Chapter 217: Qing Dynasty Atlantic Fleet
Chapter 217: Qing Dynasty Atlantic Fleet
"Call Emery!"
Emery came to Shao Quanzhong's study, and after learning the mission, he ran out again immediately.
After a while, he came back with a map of America.
"Sir, the Cuban Taiping Army has been constantly absorbing former Chinese laborers and indentured slaves, and has now expanded to 30,000 people. If these 30,000 people are to go on an expedition to South America..."
"We can't all go. A few weaklings in South America don't need our two great generals to go out together. Zhang Siwen's recent telegrams have always said that on the island of Cuba, there is a gradual rift between the troops of King Yi and King Ying. This time, let King Ying take 20,000 people to South America, and Cuba will belong to King Yi. Let Chen Cheng lead Generals Zhang and Yang to create a new situation in South America."
This is a political game. Emery, a pure soldier, does not participate in it. He is only responsible for formulating combat plans according to the strategies planned by his superiors.
"Twenty thousand people plus their equipment will require more than sixty large transport ships. The Taiping Army can hire the transport ships from the United States, where there are enough transport ships. Cuba's economy can also afford it, but we lack a fleet to escort the transport ships."
Shao Quanzhong just thought about it briefly, as he had all his chips in mind.
"Come here, send a telegram to Liao Rong and ask him to hire the retired British naval officers he has made friends with in recent years, and hire retired sailors in the UK at a high price to establish the Nanyang Navy Atlantic Provisional Squadron. The four Johnson-class frigates and eighteen thousand-ton small ironclad ships that have been built will be incorporated into the Atlantic Fleet to escort the transportation of mercenaries. The cost of hiring people and warships will be paid by Cuba."
It was getting dark here and it was ten o'clock in the morning in London. Liao Rong, who was already serving as an intern on the Johnson-class battleship Zhiyuan, immediately received a telegram and contacted the British side at once.
The warships mentioned by Shao Quanzhong had just been built and there was no time to send them back to the Qing Dynasty, so they were temporarily incorporated into the British Navy for service, and were responsible for the graduation internship of the Huai Army's naval cadets studying in the UK.
Britain was now on good terms with the Huai Army and was counting on the Huai Army to fight the Russians. It approved this expedition plan that had nothing to do with Britain without hesitation, and was kind enough to help Liao Rong recruit retired naval officers and veterans.
The army cadets who went to Prussia have returned, and the navy cadets have graduated from the Royal Naval Academy. However, the training period for naval cadets is long, and they have to practice on warships with British officers for a period of time to learn the actual command of warships.
Two hours later, the Atlantic Squadron of the Qing Dynasty's Nanyang Fleet was established, including four 3,000-ton Johnson-class frigates, namely Zhiyuan, Laiyuan, Jingyuan and Jingyuan, and 18 1,000-ton ironclad ships with a total displacement of nearly 40,000 tons.
The combined tonnage of the navies of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in South America is not even a fraction of the Atlantic Squadron of the South China Sea Fleet. They are still a powerful maritime force that can run rampant in the South Atlantic.
Of course, it would take some time to recruit officers and sailors, supply enough food and ammunition, and sail to Cuba.
Liao Rong and his naval cadets, led by Deng Shichang, Liu Buchan, Lin Taizeng and Zeng Xiaoyi, will face their first real test of actual combat at sea.
After dealing with his overseas mercenaries going to South America, Shao Quanzhong grabbed Emery's hand and said, "Xiao Ai, have you bought all the things you asked me to bring back?"
"Reporting to the commander, I bought it. The double-T armature winding generator of Siemens has just been produced and has not yet been put on the market. I went to buy it and became one of the first buyers. I bought a total of 20 units and got a 30% discount. As for the French-made Plant lead-acid batteries, they are sold freely in Berlin. I sold 50 sets and brought them back. They are all on the boat at the dock."
