Armstrong finally got the order from the Brazilian, although the domestic capitalists complained about losing this large order of more than 2.5 million pounds, but considering the series of contracts between the Brazilian and Armstrong, it is unlikely that the German would want to cut it halfway.

The Rio de Janeiro was later selected by the Brazilian Navy and Daincourt, and finally strengthened the original 203 mm armor belt to 228 mm, but reduced the speed to 21 knots, which is the same as its two active battleships, so the tonnage of the new ship is still limited to less than 27,000 tons.

In this way, Armstrong quoted 2.59 million pounds, and if you count the liquidated damages that may be paid in the event of a breach of contract signed between Brazil and Armstrong, then it is actually cheaper than Brazil's order of warships from Germany after the default.

So Jochen wasn't surprised by the result, and in the end the Brazilian chose to build the turret for the week, which was enough for Jochen. However, Jochen can't sit idly by as Daincourt travels from Brazil to Chile to sell.

Today's Chile is not Chile, which was basically monopolized by the British and had to rely on the British in all aspects, and the situation of the British using the saltpeter trade to dominate Chile is gone forever. The root cause of all this is because of the technological advances of the Germans in chemistry.

Although Germany has already cooperated with BASF in Norway to use the arc method to industrialize ammonia fixation, the technology is not very efficient, and the annual output simply cannot meet Germany's industrial and agricultural needs.

So in 1903 Fritz? After Haber discovered the chemical synthesis of ammonia, Jochen attached great importance to this technology, and two years later, Alvin ? Mitash discovered a Fe catalyst containing a K-Al2O3 additive, which made it possible to produce ammonia using the Haber method.

Historically, the plant for industrial ammonia synthesis using the Haber method was not built until 1914 in Oldenburg. But the situation was completely different now, and in 1907 the two shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry that year after Jochen conferred membership on Haber and Bosch members of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences.

As a result, the technology was greatly appreciated by the emperor and promoted by two Nobel laureates in chemistry and members of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences. Bosch completed the large, column-type high-pressure reactor one year ahead of schedule. All obstacles to the industrial synthesis of ammonia have been completely removed.

In 1908, after the establishment of the first ammonia plant catalyzed by the Haber method in Oldenburg, this technology began to be rapidly promoted in Germany, after two years of trial and improvement, with the production increasing year by year, it is basically foreseeable that within 5 years Germany can completely get rid of the dependence on Chilean saltpeter.

Germany's move also led other countries to start industrializing production in the same way, which made the saltpeter trade even less important. This also led to a heavy blow to the British, who controlled most of Chile's saltpeter trade. However, Chile's foreign trade volume has not been affected by the decline in saltpeter trade, and another mineral export has made up for the saltpeter shortfall: copper.

The rapid development of global electrification is in full swing, and the world's demand for copper, an indispensable raw material for electrification, has skyrocketed, and the raw materials of Chile's most important copper mines account for more than 50% of the global market. And all these copper mines are in Jochen's hands.

In this way, Germany's voice in Chile was greatly increased, and although it was not enough to completely squeeze out the British, Germany and Britain began to gain the upper hand in the struggle for Chile when the Chilean Army was also trained by Germany. And with the further promotion of industrial ammonia synthesis technology and the further increase in the world's copper demand, it is only a matter of time before the British position in Chile is completely replaced by Germany.

And the Chilean copper trade brings Jochen an astonishing fortune every year, and it's a glittering mountain of gold. Therefore, the one-third acre of land in Chile has long been regarded as a forbidden area by Jochen, so how can the British be qualified to intervene? Dain Court grabs business under Jochen's nose. It's so unbelievable.

Besides, in the name of commemorating the 100th anniversary of Chile's independence, the Chilean parliament was able to pass the 1910 Naval Enlargement Act to order 2 super-dreadnoughts, 6 destroyers and 2 submarines in the name of the gradual decline in the profits of the saltpeter trade. How can you bear to take the wealth that our Germany has brought to you to order warships from the British, and put the money in the pockets of the British?

Jochen therefore instructed that the Chilean orders should not be allowed to fall into the hands of the British under any circumstances. It's easy to say, but there is a technical problem in front of Jochen.

