Naval Bill

Although the German Navy had developed very rapidly in recent years, its disadvantages compared to the established maritime powers remained glaringly obvious. Not to mention anything else, Germany was completely outmatched in the sheer number of capital ships. If war broke out, the consequences would be easy to imagine.

After hearing Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz's words, Germany's high-ranking officials were deeply shaken. Being at such a disadvantage, demanding that the Navy break the British blockade was clearly asking the impossible.

Crown Prince Wilhelm was like a defeated rooster, head bowed and silent. He now realized that he had been far too optimistic about Germany's military strength. Germany's enemies were not to be underestimated either!

"Gentlemen, there is no doubt that our enemies' military power is formidable. The gap between us and them is enormous. Although we are still striving to catch up, overtaking them will require a great deal of time. Therefore, for now, we must avoid war with our enemies as much as possible," Wilhelm II said.

Given Wilhelm II's stubborn and arrogant nature, if he could win, he would certainly not hold back. It was precisely because he knew the odds of victory were very slim that he endured so much—there was no other choice.

"I never expected the gap between the Navy and the British to be so vast. It seems necessary to increase investment in the Navy. If the German Navy could match the British Navy, would the British still dare to brazenly support the French?" Wilhelm II thought to himself.

The rapid development and strengthening of the German Navy, to the point where even the maritime hegemon, the British, felt threatened, was precisely due to Wilhelm II's strong support. However, because Germany started too late, Wilhelm II faced immense difficulties in trying to surpass the British Navy.

Wilhelm II suddenly recalled that Oscar's German Shipyard was undergoing expansion, wasn't it? It was expected to soon begin construction of the New-style Battleships. Wilhelm II was also well aware of Oscar's recent series of moves. After investing heavily in the German Shipyard, Oscar had reached a cooperation agreement with Krupp Company to supply armor and large-caliber main guns. At the same time, he had Sulzer Boiler Company provide oil-fired boilers, along with the German Engine Manufacturing Company that Oscar had established himself. All of this was undoubtedly paving the way for the construction of the New-style Battleships.

Wilhelm II was both moved and gratified that Oscar had accomplished such a great undertaking. He had never imagined that his most overlooked son, whom he had always thought was just coasting through life, would display such outstanding talent. He had even overshadowed the brilliance of his other sons, and even Crown Prince Wilhelm could not compare. If not for the fact that Crown Prince Wilhelm was his eldest son, Wilhelm II might have thought that Oscar seemed more suitable to be the Empire's Crown Prince.

Of course, such a thought was fleeting. Wilhelm II could not strip Crown Prince Wilhelm of his inheritance rights. Unless Crown Prince Wilhelm himself was unable to fulfill his duties—such as falling gravely ill or dying prematurely. Otherwise, when Wilhelm II passed away, Crown Prince Wilhelm would become the Emperor of the German Empire—that was immutable.

"Your Majesty, given the current situation, if war breaks out, our chances of victory are very slim. Therefore, I believe we should exercise restraint," Prime Minister Bernhard von Bülow advised.

Although it was a hard pill to swallow, this was the reality. Even if they were deeply dissatisfied, for the sake of the bigger picture, they had to endure!

"Yes, Your Majesty. Temporary forbearance is so that next time we can knock down all our enemies," Moltke the Younger also said.

Although the German Army was powerful, without the Navy's cooperation, it could not stand alone.

Wilhelm II nodded: "Alright, let's leave it at that for now! On the Moroccan issue, we will do our best to avoid further escalation of the conflict. However, on the surface, we must never show weakness to them; otherwise, they will push their advantage. Additionally, our interests in Morocco must be safeguarded as much as possible."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" everyone replied.

As for the Moroccan Crisis, Oscar did not pay much attention to it. After all, he already knew the outcome. Although Germany's stance grew increasingly tough, even deploying heavy troops along the border, anyone with discernment knew it was just a bluff.

Backed by the British and Russians, the French were full of confidence. In response to Germany's tough stance, they retaliated tit for tat. This made the situation in Europe even more tense.

On November 18, 1905, the expansion of the German Shipyard was completed. By recruiting a large number of engineers and skilled workers, the shipyard had nearly completed its technical accumulation for building large warships. What they lacked was only practical experience.

The next day, Oscar rushed to the German Shipyard to preside over the keel-laying ceremony for the Nassau-class battleships. Four battleships were simultaneously laid down on four large slipways.

Of course, due to technical and experiential reasons, the construction progress at the German Shipyard would be relatively slower. But as long as they fully mastered the relevant technologies through this construction, there would be nothing to worry about.

Oscar had set a deadline for Brutt: all four battleships must be launched before November 1907.

If Oscar remembered correctly, the British Navy's Dreadnought was officially commissioned on December 3, 1907. And that was after spending a great deal of time testing new equipment. However, Germany would likely learn about the Dreadnought's relevant intelligence earlier than that. If the Nassau-class battleships could be launched by then, it would be a huge boost for the German Navy. There would be no problem in having the Navy accept the Nassau-class as the next generation of capital ships.

In January 1906, the Algeciras Conference convened. With British and Russian support for France, the conference concluded with a treaty favorable to France. It recognized Morocco's independence but also acknowledged French and Spanish police control over Morocco. However, France also pledged to guarantee Germany's interests in Morocco. German capital was allowed to enter Morocco.

When the news reached Germany, the German people were outraged.

Under immense pressure, the German Parliament revised the Naval Law, forming the First Amendment. According to this amendment, the German Navy's shipbuilding budget for the next ten years would be increased to 940 million Marks. Starting the following year, two battleships and one large cruiser (battlecruiser) would be built annually. By 1917, the German Navy would possess a powerful fleet centered on 38 battleships, 20 large cruisers, and 38 small cruisers. This was an important milestone in the German Navy's formal challenge to maritime hegemony, and a forceful response by the Germans to the "Humiliation of Algeciras"—German public opinion could not blame Wilhelm II's decision-making errors, instead attributing the loss to the interference of Britain, Spain, and others. If Germany had a fleet capable of contending with the British Royal Navy, such a tragedy would not have occurred. Because the Algeciras Convention severely damaged Germany's capital interests in Morocco and hurt the increasingly inflated pride of the Germanic people, everyone in Germany—from big capitalists to soldiers to commoners—was eager to accelerate naval construction with a mindset of avenging this humiliation.