Chapter 177: Naval Conference One

"Excessive patience cannot guarantee the empire's overseas interests. This is something that history has proven. Does the empire even lack the courage to fight for it?" Tirpitz asked.

"This is not a question of courage, but a question of strategy and tactics. Brute force cannot solve my problem! After all, the empire is still a land power country. How to build an efficient navy while ensuring the army's advantages in two aspects is the most worthwhile. The issue of concern is that one-sided pursuit of maritime power is not desirable. What else can you do besides asking Congress for money? Have you ever thought about how to use this fleet?" Bismarck did not back down, in a tone of voice The irony is becoming more and more obvious.

"No, but according to the tradition of the British in history, they will try to block the enemy's fleet in the nearshore. If we rely on torpedo boats and fleets and coastal defense facilities, we can gradually consume our opponents. If the opponent’s 70%, then we will eventually obtain a situation close in strength through consumption. Finally, we will determine the national fortune of the two countries through a decisive battle."

  Tirpitz said hesitated. After all, before the war began in history, Tirpitz himself had doubts about the plan made by the Navy General Staff. He also raised the question of "What if the British don't come", and the last word became true. The British did not play the inshore blockade, and the German navy was caught blind.

  "What if the British don't come? Are you God? The British fleet will block the German sea?" This time, Bismarck asked this fatal question!

  "This is not a question that we should discuss at this meeting, you have digressed!" Frederick III said dissatisfiedly. After speaking, he also glanced at Prince William who was sitting aside. The latter was expressionless, silently watching what was happening before him.

"There really is a reason why Tirpitz was able to reign for 19 years. This is obviously the thug of Prince William. It is a pity that Bismarck was lonely in this meeting. Hoffman was neutral and had no help. The Prime Minister can only go into battle by himself, and after the meeting began to be reprimanded by the Kaiser, he himself was at a disadvantage. How to develop later depends on Prince William's opinion. William's hand is really beautiful." Ruprecht said in his heart.

  However, Frederick III was not a fuel-efficient lamp. In order to prevent the parties from connecting together at the beginning of the meeting, the meeting was convened very suddenly. Hoffman was called directly from Kiel Harbour. Tirpitz had just returned from the Far East, and he had a meeting two days after he arrived from Bavaria, and he had not even had time to meet the crown prince. This was an unprepared battle for any party participating in the meeting. , And the Kaiser is like understanding. The original ideas of these people, not the ideas under the influence of external forces.

The current situation makes the old emperor a little dissatisfied. The topic is a little off topic. On the other hand, His Majesty wants a technical answer, such as how many warships are built, how many warships are built, what tasks need to be performed, and why. However, everyone has been talking about it for a long time, and there is no way to come out! Is there not a single person in the Imperial Navy?

of course. This can't be blamed on the people below. The Kaiser had a sudden attack, and no one was prepared! How is it possible to come up with a complete plan in this case? Of course, Prince Ruprecht is an exception, this buddy has been considering this matter for a long time!

   "Huh? What do you mean?" Prince Ruprecht, who had been watching and tearing, watched that the goals of the Kaiser and the prince had focused on him. He glanced at the Admiral Hoffman who was also silent next to him. The prince finally realized that he should be fucked!

  "To formulate a fleet expansion plan, we must first select a suitable imaginary enemy. At present, the most likely enemy of the empire is France. Then the empire's battleship formation must be able to compete with the French battleship formation after the plan is completed."

"If France is the standard. Then, starting from 1889 in France, there are 9 new battleships on the berth and already completed, and we only have 2 Brandenburg-class battleships under construction on the berth. French. The fleet is expected to be completed before 1900, of course. From now to 1900, the French may also start building new warships, but considering the economic affordability of the empire, we cannot expect to tie in the field of pure battleships in just four years. Opponent, this is unrealistic."

"Our new Caesar-class battleship has six 12-inch L40 main guns with a higher rate of fire, which is stronger than the French battleship. But in order to maintain a basic balance of power, by 1900, the number of battleships in service must be More than 6 ships, which means that in addition to the Brandenburg-class battleships, we also need at least 4 battleships. 6 ships are an upper limit."

"According to the fastest construction cycle of the German shipyards, it takes about 30 months for us to complete a warship like this. In order to ensure that the fleet can be put into service as soon as possible, we must start construction at least one by the end of this year, two in 1897, and two in 1898. At least one ship will be started. In this case, we can hope to get 4 battleships in 1900. As for the number of start-ups in 1899 and 1900, it depends on the situation."

"Well, a very good idea, reasonable ~ www.wuxiaspot.com~ Frederick III nodded with satisfaction. Choose opponents, assess needs, and then formulate a battleship development plan that meets the domestic economy. This TM is science! This level is much better than a bunch of guys in the Admiralty.

  Similarly, Prince William and Bismarck were also very satisfied with this statement. For the crown prince, Ruprecht only put forward a minimum requirement, which means that the fleet size can be increased in time. And according to the knowledge of His Royal Highness Ruprecht, in the latter's thinking, battleships include battleships and large cruisers, and the shortage of battleships can be made up for by cruisers.

For Bismarck, this is also within an acceptable range. After all, the German Navy now has only 2 battleships. It is shameful to say it. Even after the completion of the 4 new ships, it can only maintain a general balance with France. To the extent that it can arouse British vigilance, it also ensures a minimum deterrent.

"The imperial battleship force is pursuing the suppression and balance of the French battleship formation. Then the imperial cruiser formation also requires that it can suppress potential opponents other than the United Kingdom in a certain range of seas." As the prince expected, the battleship plan was absolutely perfect. Most people agree, so now the next step is the maritime rights and interests that everyone is concerned about, how to ensure the safety of the German colonies and how to ensure the interests of the offshore. Who might be the enemy of Germany? What should the ocean-going fleet do? This problem is ten times more complicated than the offshore defense problem!

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