In naval battles, larger main-gun calibers undoubtedly held an advantage. Oscar hoped that Miss Bertha Krupp, as well as the future leaders of Krupp Company, would understand this and increase their research into large-caliber main guns, so that Germany would no longer be left behind by the British in this regard.
In another time and space, the German Navy had undoubtedly been at a considerable disadvantage in terms of main-gun caliber. Its 280mm Main Guns, 305mm Main Guns, and 380mm Main Guns had faced the British 305mm Main Guns, 343mm Main Guns, and 381mm Main Guns. Even so, the outstanding quality of German military industry ensured that the German Navy was not at all inferior when using smaller-caliber main guns against the British. Coupled with the British Navy's shell-fuse problems, the German Navy had gained an even greater advantage. But if the German Navy's main-gun calibers had not been weaker than the British Navy's from the very beginning, would it not have enjoyed even better odds of victory?
Now, Oscar undoubtedly hoped to use his own strength to spur the accelerated development of German military industry, so that Germany could have greater odds of victory in future wars.
"I hope Miss Krupp will honor her promise and speed up the development of large-caliber main guns!" After getting into the car for the return trip, Oscar could not help thinking. Although Miss Bertha Krupp was an outstanding businesswoman, she still lacked boldness and resolve. What a pity Gustav had not yet married into the Krupp family. Otherwise, cooperating with Gustav Krupp would have meant fewer problems. As a leader capable of bringing the Krupp military-industrial empire to new heights, Gustav Krupp was undoubtedly more farsighted.
Oscar gave Krupp Company two years to develop new large-caliber main guns. The expansion of German Shipyard would not be completed until the second half of the year. Only then would construction begin on the Nassau-class Battleship. For German Shipyard, which had never built a Battleship before, two years should be just enough time to launch the Nassau-class Battleship. By then, the large-caliber main guns developed by Krupp Company would arrive just in time for fitting out.
An outstanding Battleship needed to balance speed, firepower, and defense. Overemphasizing the performance of any one aspect would greatly compromise the Battleship's overall capabilities.
Both the armor and the main guns had been entrusted to Krupp Company, which meant the Nassau-class Battleship's defense and firepower issues were basically settled. As long as Krupp Company honored its promise and did not drop the chain at a critical moment, there should not be any problems.
Next came the remaining factor: speed. This was determined directly by the Battleship's power system.
The Nassau-class Battleship designed by Oscar used a combination of oil-fired boilers and Steam Turbines. This would allow the warship's power to be brought to the fullest, giving the Battleship stronger propulsion, greater speed, and a longer cruising range.
As for Steam Turbines, Oscar had already sent people to the United States to purchase the relevant technology for Curtis steam turbines. At present, the Steam Turbine invented by Curtis had not received much attention. This had left his company's business in a bleak state. With bankruptcy looming, this was undoubtedly the best time to make a move. Faced with a purchase offer from Germany, Curtis had no choice but to accept.
Once they acquired the complete set of relevant technology and gathered German engineers to conduct further research, they would certainly be able to develop even more powerful Steam Turbines on that foundation.
As for oil-fired boilers, Oscar could only entrust their development to Sulzer Boiler Company, Germany's largest boiler manufacturer for military warships. Compared with Coal-fired Boilers, oil-fired boilers offered far superior performance. On warships, storing fuel oil was obviously easier than storing coal.
Although Germany lacked petroleum, German boiler manufacturers also possessed technical reserves in oil-fired boilers. It was simply unsuited to Germany's national conditions. Thus, the boilers manufactured previously had almost all been Coal-fired Boilers. After all, Germany's Ruhr region had abundant coal resources, unlike petroleum, which had to be imported from abroad. That way, there was no need to worry about having one's throat gripped by others once war broke out.
Oscar placed an order with Sulzer Boiler Company for forty-eight oil-fired boilers in one breath, greatly exciting Sulzer. The profits from forty-eight oil-fired boilers were already far from insignificant. Even if they still needed to invest funds into researching certain key technologies, that was nothing at all to Sulzer Boiler Company.
What was more, Oscar guaranteed that the forty-eight boilers were merely the first batch of orders. Later on, German Shipyard would purchase even more oil-fired boilers. Of course, Oscar also required Sulzer Boiler Company to invest more funds into research and development, so that it could develop boilers with even better performance.
As warships grew ever larger in tonnage, their armor would become ever thicker, and their main guns ever heavier. Under such circumstances, more powerful boilers and Steam Turbines were needed to drive them. Otherwise, the Battleship's speed would be severely affected.
In actual combat, this could result in being unable to catch enemy warships while also being unable to escape their pursuit. That was practically fatal.
Sulzer Boiler Company naturally agreed readily to Oscar's demands. They too hoped to reach a cooperation agreement with such a major client as German Shipyard. That way, they could earn greater profits.
At the end of January 1905, Oscar left Berlin and headed for Augsburg in Bavaria. His purpose this time was to find a technical master to join his new company.
That was right. Oscar now planned to establish his own new company. He had already thought of the name: German Power Manufacturing Company. The company's main products would be various kinds of engines, including automobile engines, Steam Turbines for warships, aircraft engines, submarine diesel engines, and more.
However, although the company had already been registered and recruitment had begun, the new company lacked a technical master capable of holding the stage. Oscar therefore set his sights on Diesel, the father of the diesel engine.
As the inventor of the diesel engine, Diesel was undoubtedly a genius. Because of his invention, humanity had achieved a leap forward in the field of engines. If he could join Oscar's company, Oscar would undoubtedly achieve even greater results in the field of diesel engines. Future tank engines and submarine engines would all need diesel engines to serve in that role.
Of course, Oscar had another purpose: to save the genius Diesel, so that he would not leave this world too early.
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