Xu Shou is in Berlin at this time. He has already started to pack his things. This time Liu Qingbei comes to Europe for a visit, he will go back with the mission's fleet.
Over the past year or so, he has visited many famous people in Europe, such as Michael Faraday, who is retiring in London. From the mouths of these old scientists, Xu Shou gained a deeper and more thorough understanding of electric power science.
In the Siemens laboratory, Xu Shou saw the most advanced experimental conditions and how to use various experimental equipment.
Here, he and Siemens perfected the construction of trams and overcame some of the difficulties in putting trams into practical use.
When the first tram started running on the streets of Berlin, people were surprised that the car had no chimney.
A philosopher believes that this kind of electricity will definitely replace steam power and start a new industrial revolution.
As a researcher, Xu Shou understands very well that there is huge room for development of this type of tram.
In the future, it may replace steam locomotives and pull trains.
The power output of the motor has unlimited room for development.
And there are many ways to obtain electricity. Wind power, water power, and thermal energy can all be converted into electrical energy under existing conditions.
On the issue of power transmission, Xu Shou also cooperated with Siemens to solve key problems.
Xu Shou has been involved in a wide range of fields before. This is also a characteristic of Chinese scientific research. It is rare for a researcher to only focus on a certain field.
Xu Shou has been preparing his own experimental equipment during this time in Europe. He plans to build a "Siemens Laboratory" in China.
Of course, his main job in Europe was to help Prince Adalbert build a warship. Now that the warship is about to be built, his mission has basically been completed.
European countries still don't know that Prussia is about to have its own real ironclads.
Of course, even if some people now know that Prussia built ironclads, they won't care too much, because most people are still superstitious about battleships.
Britain and France have only made some attempts on ironclad ships, and the French have not even gone out of the old way of packaging armor on wooden battleships.
In the eyes of most people, battleships still need to be able to carry more and larger artillery. Only in this way can they exert greater power.
But after the revolutionary development of artillery, this view has become outdated.
The range and accuracy of artillery that future warships will pursue are the protective capabilities of the warship itself. As the rate of fire increases, the number of artillery is not so important.
I can hit you, but you can't hit me. I can break through your armor, but you can't break through mine. This kind of warship is a good warship.
Rostock, located in Pomerania, is an important port in Prussia. The naval shipyard located in this port has been blocked for more than a year.
No one knows what is being built inside.
Since Pomerania was included in Prussia, Prussia has started its own maritime dream.
Several important ports such as Stralsund, Warnemunde and Rostock were established successively.
Rostock is located in the south of Warnemunde, deep into the harbor. Its location is relatively hidden and easy to keep secret. Now it has become the largest naval shipbuilding base in Prussia.
However, the reason why it is said to be the largest is because Prussia basically had no military ports in the past, and the Prussian navy was only in its infancy.
At this time, the four behemoths were lying quietly in the dock of the shipyard. They were about to launch into the water and enter the further stage of installation.
At this time in the shipyard, Prince Adalbert, the current Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian Navy, was inspecting the construction status of the battleship.
The naval admirals around him are all relatively young admirals.
It is difficult for traditional European naval generals to accept such an ironclad ship. In their view, such a warship with only a few guns can only be regarded as a frigate.
There are only a few four main guns on the warship, located at the bow and stern.
Because the chimney is arranged in the middle of the ship, only a few secondary guns can be installed on both sides.
But these artillery pieces are all advanced breech-loading guns. The technology of these artillery pieces is now strictly confidential within Prussia.
Prince Adalbert knew that only the British and the Chinese could make breech-loading cannons in the world.
He felt that the Chinese breech-loading gun technology came from Prussia and was not more powerful than Prussia.
The British are a bunch of old diehards. Although they already have breech-loading cannons, no one is optimistic about them.
The British navy is very powerful, but also very conservative.
Just like Siemens has developed the tram, but the British, who have always been at the forefront of electric power research, have always clung to the steam engine.
The emergence of any new technology is hindered by old technologies that are lagging behind in the same category.
"Tirpitz, what do you think of these battleships?" Prince Adalbert asked a young Prussian noble officer beside him.
"Your Highness, if it can really achieve what the parameters say, then I think future naval battles will change." The young officer replied.
"Tell me about it." Prince Adalbert asked with the intention of taking a test.
