Chapter 7, Artillery Exchange and Maritime Power

At that time, China's understanding of the ocean was still quite vague. Therefore, when the Qing court established the navy, the purpose was purely defensive, serving as a supplement to land defense, and there was no unified maritime strategy.

From the astonished and shocked expressions of Ding and Deng, it is evident that at this moment, there is no need for him to say anything further

A bank clerk in a future world commanding the navy in battle and achieving victory is as much of a super joke as China's football team winning the World Cup

Things unexpectedly went much more smoothly. It is unclear how Ding Ruchang applied for it, as that bird-like court still did not allocate any funds. However, Li Hongzhang somehow managed to squeeze out some silver for him and requested the Arsenal Bureau to cooperate fully. Perhaps the loud explosion resonated deeply within the soul of the old general, combined with Deng Shichang's successful coordination among the captains of various ships, the artillery "blood transfusion" plan was successfully initiated, allowing Ma Yue to make a small profit. However, the raw material stock there was far from sufficient (after being passivated by military industry personnel, it barely sufficed to exchange for 50 rounds of 305 mm shrapnel shells, as each shrapnel shell requires 10 kilograms of propellant). This drove her to frantically send people to contact dye shops everywhere. Later, it was other officers from the Beiyang Fleet who helped to establish the supply source, which resolved the raw material issue.

What issues should be addressed next

On a morning in May, Ma Yue came to see him

He was momentarily taken aback. Indeed, he was now an intern advisor to the commander of the Beiyang Fleet, responsible for intelligence collection and organization. Although he held a position without an official title and received little pay, it was far more liberating compared to other naval commanders. Moreover, he had the right to communicate directly with Ding Ruchang. Although he was still unable to penetrate the core decision-making level of the Beiyang Fleet, he was already quite satisfied with the role he was able to play.

Ding Ruchang looked at Sun Gang, unable to speak for a long time. Deng Shichang met Sun Gang's gaze and slowly nodded his head.

Flames erupted with a deafening roar, and the bricks and stones by the pool were blown into the air, as if a torrential rain had fallen. A few shattered lotus leaves, carrying droplets of water, flew over and struck the faces of Ding Ruchang and Deng Shichang by the window, yet the two remained oblivious, staring blankly at the still-burning pool, unable to speak for a long time.

Ding Ruchang stood by the window, waving to signal the guards in the courtyard to withdraw. Sun Gang confirmed that there was no one in the yard, lit the fuse of the bottle, and forcefully threw it into the lotus pond in the courtyard, then nervously hid beside the wall

The "blood exchange" plan for the artillery shells brought about an unexpected side effect: during the disassembly of the old stockpiled shells, a large number of shells filled with sand and coal ash were discovered. Upon learning this, the Minister was furious and berated all the officials responsible for military supplies harshly, ordering immediate rectification and investigation, threatening that otherwise, they would all face execution. The military supply department, not daring to be negligent, immediately took decisive action. As a result, many Chinese personnel who had been bribed by Japanese spies were apprehended. After executing a large number of traitors, the efficiency of the military supply and logistics department improved unprecedentedly, providing whatever was needed with enthusiasm that even the officers and soldiers of the Beiyang Fleet found unusual.

He actually does not need to collect any intelligence; many details of that heavy history are deeply etched in his mind

There is an assassin! There is an assassin! The guards outside, unaware of what had transpired, rushed in, and upon seeing the scene before them and the two officials who had been petrified, they stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do.

I am diligently performing my duties He looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked What is wrong with me being your whatever...

"Please, General, allow the troops to retreat; this smoke is toxic." Sun Gang's calm voice pulled the two of them back from their petrified state. "I apologize for damaging the General's flower bed; I beg for your forgiveness."

Upon hearing this, Sun Gang couldn't help but smile wryly. Could this also be considered a part of the butterfly effect

I, being unworthy, believe that the Japanese dare to take the lead in adoption, and it is essential to know that after the passivation treatment, the medicinal properties tend to stabilize. As long as proper storage is maintained and during battle, ammunition is not allowed to accumulate in one place, there should be no concerns. Sun Gang said as he took out two small bottles from his pocket, "I carry a small amount with me and am willing to demonstrate to the military officials and the general the explosive power comparison between black powder and yellow powder!"

