I started with the Shinsengumi in Bakumatsu

Chapter 179 New Battleship

Yagyu saw the newly modified Enfield breech-loading rifle. Although it was worse than the Prussian rifle in terms of performance, it was enough.

He planned to convert a batch of them first and sell them to the Ruan Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty for use.

The problem of rifles is not the most urgent problem for Japan for the time being, but the problem of artillery is the most urgent problem.

Now Yagyu needs Luthers to bring out the available naval guns.

In March, after the Hokkaido shipyard handed over the Keio and Carolini, it began to design and manufacture Japan's first battleship of more than [-] tons.

The naval guns provided by Krupp were no longer satisfied with new designs.

Maroon Active requires a long barrel to fully exert its power, but today's mainstream artillery is very thick and short.

The establishment of Luonan Military Factory only took three months. Although Luthers has experience in casting cannons and has been studying Krupp artillery in the past few years, it will not take a short time to build a new artillery. It can be made.

Especially the concepts of main guns and rapid-fire guns proposed by Yagyu, which put a lot of pressure on Luther.

However, Luther is still worthy of his monthly salary. In more than a month, through reasonable calculations and experiments with new gunpowder, Luther has designed a 240 mm main gun.

As for the rapid-fire cannon, we can't take care of it for the time being.

Next, Lusers only needs to build the new artillery and test it. As long as it does not explode the first time, it will be considered a success. Then he only needs to test it a few more times and make modifications.

After listening to Luthers' report, Yagyu nodded and said, "Mr. Luthers, then I will wait for your good news."

Luthers repeatedly promised that after all, Yagyu had promised that as long as he came up with new weapons that conformed to the standards, he could obtain the Japanese title.

This is quite attractive to Luther.

After Yagyu, Johnson, and Luther talked about business, they chatted with the factory director, Shintaro Hayashi, mainly to remind Shintaro Hayashi to pay attention to the safety and confidentiality of the military factory.

Finally, Yagyu waved to Nanosuke Kawasaki, who came to Yagyu in surprise and saluted.

Yagyu said warmly: "Kawasaki, I heard Ma told you that you are very interested in foreign guns, so I selected you as an engineer at Luonan Military Factory. I hope you can learn useful knowledge."

Nanosuke Kawasaki heard Yagyu's hint, but it was just a pie drawn by Yagyu for him.

Yagyu did not stay at the Rhonan Military Factory for too long. After Emperor Meiji took Queen Mary on their honeymoon, Yagyu made arrangements and let Deputy Prime Minister Matsudaira Sadaki lead the cabinet.

He took a group of people and left Kyoto directly and took a boat to Hokkaido.

The newly designed ironclad ship is made of the best steel and weighs about more than 5000 tons. It has two 240mm main guns at the front and rear, and supplementary firepower is a naval gun below 150mm.

As for the speed of the new ironclad ship, it uses the latest steam engine design. At the end of last year, Yagyu proposed a new steam engine design concept. This is not a fantasy for Japanese engineers.

You must know that those lords had already built steam sailing ships ten years ago and were no strangers to the construction of steam engines.When Yagyu proposed a three-cylinder multi-expansion steam engine, he already had a first draft, and built a real object for experiments. Although it did not achieve the theoretical effect, the actual efficiency was already [-]% more powerful than the current steam engine.

Even if it only uses the first version of the three-cylinder multi-expansion steam engine, the new ironclad ship is expected to reach a speed of [-] to [-] knots.

This is much faster than the 7000-ton ironclad ships of Britain and France.

Moreover, this new ironclad ship is made of the best steel. Although it weighs more than 5000 tons, its protective power is no worse than the 7000-ton ironclad ship made of wrought iron.

According to the existing paper data, the speed of the new ironclad ship will reach twenty knots.

With its powerful firepower and speed far exceeding other armored ships, the new armored ships will definitely be able to defeat the French armored battleships one on one.

Only Japan can have three such ironclads, so it has nothing to fear from France's Far East Fleet deployed in the Southeast Asia.

It's a pity that it's too late. The conflict between France and Prussia in Europe is just around the corner. I just hope that the new ironclads will be built before the Franco-Prussian War and used to suppress the situation.

A week later, Yagyu arrived at the shipyard in Hokkaido. He followed a group of engineers into the shipyard to inspect the progress of the shipbuilding.

The chief designer introduced the details of the new ironclad ship to Yagyu, and also talked about the development of various key technologies. Generally speaking, everything is within the plan.

Yagyu said to Katsu Kaishu: "The progress is still good, but I like everyone to seize the time, and it is best to build the latest ironclad before next summer.

Now that the conflict between France and Prussia is becoming increasingly acute on the European continent, I expect that a war will inevitably break out between the two countries. We are Prussia's allies, and France has a very poor relationship with us. I will definitely declare war on France by then.

France is very strong, and its Far East fleet is still not something we can shake. We will need a main battleship to support the situation. "

Sheng Haizhou said with some worry: "Even one of them is no match for the French army. Is it impossible to avoid becoming an enemy of France?"

Yagyu shook his head and said: "Time waits for no one. This is an opportunity to enhance our country's reputation. As long as France and France go to war, we can fish in troubled waters and deny the treaty signed that year."

Hearing this, Sheng Haizhou sighed and said: "Prime Minister, it's not that I don't support you, it's just that I think this matter is too risky. France is an established power and the overlord of the European continent. Are we rivals?"

Yagyu comforted: "I have already considered what Mr. Sheng is worried about. Maybe I was not too sure before, but now, I am [-]% sure."

"[-]% sure?" Sheng Haizhou frowned and shook his head slightly, "This is too urgent."

"I thought that the Prime Minister opposed the conquest of Korea because he wanted to enrich the country and strengthen its military. But why did he interfere in the affairs of the European powers? I thought that Japan is not ready yet."

Yagyu laughed and explained: "Mr. Sheng filtered it out. I just said that I would declare war with France, and I didn't really fight him.

Once France goes to war with Prussia, I will persuade the Nguyen Dynasty to attack the French colonies in Vietnam so that they cannot escape.

If France is defeated in Europe, England will definitely focus its energy on Europe. By then, our country will be looking for excuses to attack Spain and the Netherlands and seize their colonies. "

Sheng Haizhou looked sideways upon hearing this and said to himself: What a bold plan!
(End of this chapter)