"Your Majesty. Word came back from our naval attaché in Chile that the Chilean Navy was very fond of the design that Daincourt had recommended to them, and thought it was excellent. Tirpitz frowned and said that although the Chilean Navy did have a few warships from Germany, the British had a much greater influence on the Chilean Navy than the Germans, so the Chilean Navy was quite interested in the designs that the designers from the British Empire personally came to sell.

"Huh. Those so-called great designs are probably the ones that the Brazilians didn't choose, right? Jochen commented with a sneer. In the future, Armstrong will build two Admiral Latorre-class superdreadnoughts for the Chilean Navy, with a standard displacement of 28,000 tons, equipped with five twin 14-inch naval gun turrets, which look similar in design to the Iron Duke-class. But considering that the series of 640-645 plans equipped with 14-inch naval guns that Armstrong originally came up with in order to win the order of the Brazilians had a design to equip 10 14-inch naval guns, it is conceivable that Daincourt went to Chile to fool the Chileans is undoubtedly this ready-made product.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Now that the Chilean Navy has selected 356 mm naval guns, and we don't have the same type of naval guns now, if we want to stop the British, I'm afraid we can only ......," Tirpitz hesitantly suggested to Jochen.

"No way, now the 380-mm naval gun is absolutely secret, and I don't want the British to let their 15-inch naval gun development work be advanced! And the 380-mm naval gun is considered a success. Its output is also a priority to meet the needs of our navy, and there is not enough wealth to sell to others! Without thinking, Jochen interrupted Tirpitz's suggestion.

"But if this continues, I am afraid that it will be difficult for us to continue to compete with the British in the next warship trade, after all, we have no naval guns of the same class to compete with, and the Japanese have rejected us for the second time because the barrel is not large enough." Tirpitz said.

"It's okay for others to say this, but if you say this, it's a little too inconsistent with your identity. You know that politics is a big part of the Japanese choice, Alfred. Jochen rebuked.

Jochen is not unaware of where this argument comes from, and the appetites of the capitalists of the shipbuilding-related enterprises are always insatiable. Previously, Germany was able to continue to get orders for battleships equipped with 305 mm naval guns, and it could also satisfy the appetite of these people.

But as the orders for two super-battleships of the Argentines fell to His Majesty the Emperor's own shipyards, and the British began to be restless when they took out 14-inch naval guns. Of course, they know what a gimmick of the world's first caliber of 14-inch naval guns in the future on the warship trade market is.

However, the development of the 380-mm naval gun of the German Navy was top secret and could not be used as a means of soliciting customers. Therefore, they began to complain about the navy and even the emperor, believing that it was because of the navy and even the emperor's preference for 305-mm naval guns that the development of German large-caliber naval guns was seriously delayed.

Although Krupp and Skoda, who were given a gag order, did not dare to divulge the news of the 380-mm naval guns, the profits of the warship trade were indispensable to the share of these two companies. In particular, the Germania shipyard belonged to the Krupp company, which was full of complaints. There is no shortage of complaints in private.

This situation reached a climax when the Japanese submitted to the British to order one and assist Japan in building three super-armored cruisers equipped with 356 mm naval guns. These capitalists believed that the Japanese Navy had always ordered battleships from the British, and that the cruiser orders should all be from Germany, and that now the Japanese were buying super armored cruisers from the British for the same reason as when the Japanese disliked the Brandenburg-class battleships before, and the gun barrels were too small.

It is entirely the fault of the Navy that such a large order was lost. No one dared to openly accuse the emperor, so the navy became the one who took the blame. This made Tirpitz also Alexander. Because these people who blame the Navy are, without exception, members of the Naval Alliance. And many of them still have considerable positions in the council, and the power of these people to influence the council is not to be underestimated, which is why Tirpitz has to deal with these people carefully.

But this does not excuse Tirpitz to say the same thing as these people, and the reason why the Japanese chose the British to order the Kongo-class did have naval gun considerations, but to a greater extent it was the influence of the Anglo-Japanese alliance, otherwise. Even if Germany could not come up with a 14-inch naval gun, it could undertake the construction of the hull part and then install the British naval guns.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Your Majesty, please punish you. Tirpitz immediately bowed his head and confessed.

"Forget it. I also know that your ears have not been clean lately. Jochen waved his hand to say no, but it was a wake-up call to Tirpitz: "But remember, the navy is accountable to me, not to the capitalists." You ......"

