Chapter 69

In the early morning of Shanghai, influenced by the marine climate, a layer of mist enveloped the city, making it very humid. After a night of noise, the streets appeared desolate, and occasionally, in the streets within the concessions, specially hired cleaners were tidying up the streets.

A Ford car, carrying five people, with Zheng Daniu serving as the driver, set off. With the cars of this era, a few practice sessions were enough to get the hang of driving. In the early morning, there were few pedestrians on the streets, so the car could travel at a relatively high speed. Starting from the Zhonghui Hotel, they passed through the concession area and entered the outskirts of Shanghai. According to Yang Yuanzhao's impression, they seemed to be heading towards Wusong.

Wusong, in Yang Yuanzhao's memory, is known as Baoshan District in the later era, famous for the Baoshan Iron and Steel Group. Currently, a series of industries, including the Shanghai Machinery Bureau, are established here. However, it is somewhat distant from the main urban area, located on the north bank of the Huangpu River and the south bank of the Yangtze River.

The Shanghai Naval Base is not near Shanghai. In Shanghai, the powers each have their own naval ports, while the Qing Dynasty, which had sovereignty, did not have its own naval port at all. The Shanghai Navy was stationed on the other side of the coast, which should be in the direction of Baoshan in the later era. This area, to a certain extent, was still barren and neglected by the powers, making it the location of the naval base.

The Huangpu River, turbulent and swift, is one of the main rivers in Shanghai. The famous Bund is located on the Huangpu River.

In this era, there were no bridges over the Huangpu River. To cross it, one needed to take a ferry. However, the considerate Cheng Biguang had prepared a naval gunboat in advance.

This gunboat, based on the mosquito ship model, was a typical small boat with a large gun. The most prominent feature on the ship, which resembled a passenger liner, was the large naval gun. When Yang Yuanzhao touched the ship, he realized that this ship, with a displacement of only 140 tons, was equipped with a 170mm heavy gun. Although it was a British gun from 15 years ago, its quality was still quite good. There were also some 12-pound guns, which, on the naval ships, were relatively small and weak, but would be considered powerful weapons on land.

The gunboat soon set sail, traveling at a speed of about 12 to 14 knots, similar to the highest speed of the car. It cut through the waves, heading out to sea. After exiting the mouth of the Huangpu River and heading north, it took about an hour to reach the naval base.

The Shanghai Naval Base was established on the foundation of the Wusong Fort. On either side of the naval base, there were two forts guarding it. Within the naval base, there were dozens of ships of various sizes.

Compared to other military branches, the navy was probably the most expensive. The Shanghai Navy, in the current world, was considered subpar. It inherited some of the North China Fleet's foundation and, with the addition of the "Shanghai"-prefixed warships, could be considered a formidable force. However, there were at least a hundred 12-pound guns or larger in this small base, which was almost impossible in the land army. For example, the exemplary North China Third Division had no more than 50 75mm guns, let alone over a hundred large-caliber guns.

Upon disembarking, Cheng Biguang greeted them at the gate. After a few flattering words, they were led into the naval base. When Yang Yuanzhao entered the naval base, he found that the naval officers and soldiers were much more spirited compared to the Army and the Green Standard Army, which were mostly composed of farmers or demoralized double-barreled soldiers.

Reflecting on the future, the Chinese Navy did not have any standout moments. The only notable event was the sinking of ships. During the Japanese invasion, to prevent Japanese warships from easily entering the mouth of the Yangtze River, all ships, including merchant ships, civilian vessels, and the remaining Chinese Navy fleet, were tragically sunk. This act of defiance, though not firing a single shot, established the backbone of the Navy. The sunken ships could block the Yangtze River, preventing the Japanese from directly attacking the Chinese hinterland. The Yangtze River is a deep-water channel, allowing 5,000-ton ships to reach Nanjing and 3,000-ton ships to reach Wuhan. If the Japanese had naval support, China would face a catastrophic disaster.

This was the only appearance of the Chinese Navy during the war. In the memory of most Chinese people, the image of the navy was not good, but before that, the navy's image was always positive.

The navy, in general, consisted of highly educated officers and soldiers. The navy is a technical branch, and unlike the army, where illiterate soldiers can gradually grow into combat heroes, in the navy, this is impossible. Warships, especially battleships, are the pinnacle of Earth's technology, with high technological content. A warship is essentially a machine, and to make it function effectively, the crew must be proficient in command, firepower, and aiming. Each step determines the strength of the battleship. Well-trained battleships can easily defeat other battleships of the same size and strength. This is a unique characteristic of the navy, where human wave tactics are almost impossible.

Compared to the army, the navy is more disciplined. Most importantly, on the high seas, even if you desert, you can't go far. Everyone is brave and moves forward continuously.

When Yang Yuanzhao and his group entered the base, everyone gave them a respectful look. Uncle Guang took out the things he had prepared. The Shanghai Navy had only three large ships, all cruisers, with about 400 people on each. However, there were many small ships, and the total number of sailors on the ships was nearly 4,000. Including the logistics personnel and essential soldiers, the total number was almost 9,000. Yesterday, they had specially prepared 1,000 bags of flour, 20 large pigs, and some other items, enough for the navy to have a good meal.

These items were delivered to the naval base in advance. At this moment, they were brought in, serving as a good morale booster. The naval officers and soldiers were very satisfied with Yang Yuanzhao's thoughtfulness, especially Cheng Biguang, who had worked hard to secure funds for the navy. These donations and practical support showed that Yang Yuanzhao was a man of his word.

The logistics officers received the items, and the soldiers dispersed, but their eyes remained on this group. Such a generous donation, with various items, must have cost over a thousand silver dollars. Who was this young master, and why was Director Cheng personally accompanying him?

"Brother Yuanzhao, which ship would you like to see first?" Cheng Biguang asked generously.

Yang Yuanzhao's eyes fell on the naval ships, and the most eye-catching were the three "Hai" ships, especially the largest, the Haiqi. Having seen large ships in the future, Yang Yuanzhao had never had the chance to board a warship in his era. A 4,500-ton ship was the largest in China.

"Let's start with the Haiqi," Yang Yuanzhao said, pointing to the Haiqi.

"Haiqi, alright!" Cheng Biguang led Yang Yuanzhao to a transport boat. The Haiqi was the ship Cheng Biguang was most familiar with. He had been stationed in Britain to receive these ships, from their construction to sea trials and their return to China. He knew every detail of the Haiqi, from its power to its firepower and crew, and he introduced them to Yang Yuanzhao in detail.

It took about ten minutes to reach the Haiqi from the base. By the time Yang Yuanzhao stepped onto the Haiqi, he had a thorough understanding of it. As he boarded, he mentally copied the plans of the Haiqi, feeling a bit relieved. He began to observe this, the most powerful ship of the late Qing Dynasty.