"I want to order two first-class battleships and two first-class cruisers through you," Zhang Yunfei said with a smile.

"Really? That's great! According to the standards of our British Empire, first-class warships are now costly. First-class 12,000-ton battleships are about 1.15 million pounds, and first-class 9,000-ton cruisers are about 700,000 pounds. The specific price depends on the buyer's requirements!" William said happily.

After hearing the offer, Zhang Yunfei knew that William did not criticize him. The offer was fair and reasonable. He knew that his friendly offensive had played a role. It should be noted that Japan ordered the first battleship, the Fuji, which cost 14.38 million yen and 1.44 million pounds, was damned by the UK for more than 200,000 pounds.

On June 1894, in order to enrich the naval military preparations, Emperor Meiji donated 300,000 yen in court after donating money to the Yoshino, and at the same time, civil and military officials across Japan donated one tenth of their salary. Taking this opportunity, Japan ordered two ironclad ships from the UK, namely the Fuji and the Yashima. The construction budget for each ship was 15.42 million yen. The actual construction cost plus the return cost was 14.38 million yen and the Yashima was 14.5 million yen. In the autumn of 1897, the Fuji and Yashima were completed in the UK and arrived in Japan on October 31 and November 30 respectively to join the standing fleet.

"My requirement is that the first-class battleship is about 12,000 tons, and it is not required to be equipped with comprehensive and heavy armor, but it is required to strengthen the protection of key parts of the hull. At the same time, it is required to strengthen armor protection under the waterline. All the armor weight saved is used to increase the speed and endurance, preferably reaching 18 knots or higher. The firepower is required to break through the armor of the battleship of the same tonnage level. The armored cruiser is about 8,000 tons, and the speed is at least 20 knots. The same waterline requires strengthening armor protection, and strengthening protection of key parts of the hull. The firepower can deal with armored cruisers of the same level."

Zhang Yunfei made requirements based on the trend of the battleships. He did not say too much, because he did not want Britain to know some of the weaknesses of the former Dauntless Battleships. His current requirement is to exceed the performance of Japan's active warships and the warships under construction. As for the dreadnought, at least after Zhang Yunfei had initial industrial shipbuilding capabilities.

The warships he ordered were the five advanced warships he now had, and they could form a fast response fleet. He was not able to engage in large-scale naval battles, but he knew that attacking the enemy's supply line could also achieve tactical purposes, even far higher than the results obtained from naval battles.

"I will immediately generate electricity for the Admiralty and the shipyards, and let them decide the final price. According to the naval customization price I know, the average price of the two battleships is about 1.2 million pounds per ship. Since your tonnage is large, the average price of the armored cruiser is estimated to be about 800,000 pounds per ship. This will require a budget of 4 million pounds! I wonder if your country can agree?" William said to Zhang Yunfei after analysis.

"Of course my country does not agree. I'm afraid everyone in Martians knows this! I personally invested it and built it by your country!" Zhang Yunfei joked.

"Haha! I agree with Mr. Zhang's opinion. If there is someone on Mars! But I forgot that you are a rich man!" William said with a smile.

At this time, Zhang Yunfei took out a check from his arms, put it on the table, then pushed it to William and said:

"Thank you very much to Mr. William for helping me at such a discount. As a thank you, this 50,000 pounds will be your reward! I hope you don't refuse!"

William looked at the 50,000 pound check in front of him, and to be honest, he was very excited at the moment. As an ambassador abroad, he paid the ministers according to the strength of the country. In the small country of Hawaii, William's monthly salary was only a pitiful 300 pounds, and 50,000 pounds was equivalent to the total income he had never eaten or drunk for more than ten years. He could not believe that Zhang Yunfei was so generous.

"Is this...for me?" William asked excitedly.

"That's right! This is what you deserve! Please contact your government immediately for my ship purchase!" Zhang Yunfei nodded with a smile.

After seeing Zhang Yunfei nodding, William hurriedly put the check in his arms and thought: "It turns out that he just wanted to buy a ship cheaper, and he thought it was something big?" So he said to Zhang Yunfei:

"Thank you for your generosity! I'll send a telegram now, please wait!"

Seeing William leaving happily, Zhang Yunfei knew that his plan was more than half successful.

After a while, William came back and told Zhang Yunfei that the telegram had been sent out that the British Admiralty attached great importance to Zhang Yunfei's ship purchase plan and was contacting major shipyards.

So the two began to talk about the flow without restrictions again, but the main topic this time was about the procurement of warships. At the same time, taking advantage of the purchase of ships, under the intentional guidance of Zhang Yunfei, they exchanged their views on the development of the current naval forces with William.

"Yunfei, you should know that the advantages of battleships are heavy armor protection and large fire attacks. With your ship purchase plan, although only key protection is carried out, armor is sacrificed. If a naval battle occurs, you are not afraid of dealing with cruisers and small ships, but if you face a battleship of the same level, you may suffer a loss." William raised his own question and then said:

"But your large armored cruiser has very powerful power! I think only battleships can threaten it! Other ships will only have a dead end if they encounter it!"

"Haha, don't worry, my friend! Once any such warship is targeted by it, it will not be able to escape! The disadvantage is that its armor protection is weak. When encountering large-caliber battleships, they can only escape and cannot resist, but the battleships cannot catch up with my armored cruiser because I don't plan to use them to carry out large-scale naval battles with battleships. I just use them to break the attack." Zhang Yunfei explained to William, but Zhang Yunfei said in his heart:

‘My large armored cruiser is a copycat version of the battle cruiser. As the most awesome armored cruiser of this era, the battle cruiser is its natural enemy! It is specially designed to fight armored cruisers, of course I can't tell you this!’

