Persuasion

Qin Tian appeared in Wilhelm II's office, his eyes still heavy with sleep. For him, attending a banquet was less appealing than going back to bed. After all, he wasn't exactly the popular type, and banquets were just far too dull for his taste.

Oscar appeared in Wilhelm II's office with bleary eyes. To him, attending a banquet was less appealing than going back to sleep. After all, he wasn't exactly the popular type—banquets were just far too dull for his taste.

"Essen, get Oscar a cup of coffee." Seeing Oscar's weary face, Wilhelm II suddenly regretted calling him out so late. Even as Emperor, he doted on his own son.

"Your Highness, the banquet is at its peak right now, and you've left—what a loss! For a young man your age, this is the time to enjoy such gatherings. Don't turn yourself into an old fogey." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz said with a broad smile.

"Uh, Your Excellency, I'm not suited for that kind of occasion. I feel out of place, so I'd rather go back to sleep." Oscar shook his head.

"Oscar, that won't do. Interpersonal relationships are crucial, and banquets are the best place to build and expand your network. Your future is long, and you need to establish your own web of connections." Wilhelm II lectured him.

"Yes, Father Emperor." Oscar nodded. He knew Wilhelm II meant well.

"Your Highness, your coffee." Essen von Jonath brought Oscar a cup.

"Thank you." Oscar took the coffee. After downing the rich cup, his spirits finally lifted a bit.

"Alright, Oscar, now let's get down to business. The Christmas gift you gave me—I'm very pleased with it. However, both the Marshal and I have deep questions about it, and we hope you can enlighten us." Wilhelm II said.

"Father Emperor, I'm glad you like it. That battleship is my conjecture on the future development of capital ships." Oscar showed great humility.

"Your Highness, the battleship you designed is excellent. But it differs greatly from current mainstream battleships. Why do you believe the all-big-gun layout will become the trend?" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz asked.

"Your Excellency, as the range of artillery increases, so does its power. This means long-range combat will become the norm in naval warfare. Once engagement distances commonly reach ten kilometers or more, only large-caliber main guns can threaten the enemy; smaller-caliber guns will be useless. This is an inevitable direction for the development of capital ships."

Though Oscar's views were unproven, Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz both nodded repeatedly. From the intelligence they held, they knew what he said was true.

"Your Majesty, the latest intelligence from the Navy indicates that the British are designing a new class of battleship. That battleship is also being called a groundbreaking advanced battleship." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz said.

Wilhelm II's expression grew even more serious.

"The British already have a huge advantage at sea. If their next class of battleship pulls ahead of us again, it will be even harder to suppress them." Wilhelm II was deeply worried. Though he could be stubborn and arrogant, he didn't believe the German Navy could defeat the British Navy.

"Father Emperor, Your Excellency. The British next-class battleship should also be an all-big-gun battleship. We can't let them get ahead again. Otherwise, the gap between us will only widen." Oscar said.

"Oscar, is this true? Where did you get this information?" Wilhelm II asked.

"Father Emperor, it's just a guess. But I think it's very likely." Oscar wanted to say the British would definitely build all-big-gun battleships, but he had no solid proof. He couldn't exactly tell Wilhelm II that he was a time traveler from the future and that history had the British doing just that—Wilhelm II would never let him off.

Wilhelm II nodded. In his eyes, Oscar was just a sixteen-year-old boy. Guessing this much was already commendable.

"Marshal, spare no effort in investigating the British latest class of battleship. Once confirmed, the Empire cannot fall behind them again." Wilhelm II said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz nodded.

"Your Highness, why do you advocate using oil-fired boilers and steam turbines on the new-style battleship? Germany is extremely short on oil, but we don't lack coal. Coal-fired boilers would better suit our national conditions. Also, progress on steam turbine development hasn't been significant. We severely lack experience using steam turbines on large warships. Using them directly on a battleship could cause many problems. If we use triple-expansion steam engines instead, there would be no such issue—we have very mature technology in that area." Tirpitz said.

Oscar shook his head. "Your Excellency, oil-fired boilers perform better than coal-fired ones. Also, storing fuel oil is easier and more convenient than coal. Using oil-fired boilers will give our warships greater power and longer range. Steam turbines provide more power than triple-expansion steam engines, allowing battleships to achieve higher speeds. Speed is becoming increasingly important in naval warfare. If the battle turns unfavorable, we can use speed to quickly disengage and preserve strength. If the battle is favorable and the enemy flees, our ships can catch them. Remember, the British Navy places great emphasis on battleship speed. Although we haven't broken through in steam turbine development, we still have time. A battleship takes about two years from construction to launch. If we focus two years on cracking this, it should be manageable."

"As for the battleship's main guns, I've chosen 305mm guns—no need to elaborate. Larger caliber means longer range and greater power. In naval combat, using the largest possible caliber main guns gives a significant advantage." Oscar continued.

"Marshal, what do you think of Oscar's suggestions?" Wilhelm II asked.

"Your Majesty, His Highness's suggestions are good. However, these are all areas where we need to make breakthroughs." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz frowned.