Shock (Seeking Collection)

Laid before Wilhelm II was the design drawing Oscar had sketched for the new-style battleship. Though still only on paper, the impact it had on Wilhelm II was anything but slight.

Although Wilhelm II was not a navy man himself, it was under his support and insistence that the German Navy had begun its rapid development. This made him something of an insider.

"This battleship Oskar designed is unlike any before it! It does away with the secondary battery, adopts all heavy guns, and even uses triple turrets." Wilhelm II furrowed his brow.

Every battleship the German Navy had already built or had under construction used two calibers of main guns. Moreover, they were almost all twin turrets; triple turrets had never been attempted.

For the German Navy, all-big-gun armament and triple turrets were both novelties. Not to mention that the ship's powerplant was a combination of oil-fired boilers and steam turbines—another area where the German Navy had no experience.

Yet Wilhelm II could see the unique merits of this battleship.

"A battleship of this type seems far more formidable than existing ones. Once built and commissioned, it would greatly benefit the strengthening of the German Navy." Wilhelm II murmured to himself. Of course, the technical hurdles were not easy to overcome. But that did not stop him from recognizing the advanced nature of this new-style battleship. He had a vague feeling that such battleships were the future trend of development.

"Essen, go see if Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz is still around. If he is, have him come see me at once." After a brief hesitation, Wilhelm II made up his mind. If this battleship was to be built, it would need Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz's approval. At the same time, Wilhelm II wanted to learn from the Grand Admiral whether such a ship could be constructed and whether they had the technical capability to do so.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Essen von Jonath immediately went to fetch him.

A little over ten minutes later, Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz arrived at Wilhelm II's office.

"Your Majesty, you work far too hard for the Empire. You couldn't even attend the Christmas banquet." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz opened with a flattering remark.

Wilhelm II waved his hand, but inwardly he was quite pleased.

"At a time when the Empire faces great crisis, I must devote my full attention to state affairs. As for banquets, once we have defeated our enemies, there will be plenty of time."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz praised.

"Your Excellency, take a look at this. It's the Christmas gift Oskar gave me. He says he designed this battleship himself. A new-style battleship unlike any we have ever built before." Wilhelm II said with some pride.

If Oscar's design proved successful, wouldn't that show he was a genius at warship design? That would certainly bring credit to Wilhelm II. A son he had always looked down upon possessing such great talent was an unexpected delight!

"A new-style battleship designed by Prince Oskar?" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz's eyes lit up. If he had previously dismissed Oscar, after their conversation at the banquet, his impression of him had fundamentally changed.

Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz stepped up to the desk. When he saw the battleship drawings on it, he too was stunned.

"Three triple turrets, no secondary battery, and the bow ram and torpedo tubes have been removed. The hull layout is much more compact." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz immediately spotted the differences in this new-style battleship.

Wilhelm II nodded. "And that's not all. In the notes, Oskar also suggests that this battleship should use a combination of oil-fired boilers and steam turbines to push its speed above 21 knots."

"Oil-fired boilers and steam turbines? We have done some research in these areas, but without much success. Especially steam turbines—aside from the British, who have experience using them on large warships, no other country does." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz frowned.

"Your Excellency, is this new-style battleship far more advanced than existing ones?" Wilhelm II asked.

Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz nodded. "The all-big-gun layout is indeed refreshing. However, secondary batteries remain very important in naval combat. The Battle of the Yalu proved that clearly. Relying entirely on heavy guns may not guarantee a battleship's firepower."

The Battle of Tsushima had not yet occurred, and navies around the world were still groping for the direction of battleship development. Even the British could not confidently declare the way forward. Before the Dreadnought, they too had built large numbers of pre-dreadnoughts equipped with secondary batteries.

"As for oil-fired boilers and steam turbines, although we still have technical bottlenecks, we could simply substitute coal-fired boilers and triple-expansion steam engines. That would only affect the battleship's speed to some extent." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz continued.

Wilhelm II nodded slowly. "Why does Oskar believe that all-big-gun battleships are the future direction?"

"Your Majesty, perhaps that is the Prince's own insight. At the banquet, I spoke with him at length. I must admit, the Prince has a very clear understanding of future international affairs and the direction of naval development. He is even more farsighted than many of the Empire's high-ranking officials. Perhaps this time, his view is indeed correct." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz praised.

Wilhelm II was taken aback. He had not expected Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz to think so highly of Oscar.

"Essen, go find Oskar. I want to ask him what he was thinking." Wilhelm II ordered.

"Your Majesty, the Prince has likely already left the banquet hall. Not long after our conversation ended, he departed. He does not seem to enjoy such occasions. Among the princes and even the younger generation, he is quite the individualist. It is rare to see a young man so willing to endure solitude."

Wilhelm II paused, then said, "Even if he has already gone to bed, wake him up."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Essen von Jonath nodded and immediately sent someone to fetch Oscar.