What is a "battleship cruiser"? Specifically, there are main ships with the tonnage and firepower of battleships and the speed of cruisers. This kind of warship can easily catch up with and destroy all surface ships except battleships, and was once the goal pursued by all major power navies.

However, after World War I, this "perfect cat" quickly disappeared because the reason for the appearance of the Battle of War was for armored cruisers. The Battle of Jutland, the battle of armored cruisers was as high as 50%, which sounded the alarm for all countries! All countries realized that the armored patrol was outdated, so the armored cruisers withdrew from the stage of history. The mice were gone, so why did cats do? In addition, the speed of the battleships in the late stage of World War I had reached 27 knots, and the advantage of the Battle of War was gone. The thin armor made the Battle of War unable to compete with the battleships and escape under the giant cannon, so the Battle of War immediately launched the historical stage.

However, at present, the battle patrol is very useful to Zhang Yunfei, but Zhang Yunfei's battle patrol is just a smaller version of the real battle patrol. Due to the limitations of the technical level of this period, it is impossible to create a battle patrol. However, Zhang Yunfei's large armored cruiser plays the role of a battle patrol and can still deal with most armored cruisers, especially those of the Japanese.

"I understand, Yun Fei! You must be addicted to attacking Japan! I support your opinion, which will provide a good idea for the future naval battles of the British Empire. Congratulations, you can compete with the American Lieutenant Colonel Mahan!" William joked happily.

"You are so smart, my friend! I am really addicted to attacking Japan. The terrain of Japan's island country limits its combat methods, that is, it must have a navy like the British Empire to seize the power of sea control before it can carry out other operations. However, Japan is a country with extremely poor resources, and important combat materials rely on sea supplies. Once it is attacked by a powerful navy, it will inevitably lose its dominance in the war because it cannot keep up with the supply! My enemy is Japan, and my purpose is also very clear, which is to form a powerful attack war fleet!" Zhang Yunfei expressed his opinion.

"My friend, your analysis is as incisive as a military expert. I really can't understand you! I would be fine if Mahan was there. I once talked to Queen Elizabeth's banquet, and what I said is as admirable as you!" William said in surprise.

"Mr. William, don't you think Mr. Ma Han's theory of sea power has a purpose?" Zhang Yunfei asked.

"What purpose can be done is to warn all countries to strengthen their control of the ocean and strengthen their navy!" William said as if nothing had happened.

"Which country is the world of the sea now?" Zhang Yunfei asked.

"That's all right, of course it's our British Empire! There is also that country that wants an invincible navy like the British Empire. Our country is known as the Empire of the Sun never set!" William said with a lip voice.

"Since Ma Han believes that he should control the ocean and vigorously develop the navy, who is he helping? Is he helping you Britain? It seems that the British navy doesn't need it? Ma Han is an American!" Zhang Yunfei said.

"You are right, my friend, damn American, he is calling on all countries to challenge the dignity of the Royal Navy of the British Empire!" William said angrily.

"That's right! That's it! The Americans and you British fought from the last century to the beginning of this century, hundreds of years of war! How could they have dedicated such a classic theory of maritime power so kindly? He wants all countries to attach importance to the rights and interests of the ocean, vigorously develop the navy and ultimately challenge your British Empire's Royal Navy! Until you defeat you!" Zhang Yunfei took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.

"No one can defeat the invincible navy of our British Empire!" William shouted.

"Yes, there is no now, but it does not mean there will be no future! The United States is now the first industrial power, but it is too late. The world's colonies are gone. If it wants to expand abroad, it can only launch wars and steal other countries. Your British Empire is now only leading in the naval combat experience and number of warships, but these will be caught up with the United States' huge industrial manufacturing capabilities. The advanced battleships you built in 1892 were only one year ahead. The United States then passed the plan to build a large naval construction project, and even built 20 battleships as powerful as your country, and deployed 8 on the Atlantic Ocean.

There are 12 ships in the Plain Ocean, and countless other ships such as cruisers are numerous. Now the 12 shipyards in the United States have started construction of warships for the US Navy. The first 11,520-ton Kentucky and Chilshach have been launched this year, and there will be Alabama next year, and Illinois and Wisconsin will also be launched. There will be four first-class battleships launched in the year after. Their navy is only less than your country in terms of warships, but I think that in a few years, with the strong industrial capabilities of the United States, you will challenge your country's maritime overlordship position!" Zhang Yunfei continued to fan the flames.

"How is this possible? I admit that the United States' industrial capacity has indeed surpassed us. What you said about the United States will expand externally, and the empire is also clear. We also know that the United States is preparing to build a large navy. It is said that the US president did not agree with this plan and was rejected!" William asked a little disbelief.

"I didn't expect that your British intelligence was so backward. You didn't know what even I, a playboy, knew? What a pity!" Zhang Yunfei shook his head and said regretfully.

"What you said is true?" William looked at Zhang Yunfei and saw Zhang Yunfei nodding, so he continued:

"Actually, when you say the name and tonnage of the US Navy battleship, I know that this is not a joke. It seems that the Imperial parliament has deceived our people. You may not know that the Conservative Party has always pursued an isolationist policy and does not want to intervene in international disputes, so it conceals the US military power and does not want to give other parties an excuse to come to power."

"So that's the case, but do you want to watch the United States become the overlord and leader of the world?" Zhang Yunfei asked.

"Of course I don't want to, but I can't control domestic policies!" William sighed.

"I have a way to enhance your political reputation and status, and to awaken your country to return to the world's big stage! The most important thing is to temporarily attack the arrogance of the United States so that it dare not despise the existence of the British Empire!" Zhang Yunfei said suddenly.
Chapter completed!