Volume 1: The Battleship Yitian Changes into the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 Chapter 31: Lessons from Pain
"…This naval battle is the greatest victory that the Qing Dynasty has ever had since it had a navy. However, the problems exposed by our navy in this battle cannot be ignored. We lack large-caliber rapid-fire guns. Although we have many heavy guns, their firing speed is too slow. For every one shot we fired, the enemy fired six. The enemy fired a volley of bullets in each round, and the bullets rained down like rain. Although their power was not enough to penetrate the armor of our giant ships, shrapnel flew everywhere, and fire flowed everywhere. Few of our officers and soldiers were not injured. In this battle, General Ding was seriously injured by enemy bullets, and General Liu's legs were also broken by shrapnel. More than half of the gunners in the gun fort were killed. Those who insisted on fighting were all covered with wounds, their heads were rotten, and their eyes were blind. They were tortured severely. After learning from the pain, it is the top priority for all ships to install large-caliber rapid-fire guns…" Sun Gang walked back and forth on the ground, dictating a naval battle report to a clerk, who was writing quickly. His hands were wrapped like two rotten buns after the medicine was applied, and he couldn't write at all, so he had to find someone to do it for him.
"... because our navy's ships have been launched for too long, their speed is much lower than before, the coal supply is insufficient and the coal quality is also poor. None of the ships can reach the maximum speed during wartime. The Japanese ships are fast and agile, which is beyond the reach of our ships, and it is difficult to hit them with our guns..." He said as he thought, and Liu Buchan, Lin Yongsheng, Qiu Baoren and Ye Zugui on the beds next to him were all listening attentively. Because there were too many wounded, the military hospital was overcrowded. Several of their higher-ranking officers squeezed into a high-end ward. Sun Gang was anxious to sort out the problems he found in the naval battle in order to remedy the situation. The captains also deeply agreed. After all, they all experienced this unprecedented fierce naval battle personally, and the feelings in their hearts could not be expressed in a few words.
"Brother Sun, let me add one more sentence." Liu Buchan said, "Our navy has not had any new ships or new guns for more than ten years. We don't have any new ships or guns from foreign countries. Before the war, whenever there was a proposal to buy ships and replace guns, it was not taken seriously by the officials in the court. The Japanese ships and guns are all brand new. Our navy officers and soldiers rely on their flesh and blood and rusty weapons to compete with them in life and death on the sea. That's why the 'Zhiyuan' risked its life to ram the enemy ship and die together in exchange for the victory of the entire army. Its conduct was heroic and heroic, and the sea and the sky wept together. But it was also helpless. I only hope that the court will be alert from now on and quickly add new ships so that the loyal and brave soldiers of our navy don't have to perform such heroic deeds again. It will be a blessing for the country."
Sun Gang thought of Deng Shichang and couldn't help feeling sad. He signaled to the clerk to write it down.
Lin Yongsheng, who was wrapped in bandages and only had one eye exposed, looked like a mummy. He said in a muffled voice: "Brother Bu Chan said it well! Let's see what the ministers in the court have to say this time."
"I'm afraid the spearhead will be pointed at Lord Zhongtang again." Sun Gang sighed and said, "People who talk nonsense and ruin the country have existed since ancient times, not just in our Qing Dynasty. You can say you are capable or not, or you can say you are not capable or not, all based on your sharp tongue. It's hard to change their words after the event!"
Even in later generations, aren't there still many people like this?
"...Naval warfare is different from land warfare. If you fail in a land warfare, you can still retreat and choose an opportunity to fight again. But the sea is vast and there is no way to retreat. The victory or defeat in a moment can determine the fate of a country for a hundred years. Our navy has lagged behind Western countries and Japan for many years. If we do not take advantage of this drastic change to catch up, we may regret it too late when the sea borders are shaken and wars break out." After Sun Gang finished speaking, the clerk handed him the written manuscript. He read it from beginning to end and was very satisfied. The clerk bowed and left. Sun Gang then realized that the room was quiet and the captains were all looking at him.
"One word from you is worth ten years of reading. I have learned a lot." Liu Buchan said to Sun Gang in a serious tone, "If it weren't for your warning, my army would have been in a desperate situation. I will never forget your kindness in saving my life. Now that I have heard your enlightening words, I will no longer treat you as a scholar."
Sun Gang felt a little embarrassed and was about to say something when Ye Zugui, who had been silent, asked, "Is it related to the formation? Those damn Japanese!" His shoulders and chest were wrapped tightly, and his beard and eyebrows were burned off. When he spoke, the wounds would be pulled, making him grimace in an extremely ugly manner.
During the naval battle, the fire on "Jingyuan" and "Laiyuan" was the most intense, and even the steel beams and iron frames were bent. Ye Zugui and Qiu Baoren were almost burned to death. Qiu Baoren's head was tangled like a rotten watermelon and he was unable to speak. After hearing what Ye Zugui said, he kept making "mumbling" sounds, which was considered as expressing his opinion.
Liu Buchan recounted what happened at that time and everyone fell silent.
"We won by sheer luck," Lin Yongsheng said with a wry smile.
"As long as we learn from this lesson, it will be difficult for us to lose in the future." Sun Gang said firmly. He looked at the wounded in the room and suddenly found that everyone's eyes became strange. Liu Buchan kept winking at him. He looked at Liu Buchan blankly, not understanding what was going on.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the Senator's speech." A familiar and sweet voice said from behind. Sun Gang was startled and knew who it was.
He turned around suddenly and saw Ma Yue standing there looking at him with a smile, holding a large plate of apples in her hands. Behind her was Fang Boqian.
"He looks energetic, so he should be fine." Ma Yue nodded to Fang Boqian seriously, put the plate on the table, and looked Sun Gang up and down.
When Liu Buchan saw Fang Boqian come in, his face darkened, but because of the presence of a lady, he did not lose his temper immediately.
"Why are you here?" Sun Gang was indeed surprised that she appeared here. The naval battle had only been over for a few days, and she had already heard the news and rushed here. Isn't it too fast?
Ma Yue's gaze as she looked at him became more and more dangerous. The captains seemed to sense that something was wrong with the atmosphere. No one spoke, and they all looked like they were waiting to see a good show.
"Lord Fang is so quick that he brought Madam Sun here so quickly?" Liu Buchan looked at Fang Boqian and couldn't help but say it out loud, inadvertently helping Sun Gang out of trouble.
"Master Liu, you are joking. Madam Sun came here by underwater motorboat." Fang Boqian smiled bitterly and replied, "That boat moved like a ghost. It caused a sensation when it entered the harbor from underwater just now."
"What?" Sun Gang was surprised and almost suspected that he had heard it wrong.
