"What's the latest news from our Albion friends?"

Charlemagne began to rearm for war, and even if Albion was temporarily stumped by internal affairs, he would not remain silent for too long.

As an island nation, it still has the kind of overseas interests that are important. Any adversary's attempt to build a powerful naval and air force that will catch up with, or even surpass, the Albion's royal fleet will cause them to be alarmed, especially if it is Charlemagne, an old enemy, and the sense of crisis will rise to the level of life and death.

Unable and unwilling to fire the first shot of all-out war, Charlemagne's response to expanding naval buildup was to ensure adequate maritime deterrence, in the form of a naval arms race.

As a maritime power, Albion's shipbuilding capabilities, excellent sailors, naval officers...... and so on, the software and hardware facilities are fully above the Charlemagne Navy, which has only recently had a sense of zài. If both sides are determined to build ships with their might, the final winner is likely to be Albion. However, as Prime Minister Richelieu calculated, after the launch of the multi-deck artillery battleships equipped with artillery, Charlemagne's fleet, which had an overwhelming technical superiority, could send the seemingly powerful Albion royal fleet and Admiral Drake to the bottom of the sea in a few minutes. Then it went up the River Thames and landed in Lundinum and burned it to the brim......

This is by no means a delusion of victimization, because the people of Albion know very well that if they have the opportunity to score Lüdes, they will do the same.

To avoid a nightmare coming true, Albion must seek a way out of the situation.

The brilliant Secretary of State at Walsingham soon approached his old friend Li Lin and asked V.E to provide technical output. and offered an unimaginable price that would come out of the mouth of his miser.

"100,000 Guineas, our old friend has been a little more on hand lately. ”

"100,000?"

The corners of Li Lin's mouth curled, and an expression like a sneer crawled up his cheeks.

"It seems that the Secretary General of State is really incorruptible. ”

100,000 Guinea gold coins is a huge amount of money for the little people, but for Li Lin, it is just a small amount of money that is shabby even if he stuffs his teeth.

In the list of quotations given to Prime Minister Richelieu, the manufacturing cost of a front-loading smoothbore gun was about 2,500 guineas, and even if it was sold at cost price, 100,000 guineas could only buy 40 guns, and even a 68-gun battleship Crown could not be fitted. Considering Albian's willingness to throw every copper plate into the arms race. The arms race is heating up. Replacement of attrition in peacetime, growth in demand in wartime...... In the end, the number of artillery guns and the associated profits that Albion needed would be astronomical.

Huge profits and 100,000 guineas are obviously not equal to the two.

Li Lin is not Yuri Orlov, the second-hand "angel king" who tosses in Lebanon -- he enthusiastically says to those customers who are shy and desperate for arms: "My guns are sold by the kilogram. Although it is second-hand. But it still works. How many kilos are you going to come?"

The other side is a large country with a good financial position. Since they have the money and need good weapons, they should accept a reasonable offer from V.E. Instead of holding on to their money bags and waiting for Charlemagne's fleet to help them decide.

In fact, the latter situation is better, so that Li Lin can raise the price a little more, and Albion will still accept it obediently.

"Send a message to Walsingham, we don't have high requirements, and the artillery manufacturing technology is our company's patented technology, so we refuse to buy out. But we can sell the production license, which your country can buy for a symbolic price of 1 guinea. For the next 10 years, the Albion government and army were required to pay V.E a licence fee of 50 guineas for each artillery gun manufactured. ”

"They're not going to like the idea. ”

Brunhill shrugged his shoulders and smiled wryly, seemingly sympathetic.

Albion has about 60 large ships and about 120 small and medium-sized ships. Retrofitting these warships with artillery is cheaper than newly-built warships, and it can also form combat effectiveness faster. It is conservatively estimated that large ships will carry 20 guns and small ships will have 10 guns, which will require at least 2,400 guns. If Li Lin's request is carried out, he will need to pay him 120,000 guineas! A whole amount of extra 20,000 yuan!

And that's just part of a conservative calculation of the enhancements and improvements of the old ships, and when Charlemagne's super-battleship with hundreds of guns is launched, Albion will have to be recolored. 1 ship of 100 cannons can bring Li Lin 50,000 guineas of income, plus the time span for the implementation of this clause is a full ten years, no one knows how many cannons will be needed in ten years, but everyone knows that Li Lin only needs to count gold coins happily......

Profiteer.

So said Charlemagne, and so did the people of Albion. For this overly shrewd Jewish-like style, Brunhill could only smile bitterly.

"Of course, outside of business, I'm also very important about camaraderie. So, I decided to provide some technical support for free. ”

Li Lin took out a drawing from Wen Jiàn's bag, took the piece of paper, and after examining the three views that depicted accurately, Brunhill looked up suspiciously:

"The general-purpose strut lightning strike boat ...... 'return to the sky'?"

"Actually, I also wanted to add words like 'decisive battle', 'special attack', and 'decisive assault', but I was worried about scaring my friends in Albian, so I finally called the general-purpose pole mine strike boat - 'Huitian'. ”

"No, we'll talk about the name later, are you sure the people of Albion want something like this?"

Brunhill was shocked, Li Lin can always create a miracle, but this time is not too big?

How could the Albians be persuaded to build and put into service a boat with no artillery, no bows and arrows, and a small number of men, but a long wooden pole in the bow with explosives hanging from the front of the pole - all for suicide anyway?

"Well...... This is only a temporary emergency product, and it is up to the people of Albion to use it. In addition, this kind of small boat does not look special, but the bottom of the boat is equipped with a technique that interferes with the flow of water, and it can be quickly assaulted under the control of the crew. Once hit, even large warships will be severely damaged and sunk. Finally, the operation of this kind of ship is very simple, and a large number of boat operators can be trained in a month, which is much simpler than training riflemen~"

In other words, there is a large amount of cannon fodder that can be quickly put into use, and even if it is consumed, it will not be too cared about, and it will be replenished and replaced soon.

It is foreseeable that this kind of torpedo, which is equivalent to human brain control, will have a heavy revolutionary impact on the battlefield, and the nobles and officers of Albion will gladly accept it and throw it into the battlefield once they realize its tactical value. As for the fate of the soldiers who wielded this suicide weapon...... Compared with the victory of the war and the honor and benefits obtained by the old men, what is the life and death of a few common people?

"That's really ......"

Brunhill could only smile wryly. (To be continued......)

PS: There are a few relatives who participate in the prize competition, so it will be postponed for another day, and everyone is welcome to participate!