Chapter 100

Under the clear night sky, with the stars shining brightly and the moon high in the sky, illuminating the world, a balding middle-aged man sat casually in a spacious room. His casual attire did nothing to diminish the air of military discipline and authority that he exuded. His neatly trimmed, distinctive center-parted beard, which he had carefully groomed, always drew 200% more attention from strangers whenever he went out. In front of him stood a young major in a crisp military uniform, standing at attention, his not-so-tall figure exuding a sense of sharp efficiency.

This was the British Hong Kong port, also the base for the German East Asia Squadron in the Far East. Twenty years ago, when Wilhelm I's fleet first sailed to the western Pacific, lacking coal and water, the British allowed the German warships to dock in Hong Kong for resupply. After negotiations, the British agreed to let Germany use Hong Kong as a base for their East Asia Squadron and designated several special berths for German warships. Since Germany had no ports of its own in the vicinity, the German East Asia Squadron had been dependent on the British for years, treating their secondary quarters as home.

However, this situation was about to change.

On June 22, 1897, after the celebrations for Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee, the latest and most advanced German battleship, the "Kaiser Friedrich III," did not return to Wilhelmshaven with the imperial family. Instead, after resupplying, it set sail from Portsmouth, heading straight for Hong Kong. Having reached an agreement with the British, Emperor Wilhelm was eager to secure a piece of land in the Far East for Germany, so much so that he did not want to waste even three days. To the surprise of many, the large battleship, with a standard displacement of 13,200 tons, left the emperor behind and set out to sea, while the emperor and his family boarded a regular cruise ship heading from London to Wilhelmshaven.

Although the man with the center-parted beard did not agree with the emperor's decision, considering the safety of a civilian ship far inferior to that of a regular warship, his desire for German territory in the Philippines was entirely in line with that of the emperor, who had been the commander of the East Asia Squadron for 15 months. After a month's cruise, the most advanced German naval vessel arrived in Hong Kong. Upon arrival, under the guidance of Captain Mark, the massive ship immediately entered the dry dock prepared by the British for their 14,000-ton battleships. Over a hundred British workers began a comprehensive maintenance and repair, replacing parts, adjusting machinery, and removing the algae and other debris that had accumulated on the hull during the long voyage. If these parasitic organisms were not removed, they would significantly increase the underwater friction, thereby affecting the ship's speed.

In addition to this new battleship, equipped with six 283mm L40 main guns and capable of 17.5 knots, the man with the center-parted beard, Tirpitz, had a number of other formidable warships under his command. Since Germany had decided to seize a port from the Qing Dynasty, the strength of their East Asia Squadron had to surpass that of the Qing's Beiyang Fleet. Therefore, Germany had also dispatched the two battleships "Großer Kurfürst" and "Weissenburg," both of the Brandenburg class, which had been completed in 1894. These ships, with a standard displacement of 10,000 tons and a speed of 16.5 knots, were also equipped with six 283mm main guns. According to the German Naval Ministry's estimates, these three large battleships would provide a decisive advantage over the Qing's Beiyang Fleet. With a few additional cruisers for escort, the Germans would have no trouble securing their target port, and the Qing would have no means to force them to leave.

At present, the situation in the Philippine Islands had developed in a way that suited Germany's plans. After a year of fighting, the native Filipinos controlled most of the territory. Although the Spanish colonial forces, with the help of reinforcements, had recaptured the province of Cavite, just 30 kilometers from Manila, they had not been able to change the fundamental situation of the growing strength of the resistance and their inability to suppress it. The northern part of Luzon Island was now entirely under the control of the native Filipinos, and the time was ripe for Germany to make its move. The German General Staff decided to act first in the Philippines, establishing a foothold in the Pacific. After a year of exploration by Tirpitz, a location in the northeastern part of the Philippines, San Ana, had been chosen for German expansion.

San Ana, located in the northeastern part of the Philippines, was one of the few natural deep-water ports on Luzon Island. After careful examination by Tirpitz, it was found that even without artificial dredging, it could accommodate large battleships. This meant that the German fleet could operate very close to the shore, providing fire support for ground operations. More importantly, just behind San Ana was a small island of about 10 square kilometers. If the Germans stockpiled supplies on this island, it would provide significant logistical convenience compared to the long-distance resupply from Hong Kong. Additionally, since San Ana was already fully occupied by the native Filipinos, attacking it would reduce international pressure on Germany.

"Dim, are all your men here?" Under the dim light, Tirpitz looked at the officer in front of him and asked. The officer, Dim, shook his head and replied, "Sir, many of them are still on the way. According to my estimates, it will take at least 12 more days for them all to arrive." Hearing the time estimate from the major, Tirpitz frowned and said somewhat displeased, "Dim, I remember you only have about 500 men. Even if the ocean liners are slow, it shouldn't take another half a month, right?"

"Sir, as you know, to conceal the empire's true intentions, my men have been arriving in the Far East individually under personal names. Some come as tourists to Hong Kong, others as investors in China. Since our connections with the Far East are limited, they cannot move in large groups. The last batch, who left as gold prospectors, is now sailing through the Indian Ocean after passing through the Red Sea. They should arrive in Hong Kong in about half a month," Dim explained.

Tirpitz let out a faint hum, somewhat venting his frustration, "The people from the Imperial Army General Staff are troublesome. Just to move a 500-man unit, they have to create so many issues. If it were up to me, I would have simply put your men in the ship's hold. Who would inspect our warships?"

He paused and then asked, "What about the other supplies? They should have been prepared long ago, right?"

Dim inwardly scoffed. The living conditions on warships were notoriously cramped and uncomfortable. Ordinary sailors slept in hammocks, with an average living space of only 2 square meters per person. If a large number of army soldiers were added, his men would have to sleep on the deck for a month. People are not inanimate objects; they have rights!

Moreover, seasickness was a significant factor. Army soldiers were used to solid ground and found the constant rocking of the ship extremely uncomfortable. Civilian ships, with fixed calm routes, were designed for comfort, with a smaller GM value to slow down the rocking. Warships, which often faced storms, were more stable, but this increased the rocking speed. Army soldiers, used to the slow rocking of cruise ships, would suffer even more on the more vigorous rocking of warships.

Despite his dissatisfaction with Tirpitz's idea, Dim did not show it on his face. In response to Tirpitz's question, he said, "All the firearms, artillery, ammunition, and supplies have arrived with the transport ships. Only a batch of anti-dysentery drugs is still on the way and is expected to arrive in 10 days. According to your investigation of the Philippines, this wild land is home to many deadly bacteria. Without proper hygiene, these diseases alone could put our soldiers in a dire situation. The arrival of these drugs will protect at least half of our combat personnel."

Tirpitz nodded and said, "Tell the men who have arrived that, due to the need for secrecy, we cannot organize pre-war drills, but they must maintain their physical fitness to ensure they are in the best condition for the landing. As one of the most elite units of the empire, they should know what to do. Once the last batch of soldiers arrives, we will rest in Hong Kong for a few days and then set sail immediately to capture San Ana in the Philippines!"