The lesson of the defeat in the "East China Sea Naval Battle" made the Japanese military and government departments profoundly aware of the importance of updating their weapons and equipment, and thus Japan began a naval construction competition with the Qianguo, because of the stimulus of Taiwan's defeat in the war, the purchase of new warships became the top priority on the Japanese Government's agenda.

In the selection of new warships, the Japanese completely learned the lessons of defeat and put forward special requirements for new warships, that is, they must be equipped with large-caliber breech guns with faster firing speed and greater power of shells, as well as rapid-fire weapons for close combat; strong armor protection against large-caliber shells; Faster speed, no less than 13 knots; To meet the needs of column operations, it can also fight alone.

In response to the military's demands, some people have suggested that Japan should equip the navy with the "Fujing"-class armored cruisers of the Qianguo Navy, but the military believes that based on the experience of the Japanese ironclad ship "Longxiang" in damaging the Qianguo "Wan Nianqing" fast gunboat and sinking two Qianguo "Meiyun"-class gunboats in the "Battle of Fengshan Island" that Japan won, and the fact that the Qianguo cruisers in the "Battle of Langqiao" and the "Battle of the East China Sea" mainly targeted Japanese ironclad ships (this proves that the Japanese are very good at learning from the enemy). If the "Dong" and "Longxiang" were equipped with the same large-caliber breech-loading guns as the Qianguo warships and their speed was close to that of the Qianguo warships, it was very likely that the Japanese Navy would win.

Since they suffered losses from the Krupp artillery of the cadre army in both naval and land battles, the newly built "King Kong" and "Hiei" were all produced by Krupp in terms of both main and secondary guns. For the sake of price, the melee rapid-fire weapons of the Japanese ironclad ships did not use the "Hayashi machine gun" and "Habegkais" machine guns, which had been favored and equipped by the world's navies, but used the relatively inferior but cheap Nordenfeld machine guns.

Although after the launch of the Japanese ironclad ships, Guo Yunxian had sent the relevant data information back to China in the form of telegrams, but he had not seen what the two ironclad ships looked like, because after receiving the invitation of the Japanese side to observe the ships, he was unable to ask for them, so he readily agreed.

At that moment, after Zhang Deming's reminder, Guo Yunxian immediately got up and sent someone to invite his wife Liang to go together.

After everything was ready, Guo Yunxian and his wife Liang got into a four-wheeled carriage and went to the Thames estuary with the interpreter Zhang Deming, the escort Guo Bin and other attachés.

The grand ceremony was presided over by the Japanese Navy's Daisuke Kawamura Junyoshi and the Japanese Minister to Britain Ueno Keifan, and the two Japanese ironclad ships were hoisted with letter flags and moored at the mouth of the river in full costume, and at 10 o'clock in the morning, a grand banquet was held on the lead ship "King Kong" to invite distinguished and gentlemen from various countries. More than 500 people, including British Prime Minister Gladstone, ministers, military and political officials, ministers of various countries, military attachés of the army and navy, and journalists, were invited to attend. The small steamboats carried by the Japanese warships, waving the Japanese flag, waited on the pier from the morning to carry the guests to the "Kongo" ship.

Guo Yunxian stood at the dock, waiting for the dinghy to be transported to the ship, and carefully looked at the two Japanese ironclad ships.

There is almost no difference between these two ironclad ships in appearance, they are typical British-style three-masted single-chimney ironclad ships, and their displacement is larger than the Qianguo "Weiyuan" class cruisers and "Fujing" class armored cruisers that Guo Yunxian has seen, so they appear more tall and majestic, but the cannons laid on both sides show that its design ideas are outdated, and although its tonnage and firepower can be called "the first in Asia," in the eyes of Guo Yunxian, who already has a "rough and superficial view" of the navy, it is not as advanced as "Fujing."

Not long after, Guo Yunxian and his wife boarded the dressed "King Kong" ship, and were greeted by Kawamura Junyoshi, Ueno Keifan, and the captains of the two ironclad ships at the boarding gate. Amid the sound of the military band, the deck of the "King Kong" ship prepared lemonade, ice cubes, and various cigarettes and other entertainment. Guo Yunxian and his wife entered the ship to visit, but saw that the captain's room and the officer's cabin were decorated with all kinds of artworks, as well as bonsai and photos. Although there are a few patients in the military hospital, it is very clean and tidy. The "Kongo" ship was exceptionally clean when receiving guests from all over the world, and judging from the details of various activities, the Japanese Navy at this time had a very Western style.

Soon after, starting at 12 noon, a buffet of Western food was held on the deck of the "King Kong" ship, where the guests ate and talked, and a dance party was prepared on board, and the guests entered and danced one after another to the sound of melodious music, and finally were sent back to the dock in a very satisfied atmosphere.

When Guo Yunxian returned to the legation, it was late, most of the attachés were tired, and they went to rest, but Guo Yunxian could not sleep, he came to his study, and wrote down such a paragraph in his diary: "On this day, I was invited to see the newly built ironclad ship of Japan, one called 'King Kong', and the other called 'Hiei', the Japanese feasted guests on the ship, and there was a declaration of the meaning of the nations, and more than 500 people gathered, the British Prime Minister and the Admiral of the Navy all made praises, and Yu also praised a few words. …… There were more than 200 Japanese in England and 90 in London, and many were law-studyers, as well as in Liwenpu, Susiaam, and all of Haikou. The name of the person who passed the day: Ryonosuke Nagaoka, a former prince, an autonomous country, and now Jushiju, who also studied law in England. One consul Nan Bao, one Iga Yotaro, also a student of the law. There are more than 20 people in Japan, all of whom speak English and Chinese, and Middle-earth is far inferior. ”

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Fuzhou, Mawei Shipyard.

Shipping Minister Ding Yusheng looked at the "Kaiji" cruiser on the slipway and the busy workers around him, and his heart was full of relief.

With the facilitation of Lin Yiqing, the Harbour Administration Bureau also received a large amount of special funds for the construction of ships remitted by overseas businessmen Chen and Pan, so that the construction of the "Kaiji" ship could proceed smoothly. Now, due to sufficient funds, the second "Jingqing" of the "Kaiji" class has been started and built together with the "Kaiji".

And what excites him even more is that there are now two more French cruisers on the slipway of the Mawei shipyard!

These two cruisers, named "Dujuturuin" and "Desdan" by the respected Admiral Guba, were also being built together with "Kaiji".

The construction of four cruisers at the same time can be said to be the first time in the history of the shipyard.

And the construction of a foreign cruiser for France is the first time in the history of Chinese shipbuilding!

The current Ding Yusheng's admiration for Lin Yiqing is not as strong as that of the deceased Lin Yizhe.

"Your Excellency, a telegram from Lord Guo of London." Master Xu Rui's voice interrupted Ding Yusheng's thoughts.

――――Dividing Line――――

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