"First of all, in terms of speed and maneuverability, this kind of ironclad ship has surpassed almost all current warships. Then I can adjust the battle position at will to avoid the side launch position of the opponent's warship."
"Also, the range of our artillery can exceed the firing distance of almost all current battleship main guns. If the hit rate is not considered, I can completely deal with the enemy outside the range of the enemy."
"Finally, according to the parameters of the armor, our battleship can withstand the firing of the battleship's main gun shells from a thousand meters away."
"With such performance, I feel that as long as we are not forced into a small bay or there is insufficient coal on the ship, it will be difficult to lose in a naval battle." The young officer's answer made Prince Adalbert very satisfied.
These young officers are the future ironclad officers he selected.
They don't have so many constraints from inherent thinking.
However, the thoughts of these people also determined that Prussia and even the German Empire would adopt the doctrine of big ships and artillery in the future.
This started the European shipbuilding arms race.
The Renaissance Army, which was the first to start building ironclads, was very low-key at that time, as if it was spending its own money on martial arts.
"Tirpitz, when you have free time, you can communicate more with the officers sent by China. These armored ships were designed by them. You must know that the people who can design such warships must know how to use them." Adalbert
Prince Te instructed.
"Don't have any contempt for these Chinese people. Those who despise the Chinese people or the country will suffer in the end. Their nation does not lack wisdom and is an excellent nation like our Germans."
Prince Adalbert knew that many young Europeans had certain prejudices against the East due to deliberate distorted propaganda in European newspapers in the past.
He knew that Tsarist Russia had suffered a lot in the east this time. A big reason for this was that it despised the other party.
They revealed a lot of details when they went to Prussia to buy equipment.
These Tsarist Russians thought that all the Chinese equipment came from Prussia.
As a senior executive in Prussia, Prince Adalbert naturally knew what Prussia exported to China.
He knew that the Renaissance Army had already surpassed Prussia in many aspects of equipment.
Prussia has indeed made some innovations in keeping a low profile over the years, but its overall level is about the same as that of Britain and France.
He felt it was necessary to send someone to China to investigate. Maybe some weapons manufacturing technology could be introduced.
It's like building an ironclad ship this time.
The four warships on the slipway are now divided into two parts.
There was still a debate between the two sides on whether to keep the sails. The Prussians also wanted to keep the sails.
But the engineers of the Renaissance Army believed that this was completely unnecessary.
However, in the end, Prince Adalbert insisted on following the design route of the Renaissance Army despite all objections.
At the beginning, workers from both sides worked together on construction. Now, the two warships belonging to the Renaissance Army are mainly assembled by Chinese workers.
To manufacture such an ironclad ship, as long as the drawings are designed and verified by the model, it is like building blocks, splicing together various steel structures.
Prince Adalbert believed that as long as Prussia's steel manufacturing could keep up, such warships could be produced one after another like ducks hatching.
But steel is not free. To smelt it requires ore, and ore is not free either. It requires mines and workers to mine it.
This must be supported by a strong economy. And Prussia's economy is relatively fragile.
Now it is gradually improving because of trade with China.
And now the reason why Prussia has to maintain its relationship with China is also because of economic relations.
The construction of the navy has always been Prince Adalbert's obsession. For the sake of the Prussian Navy, he even found an outlet for the Prussian Navy in the North Sea.
In 1853, Prince Adalbert signed the Treaty of Yarde with the Archduke of Oldenburg on behalf of Prussia, and Oldenburg ceded her 3.13 square kilometers of territory along the Gulf of Yarde.
However, this military port has not been developed. Now it is different. Prussia will soon have its own naval anchor.
The Danish navy, which had always dominated Prussia's navy in the past, was no longer in Prussia's eyes.
On the contrary, Prince Adalbert was prepared to wait until his new fleet was formed and then take the lead in training with the Danish navy.
At that time, we can also win over other countries of the German Confederation.
Because the German Confederation has always wanted to take back jurisdiction over the two principalities of Holstein and Schleswig.
These two principalities have always been controlled by the Kingdom of Denmark.
If Prussia, the leader of the German Confederation, could defeat Denmark's navy, it would definitely increase its voice in the Confederation.
By then, Mecklenburg and Oldenburg, which have been bullied by Denmark at least on the northern coast, will definitely fall to Prussia.
As the prince of Prussia, Prince Adalbert naturally hopes that the Prussian royal family will go further.