"Okay, send someone immediately to deliver four of each generator and battery to the Hailing Arsenal, and move the rest onto the reconnaissance ship and take them back to Suzhou."
"What is this thing for?"
"I asked Nobel to develop electric detonators. Who knows when he will make them? Electric detonators can only be used on the battlefield. Let's take them to the front line in case the electric detonators can be produced in time and put them into use on the battlefield immediately."
Well, this is the case of trying your best before you get any results. If the electric detonators are not produced until the war is over, then all this will be in vain.
"Tell Li Shanlan, the acting head of the Arsenal, to immediately start copying the Prussian generators and French batteries."
This thing doesn't have much technical content, but it is restricted by patents and cannot be sold. The Huai Army copied it for their own use, and no one can catch it. "By the way."
Shao Quanzhong patted his head. "Xu Shou and Hua Hengfang went to the Zhenjiang Shipyard to cooperate with the British in shipbuilding. Old man Ding Gongchen took people to Lanzhou to build an inland arsenal. Brother Li Shanlan is the only one leading the Hailing Arsenal, and he seems to be too busy."
Shao Quanzhong immediately drafted a memorial to the emperor, requesting that Ding Shoucun, a technical expert who served as the Inspector of Grain and Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Hubei Province, be transferred to Lanzhou to serve in the army.
Ding Gongchen and Ding Shoucun were known as the two Dings of the north and the south, and were two outstanding arms experts of the Qing Dynasty.
Ding Gongchen was recruited by Shao Quanzhong early on, and Shao Quanzhong had been eyeing Ding Shoucun for a long time.
Unfortunately, Ding Shoucun was a Jinshi and was promoted to the position of Military Secretary at an early age, so he was unable to subdue his previous power.
Now that he was a provincial governor with the title of first-class earl, he could finally transfer Ding Shoucun to use him.
When Ding Shoucun arrives in Lanzhou, Ding Gongchen can be replaced.
Ding Gongchen is old and not suitable for the windy and cold winter in the northwest. It is a blessing for China that he can stay in Hailing and live a few more years.
Shao Quanzhong returned to Hailing. Time was tight and there were too many things to do. By the time he finished arranging the affairs of the arms expert, it was already dark.
"By the way, why didn't I see the dye technology expert from BASF Chemical?"
"I was taken to live in the vacant expert villa at Xiaoxiang Cliff by Madam Rong Hui."
"Sixth Lady, send someone to invite the Prussian experts immediately. I will host a banquet at Mingyue Tower to welcome the Prussian experts. Xiao Ai, take the returning students with you. I will treat you."
That night, Mingyue Tower was filled with light singing and dancing, and it was extremely lively. The other guests were politely asked to leave, as Lord Zhongcheng had reserved the entire place for the night.
The Prussian devils saw the prosperity of the East and were drunk by rice wine, so they handed the formula of TNT to Shao Quanzhong on the spot.
Shao Quanzhong also drank a lot. Dizzy, he took the secret formula and stuffed it into Hu Liuniang's chest, and breathed alcohol into Hu Liuniang's ear, "This thing is incomparably important, keep it close to you."
Hu Liuniang blushed. If she had known this would happen, she would have drunk more wine from Shao Quanzhong a few more times. She would not be a virgin now. Instead, she would have carefully kept the secret recipe in her underwear.
The drinking lasted until midnight and everyone was drunk. The Prussian expert was carried to the Xiaoxiangya Villa.
Emery and the other boys were young and strong, and they could support each other and return to the Shao residence even if they were drunk.
Shao Quanzhong was walking down the stairs with his arm on Liu Niang's shoulders when an elegant old white-faced man appeared in front of him.
The drunk Shao Quanzhong blinked for a long time before he realized that the young man with three heads swaying in front of him was Jiang Chunlin, the brigadier general-level intelligence chief under his command.
"Reporting to the commander, the mastermind behind the attack on Madam Wenxiu in the concession has been found out, and it is very likely that it was done by the French."
(End of this chapter)