Both industrial revolutions were initiated by Western countries. Han's local industrial base was also established with the assistance of scientific researchers from Germany, France, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, they simply followed Western countries and followed suit.
It is always difficult for imitators to achieve great results.
“In the current world, Western countries occupy a mainstream position in the field of science and technology. The locals still need to learn from the West in major industrial fields such as steel and shipbuilding. However, in some emerging fields, the locals must also take advantage of the country’s development of more than 20 years.
We have laid a technological foundation to catch up and strive to gain technological advantages in the competition with Western countries."
At the end of the court meeting, irrelevant government officials were sent away, and the remaining dozens of people were all core high-level local military and political personnel.
"For example, underwater combat technology, in my opinion, is a military field with great development prospects, and it is fully worthy of the government investing a certain amount of funds for practical research."
As Li Mingyuan spoke, he looked at Navy Minister Chen Sen. The meaning of his inquiry was self-evident.
"According to His Majesty's instructions, the Navy invested funds and transferred dozens of scientific and technical personnel in 1882 to establish a submarine research department and began to engage in verification research on submarine technology.
At present, after seven years of research and experimentation, based on learning and absorbing the technology of the French submarine "Diver" and the British "Nordfeldt" submarine, the construction task of the first generation of local submarines has been completed."
Because of his position as the Chief of the Navy, Chen Sen, who has just been promoted to Vice Admiral, is very concerned about all internal affairs of the Navy. He is afraid that omissions or negligence in his work will leave an impression of incompetence on Li Mingyuan and many of his colleagues in the Army and Navy.
And then lost his position as Navy Chief.
"What are the technical performance of indigenously built submarines? How long can they sail underwater?"
“A total of two first-generation submarines were built, using dual power systems of batteries and compressed air engines, with a diving depth of 16 meters, an underwater speed of 6 knots, and an endurance of 70 nautical miles.
The water engine has a power of 58 kilowatts, a speed of 7 knots, and a range of 300 nautical miles.
Each submarine is equipped with an underwater torpedo launch tube and a Jianye Type 6 heavy machine gun, which theoretically has the ability to launch underwater attacks on enemy maritime warships."
"The speed is too slow and the range is too short. It is impossible for the enemy's warships to float motionless on the sea, waiting for submarines to attack."
Li Mingyuan was very dissatisfied with the performance of locally built submarines.
"Engine power is the main factor that limits the speed and endurance of submarines. You should communicate more with scientific researchers who are engaged in internal combustion engine research, and report the power system problems encountered during the experiment to the scientific researchers to try to improve
The mechanical power of submarine engines. At the same time, in the process of submarine construction, we must not only actively learn from and absorb the reasonable technical experience of Western countries, but also dare to boldly try new designs and new solutions, such as the French writer Nelson's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" on diving.
Regarding the description of the boat, I think Nelson’s idea is very novel and bold. You can all read this book, and then follow the double-layer hull structure described in the book, conduct verification experiments, and see how to use a double-layer hull.
Will the performance of a submarine with a single-layer structure be superior to that of a single-layer submarine?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. After I return, I will have someone translate Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues to Haiti" and give a copy to every scientific researcher."
Chen Sen replied respectfully.
"There is no need to go to such trouble. There is a batch of translated books in the Chang'an University library. After today's meeting, you can just send someone to Chang'an University to borrow them."
At the end of the 19th century, France and the United States were both at the leading level in the field of submarines. Before the Holland III submarine was successfully developed, the performance of French civilian scientists was generally more advanced than that of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In 1863, France built the submarine "Diver", which used a 58.8 kilowatt (80 horsepower) compressed air engine as power, a speed of 2.4 knots, and could dive underwater for 3 hours at a depth of 12 meters.
In 1886, the British built the "Nautilus" submarine, which used battery power for propulsion, with a speed of 6 knots and a range of about 80 nautical miles.
The weapons used by early submarines were mainly time-detonated explosive packs or mines hung on the hull. In 1866, the British R. Whitehead made the first torpedo. In 1881, T. Nordfeldt and G.
The "Nordfelt" submarine built by Garrett was equipped with a torpedo launcher for the first time; in the same year, the "Holland" 2 submarine built by the United States was equipped with a torpedo launcher tube that could launch torpedoes underwater. This was the development of submarines.
an important development in history.
It was also after having a rough understanding of the current development status of Western countries in the field of submarines that Li Mingyuan accidentally thought of the double-decker structure of submarines while reading Nelson's "Twenty Thousand Leagues to Haiti".
The double-decker structure of a submarine was first designed by the French scientist Laubév. Ten years later, in 1899, the first submarine with a double-decker structure, the "Naville" submarine, was launched in France. "Naville"
The difference between the "Naville" and other submarines is that the boat is covered with an outer shell outside its inner shell. This allows the "Naville" to have an outer shell that resembles a torpedo boat and a shell designed in accordance with the requirements of a submarine.
The inner shell, the crew and all equipment are installed in the pressure-resistant inner shell. The space between the inner and outer shell is used as a ballast water tank, which controls the submarine's diving and surfacing. When the boat removes ballast water
After the water in the tank is filled with water, it can have good seaworthiness like a torpedo boat, making its surface sailing speed reach 11 nautical miles per hour and its endurance is 500 nautical miles; when the ballast water tank is filled with water, the "Naville"
Like earlier submarines, its underwater short-distance speed can reach 8 knots per hour. Even if it sails underwater for several hours, its underwater speed can reach 5 knots per hour.
The Navier submarine has the basic prototype of a modern submarine, but it is limited by the engine power problem, and the actual combat performance of the submarine is greatly reduced.
However, if according to the ideal scientific research progress of the Han country, with the help of Li Mingyuan's guidance and the practical ability of Tesla and other big names, some advanced theories are applied to the field of internal combustion engines in the next ten years, then the speed of diving will be
It is also possible to improve its endurance to a higher level so that it can launch attacks in offshore waters.
"Future submarines will develop in the direction of ocean combat. Several or even dozens of submarines will be organized into a strategic unit, using radio as a communication channel to communicate with each other, and underwater torpedoes as attack weapons against enemy warships.
Encircle and attack in groups to defeat the enemy's naval fleet from underwater."
Li Mingyuan described the future combat mode of submarines to the officials and generals in the palace in a positive tone, and then continued: "Of course, based on current technology, the navy's research focus is still on offshore attack operations, using submarines as short-range assault operations.
Sexual weapons, try our best to achieve the goal of severely damaging enemy warships parked in the port in World War I. In terms of submarine tactical training and combat personnel training, we can start preparations now.
The Ministry of the Navy and the Naval Staff Department cooperate to select outstanding officers from the active navy fleet and naval officer schools, and train graduates as submarine reserve officers."
"How to solve the problem of positioning the submarine force? Should it be included in the navy's regular combat fleet sequence?"
Minister of the Navy Chen Sen asked a practical question.
"The submarine force is an experimental force and is not included in the navy's regular combat fleet sequence for the time being. However, the officers serving in the submarine force are appointed and used in accordance with the standards of the navy's regular fleet, and their treatment is the same as that of officers of the same level as the main maritime fleet.
"
Li Mingyuan pondered for a while and gave the other party a clear answer.
"Also, the submarine force is temporarily organized according to squadron standards. The submarine formation chief officer level is equivalent to the level of the commander of the three major squadrons of the Navy. In the first phase, a submarine simulation exercise brigade will be formed, with six first-generation submarines under its jurisdiction.
, and then wait until the submarine's technical performance improves before reorganizing and expanding the fleet to a certain extent."