Just some time ago, a young diplomat named Bismarck discussed this issue when he asked to see him.
He pointed out that if Prussia wanted to lead Germany, it must fight several wars with the countries of the Confederation. The first step was to attack countries like Denmark, which were not too strong and had enmity with the Confederation.
The second part is to defeat Austria, which also has a high status in the German Confederation, and exclude Austria from the Confederation.
The third part is to defeat the biggest opponent of German unification-France.
For its position as the leader on the European continent, France has always opposed the unification of Germany, and there has always been enmity between the two countries. During the anti-French alliance, Prussia was the backbone of the alliance.
Only after completing these three parts can the Prussian royal family ascend to the throne of the German Empire with this great achievement.
This diplomat's insights were very original and successfully attracted the attention of Prince Adalbert.
In addition, the diplomat also hopes to be transferred to the East to serve as minister for two years.
He believed that this eastern country would be an important ally of Prussia for at least the next few decades.
There is no conflict of interest between them and Prussia, only a complementary relationship. This complementarity is not only reflected in the economy.
It is also reflected in diplomacy and military affairs.
Diplomatically, the East needs a stable friend in Europe who can speak for itself diplomatically.
Prussia has always played this role. At the same time, becoming the closest friend of the Eastern powers can also enhance Prussia's status in Europe.
In terms of military affairs, it is not only reflected in the military exchanges between the two sides. Bismarck pointed out that if Prussia unifies the German Confederation in the future, then it will be out of fear of Prussia.
Tsarist Russia may fall to Britain and France. At that time, Prussia can recruit the Renaissance Army to contain Tsarist Russia.
Because judging from the map, it turns out that Tsarist Russia was sandwiched between Prussia and that eastern country.
After listening to Bismarck's opinions, Prince Adalbert discovered that Prussia seemed not that far from the east.
No one had ever thought in that direction before, and they couldn't help but think highly of this Bismarck.
Finally, Bismarck said impassionedly in front of Prince Adalbert: "Prussia's future lies in might, in iron and blood!"
This sentence completely impressed Prince Adalbert.
Prince Adalbert recalled the Schleswig War five years ago.
At that time, the Danish navy sailed across the Baltic Sea and blockaded the ports of the German city-states.
In the end, the war failed, and Germany did not recover the Schleswig area.
It was also after that time that at the Frankish Confederation Congress, the German Confederation authorized itself to create the Prussian Navy.
The war could start again at any time, and he must get this navy into shape as soon as possible.
If these warships succeed and defeat the Danish navy, then the Confederacy will definitely support itself in terms of funding for shipbuilding.
In Prussia, as long as he had money, he could quickly build more ironclads like this.
At that time, the Prussian navy might not only be able to dominate the Baltic Sea, but could even sail on the high seas and compete with the navies of Britain and France.
On the two Renaissance Army warships, workers were also busy nervously.
Most of these people have been involved since the beginning of warship construction. Except for some engineers who guided the construction of warships, other workers initially learned from the Prussian shipbuilders.
Especially their riveting and welding processes.
Today's warships are still mainly riveted. This is actually a delicate technical job.
It is indeed not an easy task to connect steel plates weighing tens of tons tightly.
However, they studied very seriously and worked very hard. Before setting off, Dong Shuheng personally told them that they would become the backbone of shipbuilding technical workers in the future.
Ask them to make good use of the learning opportunities they have had and learn back all their skills.
In addition to these workers, there are also some young naval officers on Warship Hill.
They also arrived in Prussia together. Before that, they had been studying in various naval schools in Europe.
However, many of them have already completed their studies.
All these officers who had completed their studies were transferred to the ship, where they helped the workers while learning about the warships they would control in the future.
Liu Jiangkun is one of these young officers studying abroad.
Before coming to Europe, he served as a sailor on a gunboat for a period of time.
Later, because he did well in cultural classes, he was selected to go to Europe with Wang Tao. After arriving in Europe, he entered the British Naval School to study.
During these two years, he saw the power of European navies and learned solid navigation theory.
At the same time, I always felt the contempt of my classmates. They claimed that the Qing Dynasty had no navy at all. Those naval forces could only be regarded as offshore patrol ships.
Liu Jiangkun has been silently enduring all this as required. He is here to learn, not to quarrel.
It is not up to him to say whether there is a navy in the East, but to prove himself through military achievements.