After receiving the domestic telegram, Cervera immediately understood the severe situation he was about to face. He must deal with the Dewey fleet huddled in the Key West military port in the shortest possible time, otherwise he would risk losing the war.
"Okay, we have to face a real decisive battle." He frowned and said to Admiral Kamara.
"Then let's fight, use our cannons to defend the dignity of Spain, and let all those who covet us see that even though it is no longer the ancient age of navigation, the Kingdom of Spain cannot be bullied by just anyone." Cama
General La said arrogantly. When he said this, he seemed to have forgotten that the Kingdom of Spain now relies on Yang Feng's charity to maintain their dignity.
"Admiral, the visiting fleet of the Chinese Navy requires entry into the port!" At this moment, an officer ran in and saluted.
"Chinese?" Severa was stunned for a moment. He naturally knew about the Chinese fleet watching the excitement in the Florida Strait. It was not the first time that the two sides met at sea, because he knew that the big boss behind the Chinese Navy was the most powerful person in the Spanish Navy.
They are important sponsors, so Cervera is very friendly to them. Since they want to enter the port, they should naturally be welcomed.
Amidst the salute of the Caribbean Fleet, Deng Shichang stood on the bow of the Haitian and waved to the Spaniards on the shore. His current identity is the captain of the Haitian armored cruiser and the commander of the American visiting fleet. Behind the Haitian is a heavily modified
Zhiyuan. Not only was this protected cruiser's power system replaced by four 3,000-horsepower impulse turbines, its speed increased to twenty-four knots, but its weapons were also greatly modified. All the front and rear main guns were replaced with twin-guns.
152 rapid-fire cannon, and two 120mm single-mounted rapid-fire cannons were added to the left and right sides of the ship. In fact, the cost of this change is almost as much as building a new warship of this tonnage. The ships of the original Beiyang Navy
There is always this problem of high cost when refitting. But Prince Yang doesn't care about this thing. What he wants is the meaning of these battleships.
Behind the Zhiyuan is the landing ship Fubo, and behind it is a 5,000-ton merchant ship responsible for providing support. A fleet using three types of power and two types of fuel. Ocean navigation without sufficient protection is a terrifying thing.
.
After a routine welcome ceremony, Deng Shichang and the main officers were invited to the headquarters by Cervera. After making sure that there would be no leakers around, he took out a folded letter and handed it to Cervera and said
: "Your Excellency, General, I am here to give you a gift this time. Please take a look at this gift list."
Severa was stunned for a moment. He immediately realized that this was the secret assistance given to him by Yang Feng. He quickly opened it and looked at the string of names and numbers behind it, and asked somewhat strangely: "What is the new artillery shell?"
"It's very simple. This kind of artillery shell uses Tyne antimony charge instead of sensitive picric acid. In addition, this kind of artillery shell uses a delay fuse instead of an impact fuse. It can penetrate the main armor and explode inside the hull.
." Deng Shichang said with a smile.
In fact, these shells had always been in the landing ship. They had brought them with them when they sailed from China. One of the main purposes why Yang Feng sent the fleet to watch the battle was to provide appropriate help to the Spaniards at the most appropriate time, but he still did not
Giving the Spaniards the best capped armor-piercing bullets only gave them delayed fuze shells, which were the Germans' flagship product in Jutland. It was enough for the Spaniards to use to ravage the U.S. military. Besides, the current battleship armor has no
It is necessary to use something as high-end and high-end as capped armor-piercing bullets, which are the standard equipment of the Chinese Navy.
Dewey's fleet must be consumed by the Spaniards to the maximum extent. At least those battleships must not be allowed to remain. Since torpedoes alone are not so safe, let's add cannonballs!
This unexpected gift made Severa very happy. Most of the artillery shells in his hands are high-explosive shells filled with picric acid. These shells produced by Bofors Company are indeed very powerful. He has an advantage in the artillery battle.
But it's a pity that it doesn't have armor-piercing capabilities. Even if the New York is blown into a sea of fire and the superstructure is basically changed beyond recognition, it still cannot be sunk. Even if it sinks an ordinary protected cruiser, it will take a lot of artillery shells. It is different now with this thing.
Well, as for why Yang Feng didn't come up with it before, everyone is smart and won't study this issue.
Of course, if it is a gift, it cannot be given in vain. Before these shells were delivered, the Spanish government had already paid the money.
After obtaining this batch of shells, Cervera and Camara's confidence soared. They implemented martial law at the port and drove all the idlers away. Even the residents of the port were forcibly cleared out and loaded into landing ships.