"Ahem, Your Majesty, be cautious." Machar, who was on the side, couldn't take it anymore and interrupted Jochen with two fake coughs.

"Oh, the navy is responsible to the Empire, to the government, ah......, you just need to understand your responsibilities anyway." Jochen immediately realized that his words were against the constitution of the nationalization of the army, and immediately changed his words and shouted two slogans, and then also felt that it was too contrived to give up.

Machar did not pursue it further, he knew very well the temperament of His Majesty the Emperor, such a gaffe was harmless, and the Emperor's strong desire for exclusivity and power was only reflected in the navy, for this kind of emotion, Machar could understand it very well, after all, His Majesty the Emperor showed an extraordinary interest in the navy when he was young.

Unbeknownst to Jochen, his enthusiasm for the navy had led high-ranking German figures, including Marcial or Golz, to jokingly call the navy "the Emperor's toy", and the Emperor's enthusiasm for the navy was nothing more than a desire to add a few new gadgets to his toy box. Those who knew about Jochen's storeroom, which had been expanded several times, thought it was just a shift from the Emperor's play with models to with warships.

Jochen still unwittingly let himself get the same evaluation as Wilhelm II in history, but Jochen was not prepared to put toys at home like Wilhelm II.

These are all later words, and now the question is. How to snatch the order from the British.

"If we don't have 14-inch naval guns, then go find them, and it's not just the British who have 14-inch." Joheng said angrily: "Now my country has received no less orders for warships than the British, and the navy still has so many orders for them every year, and they are not afraid to die if they have such a big appetite?" ”

"Your Majesty, you mean to work with the Americans to take orders from the Chileans? But that's the case. I am afraid that it will be difficult for the United States to accept only being a supplier of naval guns. Mashal began.

The total order for the two super-dreadnoughts is close to 5 million pounds, and if the United States only serves as a supplier of naval guns and turrets, then at best it will only get 10%, and the 14-inch naval gun is still the latest standard naval gun of the Americans, and it is not like the British who use 13.5 inches at home, and 14 inches are foreign trade goods, so it is difficult to get the American side to agree to such cooperation.

"Then let the Americans undertake the construction of a ship's hull." Jochen instructed: "Tell the guys who have been chattering that they will either cooperate with the Americans and get a piece of the pie, or they will all cheapen the British." Let them choose! ”

For the two Admiral-Latorre-class battleships in history, Jochen has always considered the Chileans' choice simply foolish, and the standard displacement of 28,000 tons and the unit price of 2.5 million pounds are called "the weakest super-dreadnought" by later generations because of their poor defense capabilities as holy relics.

At that time, the Chilean side was not without choice, although the Germans did not have the opportunity to compete with the British, but the Americans did show 12 points of sincerity. The Americans took out the design drawings of the New York-class battleships that they had just approved, and based on them they designed new ships for the Chilean Navy.

Also armed with 10 14-inch naval guns, the New York-class is the first class of super-dreadnoughts in the United States. Outperforming their own British counterparts in all respects, in the case of approximate tonnage. In addition to being slightly inferior in speed, it also crushed the Admiral Latorre class in terms of protection capabilities.

And because the U.S. has lower labor costs than the U.K., the U.S. offer is much lower than the U.K., but the Chileans ultimately chose Daincourt's design.

As a result, the "weakest super dreadnought" was also seized by the British in World War I, "negotiated" to join the Royal Navy, and then resold to the Chileans after the war for less than half the original price of 1 million pounds. In Jochen's opinion. This ship is worth the price.

At the beginning, the Germans could not interfere with the Chileans' choice, and now that they have this opportunity, they naturally can't make this business cheaper than the British, not only allowing them to get an order of 5 million pounds, but also adding a super-dreadnought with 10 14-inch guns that still looks strong in wartime. How can there be such a beautiful thing? Therefore, even if you want to share it with the Americans, you must not be cheap for the British.

And even if the Americans were to undertake the construction of the hull, the German capitalists would not be completely unprofitable. The cooperation between Siemens and Westinghouse has deepened with the progress of electrification in the United States, so many of Westinghouse's equipment is licensed by Siemens, and the same is true of steam turbines.