"Are you still half-asleep?" Ma Yue picked up the cup on the table and struck a pose reminiscent of the "Goddess of Dawn" while pouring water, prompting him to quickly dodge out of the way

The following can be considered good news. The Beiyang Fleet, equipped with a small amount of modified ammunition, displayed remarkable prowess during the naval review in May, significantly enhancing its reputation. This left the foreign delegations in attendance utterly astonished. The test firing of the newly replaced explosive shells likely served as a powerful morale booster for the Minister, as evidenced by the astonished expression on his face, which seemed as if his eyes were about to pop out. It is estimated that the Minister will not resort to the desperate strategy of "preserving ships to defeat the enemy" in future conflicts, thus sparing future generations from harsh criticism.

I do not harbor the extravagant hope of being like certain characters in novels, leading a fleet to conquer the world without rivals

This is the explosive power of black powder," Sun Gang said, picking up a small bottle containing bitter acid. "I request the military officer to have the people in the courtyard temporarily retreat to avoid any accidental injuries.

Ding Ruchang's expression changed slightly as he looked at the map and then at Deng Shichang. Deng Shichang, gazing at Sun Gang, said: "The drawbacks of black powder are numerous. Our navy's ship cannons have previously had test firings where the shells hit the target but did not explode. This new yellow powder, which Shichang has also heard of, is said to be unstable in its properties, and thus the navies of Western countries have dared not adopt it..."

In fact, the thoughts of later generations of Chinese people were quite similar. At the beginning of the establishment of the nation, the navy was nicknamed "Army Naval Combat Team." Even in that original era, the general public's understanding of the ocean and maritime power was very limited, and compared to the Americans who possessed a global navy, the gap was immeasurable.

As for the intelligence work, it is rather mediocre

Perhaps a victory in a naval battle will transform the Chinese perception of maritime power, reawakening the maritime consciousness of the Chinese people, thereby influencing future generations

He never expected to command the Beiyang Fleet by himself

Modifying old shells can save a considerable amount of money compared to purchasing new ones from abroad. Surprisingly, there are skilled individuals at the ordnance department who have developed an even better passivation formula, and they also inject wax oil and other substances into the shells. This coats the inner walls of the shells, isolating them from the metal, which significantly enhances the stability of the explosives and increases the sensitivity of the shells, causing them to detonate even when hitting a rope. Currently, modifications have been successfully completed for 360 rounds of 305 mm shells, 200 rounds of 210 mm shells, and 200 rounds of 150 mm shells, but it seems that this is still insufficient. The military department has prioritized the 'Dingyuan', 'Zhenyuan', and 'Jiyuan'. Ma Yue said to him: 'Other ships should load a few less rounds for now. I went to check, and the modified new shells are all marked in red and stored separately on the ships. The sailors are calling them 'red shells'. I heard that 'Jiyuan' is still conducting test firings in Dalian Bay, and the results have been quite good.'

Ding Ruchang was taken aback for a moment, glancing at Deng Shichang and then at Sun Gang, before slowly nodding his head. Sun Gang placed the small bottle containing the bitter acid aside, ignited the fuse of the small bottle filled with black powder, and threw it out the window. A crisp sound of "bang!" came from outside, drawing the astonished gaze of the guards in the courtyard.

Disgusting! Have you forgotten where this is? In broad daylight, for others to see!" She jumped back like a startled deer and laughed, saying, "Stop always looking like you're driven by lust; think carefully about how to do your job well.

"Very good, very good, our first soybean has been successfully thrown out, now it is time to throw the second one." Taking advantage of the fact that this girl was in a great mood after having dealt with the "hot potato" and made some money, Sun Gang pulled her into his embrace, joking as his hand unconsciously moved up to her chest.

"The Japanese slaves have not been eliminated, how can one think of home? Do not forget your new identity, my esteemed senator." She playfully smiled at him, made a funny face, and ran out of the room