The cannonballs were quickly transferred to the Spanish warships, and then they formulated a plan to force Dewey to fight. It was very simple. They directly announced in a high-profile manner that the Caribbean Fleet would go north to bombard New York, and asked the residents of New York to evacuate the city immediately, otherwise it would cause serious consequences.
The Spanish government will not be held responsible for any casualties.
This statement was released directly in the form of a radio broadcast through the People's Broadcasting Station in the Port of San Diego. Suddenly, there was an explosion in the United States. Although I don't know if the Spaniards meant to scare, the people of New York would not take such a risk.
For a time, this world-famous metropolis seemed like the end of the world was coming. Everyone from billionaires to beggars on the streets began to flee the city in panic. Even Manhattan began to see a wave of escapes. This is the center of the American economy.
A single statement caused the U.S. economy to suffer heavy losses, and the capitalists became even more angry. The voices of criticism rushed toward McKinley and Congress, especially the Navy.
These people have reason to be angry. Until now, the U.S. Navy still far exceeds the Spanish in terms of total tonnage. The number of auxiliary cruisers used to block torpedoes alone exceeds 30, but why do you still watch the Spanish?
Raging? If it were shelling other places, it would be bearable, but now they are coming to bombard New York. If the navy doesn't go out to fight, then what use do you have?
We people can evacuate from this city, but how do we evacuate our property, those factory machines, mountains of raw materials and products, and those high-rise buildings that cost huge sums of money to build? How can we evacuate a shell that falls on us for several years or even more than ten years?
, decades of accumulation are in vain, the value of these things is much higher than warships.
Under siege by capitalists and domestic public opinion, McKinley had to forcefully order Dewey, who was hiding in Key West as a fleet, to come out to fight no matter what. Dewey and Schley almost cried after receiving this telegram.
He was not stupid and naturally understood that Cervera was deliberately forcing them to go to sea for a decisive battle in order to completely wipe out the Atlantic Fleet before Yang Feng's torpedoes arrived. Without the fleet, even the torpedoes would be useless. I believe McKinley and
The Admiralty also understands, but the problem is that it is useless for them to understand. Those capitalists will not care about this. What they care about is the fleet that they pay taxes to support. Why can't they provide protection for their property?
Continuous telegram appeals were fruitless, and in desperation, Dewey had no choice but to risk his life. Just as the Cervera fleet sailed out of the port of San Diego, the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet also sailed out of Key West. This was a real force.
A huge fleet, three first-class battleships, one second-class battleship, two large armored cruisers, nine protected cruisers, and thirty auxiliary cruisers. The enemy they will face is two large armored cruisers named after battleships.
With seven armored cruisers of over 6,000 tons and fifteen high-speed destroyers, this will be a battle of unprecedented scale.
News of the imminent decisive battle between the two sides spread immediately, and spectator groups hiding in various ports immediately came. Including Deng Shichang from the Port of Santiago also sailed with the Spaniards. The navies of all countries were wide-eyed.
At the same time as Dewey was ordered to go to war, the U.S. Navy also transferred all available coastal defense ironclads to New York. A total of more than ten such warships were blocked in the Lower New York Bay, and dozens of them were assembled at the mouth of the Hudson River and the entrance to Long Island Sound.
Merchant ships were prepared just in case. If that didn't work, they would sink the ships and block the waterway. Anyway, the Spanish cannonballs must not be allowed to fall on New York.
"I really don't understand what those capitalists are thinking, bombarding New York? Don't they think it's a joke? Unless the Spanish bring their warships into Upper New York Bay, their cannons can't hit from Lower New York Bay
To Brooklyn." Schley vented his frustration angrily. He had reason to say so. As far as he knew, the Spanish naval guns only had a range of 12 to 30 kilometers, and such a range was not a threat in Lower New York Bay.
New York and even Brooklyn are not a threat. At most, shelling Staten Island and the coast of Jamaica Bay is impossible to threaten the core interest areas of those capitalists. However, such a threatening statement forced the Atlantic Ocean to
The fleet ventured out to fight the enemy to the death.
"Winfield, this is our fate. Even if they can't hit New York, they can still hit Boston. In fact, no matter where they hit the shells, as long as it is on the coast of the United States, we have nothing but war.
Any other choice! This is our duty, even if we die in battle, it is our fate!" Dewey said with a wry smile.
He looked at the huge fleet around him, with the smoke pillars drifting in the wind in the morning glow, and the warships dyed with a layer of pale gold cutting through the waves. This scene looked extremely magnificent, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his heart.
"Come on, boys, let our cannons roar, let the Spaniards see the consequences of provoking the United States of America, and let those damn wild dogs see the claws of the lion!" the fleet commander said to him.