And the two ships of the same type should also be as consistent as possible in some important equipment inside, so some equipment from the United States also needs to be imported from Germany. Therefore, after Germany and the United States won the order of the Chileans, they would not let the Americans take too much advantage because they only undertook the construction of one hull.

As for the design, it was also very simple, the design of the 15-gun battleship originally sold to the Argentines could be turned into a battleship armed with 10 14-inch naval guns with a slight modification. In this way, in fact, the design scheme taken out by Germany, the United States and Britain is the layout of a total of 5 turrets in the front 2 and 2 in 1 in the appearance, if it is not really the Germans who can't save face, Jochen wants to simply let the Americans design directly, so that the Germans can also take a look at the hull design of the New York class of the Americans by the way, and understand the technical level of the Americans.

Jochen's attitude was the will of the empire, and the words that came from the navy showed that the emperor was already very unhappy, and everyone immediately expressed their support for the emperor's decision.

In fact, Jochen had already made up his mind that if these guys still had to make inches, then he didn't mind following the example of Old Roosevelt and paying more to the domestic monopoly consortium, so that the navy would come directly to the door, "invite" these people to go to sea on a ship, and hold a "battleship banquet" for them, and now it seems that there is no need for this.

And the American side was also very interested in this proposal, because the Germans snatched the Argentine order, the Americans, as the third country in the world with dreadnoughts, did nothing in the field of foreign trade, which dealt a big blow to the domestic shipbuilding industry in the United States. The U.S. government is also racking its brains in order to open up overseas markets.

Historically, the U.S. Navy has always spared no effort to help domestic shipyards solicit orders, and in order to win orders from Argentina, it has come up with a Nevada-class bidding design plan, and in order to win orders from Chileans, it has directly come up with a design plan that has just been approved for the New York class. Now that we have not even received the order for two Levadavia-class, it is natural that I am grateful for the business sent to my door by the Germans.

The US Navy, which had accepted the favor of the Germans, even took the initiative to suggest that it could sell Germany a production license for the 14-inch 45-fold naval gun, and even invited Germany to join its own new 14-inch 50-diameter naval gun development program to solve the dilemma that the German Navy's future naval guns would be inferior to those of the British.

Of course, the Americans have their own little ninety-nine, and anyway, they are all things that they have decided to sell to the outside world, and they are also selling finished products and selling production licenses. The Americans have always had high costs in the production process of 14-inch 45-fold diameter naval guns, and naturally hope to make profits from exporting them and reduce some costs. The cooperation with Germany 14-inch 50 times the diameter of the naval gun is to reduce the risk of development through cooperative research and development, and if the Germans can obtain a deep hole boring machine in the cooperative research and development project, it can greatly improve the processing yield of the country's naval guns and quickly reduce the production cost.

However, no matter what selfish intentions the Americans had, this statement still showed that the Americans remembered Germany's favor, and after the German side refused, it also said that it was difficult to understand that the British chose to use 13.5 inches and give up 14 inches, and it is simply unreasonable for you rigid Germans to still hold on to 12 inches.

However, these hiccups did not prevent the two countries from joining forces to steal business from the British, and soon the Germans were in front of the Chileans, and this time, in the face of German pressure and government inquiries, the Chilean Navy had no excuse to choose the more expensive Armstrong design.

In the end, the two 27,000-ton giant ships were sold at a cost of 2.45 million pounds each. The first ship is tentatively named Valparaiso, and all equipment except the main gun and main turret are built by the German Germania shipyard, and the second ship is tentatively named Santiago, which is built by the American Foreriver Shipbuilding Company.

Both ships are armed with American-made MK1 14-inch 45-inch naval guns and American-made twin turrets, but because the Chileans do not look down on the 5-inch small tubes of the American battleship standard, the secondary guns use German-made 150-mm naval guns, and the power system uses German-made naval coal-fired boilers, and the engines are produced by the two countries separately, anyway, Westinghouse is also a product of Siemens.

The Armstrong Company, whose order was cut off halfway, was naturally furious, but this matter was jointly done by the United States and Germany, not to mention the Armstrong Company, and even the Royal Navy did not dare to come forward to touch the mold of the two companies.

However, after some research in Britain, the joint seizure of the Chilean order by the United States and Germany caused two waves that seemed small at the time. (To be continued......)