern, and one at the rear of the boiler room in the midship of the hull, are arranged on the centerline of the hull; between the two boiler rooms, one is symmetrically arranged on each side. The maximum firepower of the whole ship is 8 main guns on the side, and the forward firepower is theoretically 6 main guns, and the firepower advantage is doubled. The main gun with consistent ballistic performance makes it possible to adopt a unified fire control system. The secondary battery only retains guns with a caliber below 3 inches to defend against small torpedo ships. 'Intrepid' used 4 steam turbine units for the first time on a large warship. Faster than any previous battleship. While the maximum speed is increased to 21 knots, it can maintain high-speed sailing for a long time and maintain good reliability. Compared with the old reciprocating steam unit, the power is higher and the reliability is higher. The defensive armor of the "Dreadnought" is not inferior to any previous warship. The armor is surface-hardened, and the armor thickness of important parts reaches 11 inches, providing comprehensive protection capabilities. The watertight cabin under the waterline of the hull cabin cancels the horizontal connecting door, strengthens the watertight structure, and improves the anti-sinking ability of the warship.

The ceremony soon began, and Sir Fisher delivered a speech: "Gentlemen, the Royal Navy of the British Empire has been the most powerful navy in the world for hundreds of years. We provide the colonies of the British Empire around the world with In order to protect it, it also deters other countries. However, we must see that after entering the 20th century, other countries were unwilling to be controlled by the British Empire, and began to increase their investment in the navy. But what we are proud of is , the navy of the British Empire is still the number one in the world. And it will remain the number one in the world for a long time to come. Our number of battleships is more than twice that of our main opponent, the Germans. And now , we are about to usher in one of the most powerful battleships in the world. This will make the Royal Navy of the British Empire continue to be strong, and no one can challenge us! Long live the British Empire! God bless the British Empire!"

"Long live! God bless the British Empire!" Countless naval officers, soldiers and shipyard workers cheered. They are proud and proud of the strength of the British Empire.

The battleship 'Intrepid', which has completed the main construction, slowly slid into the sea. When entering the water, a large wave of water was splashed on the sea surface. The hull also shook, as if it was about to capsize. However, a good shot allowed the hull to balance quickly.

Bottles of champagne were smashed on the hull of the battleship 'Intrepid', and the entire launching ceremony reached a climax.

Sir Fisher did not stay long at the Naval Shipyard. After the ceremony, he returned directly to London to report to Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell Benavan on the situation of the battleship 'Dreadnought'.

The British Prime Minister is also very concerned about the construction of the Navy's new battleships. After all, the British Empire is a sea power country, and the strength of the navy is directly related to the fate of the country.

That night, Prime Minister Sir Benavin took a special time after dinner to listen to Sir Fisher's report.

"Sit down, Lord of the Admiralty. How about our new battleships?" asked Sir Benavan.

"Your Excellency, although it has only just begun to be launched, I have to say that it is really a great battleship. I am sure that when she enters service, the whole world will be shocked by it. In this ship On the battleship, we have adopted a lot of new design concepts. I am sure that her emergence will make all the previous battleships obsolete overnight. Of course, not only our opponent's battleships, but also Our own battleships." Sir Fisher looked confident.

The British Navy has the largest battleship in the world, with dozens of battleships cruising in the oceans of the world, protecting the overseas interests of the British Empire. It can be said that it is these huge battleships that effectively maintain Britain's overseas colonies and at the same time ensure the normal operation of the world colonial system built by Britain. So that the British Empire can still dominate the world.

Sir Benarvin nodded in satisfaction: "That would be the best. Although, it also made dozens of our battleships obsolete at the same time. However, it doesn't matter. The British Empire has enough financial resources to maintain a A powerful navy. Our shipbuilding capabilities ensure that we can quickly build more battleships in order to further guarantee our advantages."