Chapter 112: Ocean of Steel (II)

In comparison, the first fleet of the island nation's Navy Combined Fleet located on the east side is neat and new. Of course, the important reason is that this fleet was completely rebuilt after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. This fleet has six battleships and four cruisers.

The first team: two Mikasa-class battleships, namely Mikasa and Asahi; two Fuji-class battleships, namely Fuji and Yashima; two Shikishima-class battleships, namely Shikishima and Hachise.

The Mikasa-class Mikasa-class was customized in the German German shipyard in 1901. It is a similar ship to the German "Brunswick" class battleship. It officially joined the island navy in June 1904. Like the sister ship Asahi, it is the most modern warship currently owned by the island country. The standard displacement of this class of warships is 13,200 tons, and it adopts a high freeboard and peace deck design. The main turret race is seven meters above the water surface and can also exert firepower normally under harsh sea conditions. The main gun is two double-connected 283 mm forty-dip cannons, the power system uses a three-stage expansion reciprocating steam engine, three axes, 16,000 axes of horsepower, a maximum speed of 18 knots, and a standard crew of 743 people. The thickest main armor belt reaches 8.6 inches, and the command tower reaches nearly twelve inches.

Although the Russian emperor tried his best to avoid "taking the same type of warship with the Eastern Dwarfs", in fact, the Mikasa class and the latest Russian Duke Kutuzov class still have close blood ties, and there is not much difference in appearance.

The Fuji-class is the hope for the revival of the island country's navy after the Sino-Japanese War. There are two ships in total, which were customized by the island country's navy at the British Thames Iron Works before the Sino-Japanese War. It is a British monarch-class battleship modification. The funds for the purchase of ships are directly derived from the deposits of a large number of Manchu powerful people who fled to the island country in overseas banks. It is nominally owned by the "Qing Dynasty" and leased and used by the island country's navy. These two warships were delivered in 1897 and 1899 respectively.

The island country's Navy Combined Fleet. The ship's standard displacement is 12,533 tons, a maximum speed of 18.3 knots, a cruising capacity of 7,000 nautical miles/10 knots, and a 726-member crew, equipped with two 305 mm dual main guns, ten 152 mm side sub guns, and also equipped with 47 mm rapid-fire guns and torpedo tubes. Its main feature is that the thickest part of the side armor is as thick as 457 mm, which is the largest one among the island countries at that time.

The Shikijima-class battleship is a modification of the British solemn class battleship. Its first ship, the Shikijima-class, started construction at the Armstrong Shipyard in the UK in 1898. In 1901, it used a new Harvey nickel steel armor and adopted the Vickers heat treatment method to install a dome armor. It was equipped with two forty-fold double main turrets with a maximum speed of 18 knots and a standard displacement of 15,000 tons. It can be regarded as an amplified version of the Fuji-class. The ship's shipbuilding funds came from the "active fundraising" of the Qing Dynasty powerful people who lived in the island country.

The third team: the second-class cruisers Chitose, Kasai, Takasago and Yoshino. These four belong to the British William White cruiser, equipped with two 203mm main guns and ten 120mm rapid-fire guns, with a maximum speed of 23 knots. Among them, Yoshino participated in the Sino-Japanese Dadonggou Naval Battle. Later, in the decisive battle with the Shinguo Army and the Beiyang Joint Fleet, the island country fleet was defeated. Under the order of the Navy Minister Shiki Kawayama, the Yoshino relied on the speed of 24 knots to leave the battlefield with several other fast cruisers and returned to the country as a force to deter China from landing on the land. It was also due to the "excellent performance" of the William White cruiser in this battle that the island country decided to further expand its procurement and tap its potential. The subsequent ships only strengthened their power, firepower and armor.

The second and third fleets of the joint island fleets, the second fleet of the Russian Pacific Fleet, which are responsible for the island seas, North Korean waters and offshore defenses, have gathered all the essence of the Japanese and Russian navy in the Pacific Ocean.

The flagship Mikasa, the first fleet of the island nation's joint fleet.

Chief of Staff of the Joint Fleet, Rear Admiral Shimamura, looked at the officers of the headquarters present, and raised his glass with a smile: "You guys, today's formation drill is very smooth. I would like to thank you for your efforts!"

Everyone agreed and raised their glasses to drink sake, and the atmosphere was very warm.

General Hirahachiro Togo, the commander-in-chief of the United Fleet, was a small, taciturn old man. At this moment, he noticed a naval colonel frowned, as if he was still thinking about something. He walked slowly to the other party and asked softly: "Masaki, what are you thinking?"

The first officer of the Joint Fleet, Akiyama Navy Colonel Akiyama, woke up from his dream and looked at Dongxiang, but there was no embarrassment on his face. He just whispered: "Commander, I always feel that there are some problems..."

Togo Hirahachiro nodded silently and said softly: "You will stay in a while."

"Commander, please leave some Idea Kenji Nakazusa," Akiyama Matsuyuki said in a low voice.

A light flashed in Hirahachiro Togo's eyes.

Half an hour later.

Togo Heihachiro looked at several of his close officers and nodded: "Akiyama, if you have any worries, please tell me clearly."

"Commander, Chief of Staff, everyone, today's formation drills have no major problems in terms of organization and execution. No, it should be said to be very smooth." Akiyama Matsuyuki said seriously, "However, what I am worried about now is what kind of strategic and tactics the Chinese will adopt to deal with. If the enemy's estimate is wrong, once our army takes inappropriate strategic and tactical responses, all drills may become painted cakes."

Everyone was stunned.

Togo Heihachiro's expression was calm: "Akiyama, since that's the case, I believe you have already made a draft. So please tell me."

Akiyama Masao bowed solemnly.

"I haven't had time to report to you last night's drill." Akiyama Masao said in a deep voice. "Lu To No. 5 and Lü To No. 8 of the First Submarine Team passed through the patrol circle of Russian destroyers and cruisers from underwater. Recently, he approached the Russian armored ships. He observed it in a periscope at a distance of 500 yards and simulated the launch of torpedoes, left calmly, and was not noticed by the Russian army."

Togo Heihachiro was shocked.
Chapter completed!