But this was not a real train cannon, but rather a beggar''s version of a prototype train cannon. In fact, these C80 howitzers were all towed artillery, equipped with wheels.


    Tang Mo had only produced some tbed train cars and then simply fixed these artillery pieces onto them.


    This maximized the flexibility of using these cannons but sacrificed the protective capability of the train cannon.


    In theory, Tang Mo could have created an armored train by mounting cannons and various weapons on it to surprise the enemy.


    However, it should be noted that armored trains consumed a significant amount of steel and also had great limitations in their use; in actuality, Tang Mo could not fully exploit the advantages of armored trains.


    Inparison, conserving steel was a practice more in line with Tang Mo''s current situation. After all, he now had to allocate his limited steel production capacity to more useful ces.


    Because Tang Mo was now seriously considering whether he should try to get his hands on that distantnd, ck Dragon Ind, rich in oil.


    After all, oil as the lifeblood of modern industry is extremely valuable and of paramount importance. Securing an oil field in advance was absolutely crucial for Tang Mo''s strategic nning.


    Knowing about the existence of ck Dragon Ind, he naturally hoped to take control of this ind himself.


    In his n, conquering and controlling ck Dragon Ind, the Navy was absolutely the corebat force. Merely relying on his dozen or so sailing ships to dominate ck Dragon Ind was nothing short of a fool''s dream.


    Even if he truly upied ck Dragon Ind, those few small vessels could neither support his maritime transport needs nor defend his ind assets!


    Therefore, in Tang Mo''s n, expanding maritime forces was also very important and urgent.


    Against this backdrop, Tang Mo did not invest all the limited steel into armored trains but saved where he could, turning his train cannons into a simplified model.


    Where was the steel saved being used? It was used for a brand-new vessel in the shipyard—a truly modern irond warship powered by steam.


    The design of this warship was based on the renowned Jiyuan-ss cruiser, except that due to the times and Tang Mo''s current capabilities, it had undergone some minor modifications.


    First was the warship''s protective capabilities; due to ack of steel, there was a considerable reduction. The originally more numerous and dense watertightpartments were greatly simplified.


    At the same time, the famous German barbette horizontal defense waspletely abandoned, leaving only a steel te under the deck for defense.


    After all, in this era''s naval vessels, which still used muzzle-loading cannons, almost all used solid shot. Under this premise, increasing the armor of an irond warship had no meaningful purpose.


    After eliminating horizontal armor and reducing internal defense armor, Tang Mo''s warship length was increased by 10 meters, reaching an astonishing length of 89 meters and a width of 11.5 meters.


    The primary reason for these modifications was to save on materials. Aside from ensuring the ship''s structural strength, all extra defense designs were reduced.


    Even the conning tower, originally designed to withstand direct strikes fromrge-caliber cannons, had its armor thickness reduced to half of its original size.


    With so much steel usage reduced, the ship''s discement was lower, the design''s center of gravity was unstable, so the hull had to be expanded, increasing the reserves of drinking water and coal inside—used as bast.


    To achieve these improvements, Tang Mo hired nine skilled ship designers at a high price and used theputer in his mind for simtion calctions beforepleting the ultimate modification of this vessel.


    Thus, the endurance of this modified Jiyuan-ss warship on the high seas was greatly enhanced, and its speed was increased to a terrifying 40 kilometers per hour.


    For easy calctions, Tang Mo did not stubbornly adopt the "knot" as the unit of measurement but continued to use the metric kilometer on the sea as onnd.


    Forty kilometers an hour is roughly equivalent to a speed of about 22 knots, an advantage that came from the lighter warship and the use of a more mature steam engine.


    To deal with the more advanced boiler and the greater heat generation of the steam engine, an additional funnel was installed in the elongated midsection of the warship.


    Because there was no need for so many watertightpartments and there was ample coal and freshwater, the standard of living on the warship was also significantly improved, allowing for more food to be carried and more spacious living conditions for the crew.


    Regarding weapons, this modified Jiyuan-ss warship, or rather severely scaled-back warship, had many novel features canceled.


    Tang Mo did not have such novelties to heap onto the warship, so the torpedoes originally nned for the warship were all canceled.


    After all, Tang Mo presently didn''t even have a workshop for producing torpedoes, let alone torpedoes. He was not in a position to undertake the production of so many weapons, and his workers didn''t even know what a torpedo was.


    Since torpedoes could not be produced, the rtedpartments could be repurposed as living quarters for the crew.


    At the same time, Tang Mo also had no way of using the numerous Hotchkiss quick-firing guns that were equipped on the Jiyuan-ss.


    The original Zhiyuan warship was armed with eight 57mm single-tube Hotchkiss guns and six 37mm quick-firing guns... Tang Mo was likewise unable to directly produce and equip his warships with this assortment of weapons.


    Whether they were useful or junk, Tang Mo had no intention of pursuing that matter since he had never witnessed theirbat performance, but the truth was hecked the production lines for these weapons.


    It was simply not feasible for Tang Mo to establish new production lines dedicated to two special types of weapons just for a single warship.


    Every one of his production lines was precious, and they had to ount for the Army''s needs as much as possible while also considering future sales and promotion. Thus, he couldn''t afford to waste resources on specialized 37mm caliber naval quick-firing guns that wereckluster.


    As a result, the warship was ultimately fitted with ten uniform 75mm caliber rear-loading field guns that Tang Mo could produce...


    These cannons had a limited firing arc and were all deployed along the sides, incapable of providing any firepower to the bow.


    However, relying on the warship''s terrifying speed, it couldfortably adjust its position outside the enemy warship''s range to meet the enemy with its most powerful broadside.


    The cannons used on the bow and stern weren''t the Zhiyuan''s slow-firing 210mm caliber main guns, but rather an improvised version of the 120mm caliber field gun.


    After all, in these times, naval guns capable of firing beyond 5 kilometers didn''t exist yet, and a 120mm caliber gun that could fire high-explosive shells was overwhelmingly dominant at sea.


    Moreover, the reduction in caliber brought more obvious advantages; the improved warship had a triple turret at the bow and a twin turret at the stern!


    Thus, the overall design of this new vessel featured its main armament of five 120mm caliber guns and twelve 75mm caliber secondary guns, making it far mightier in terms of gun count alone than any destroyer.


    Nevertheless, due to the immature technology of searchlights, Tang Mo had to honestly scrap the design for searchlights, which meant this giant warship, like other naval vessels, wasn''t capable of night battles.


    Moreover, a dozen or so old-fashioned Gatling guns, originally equipped on the Zhiyuan, were discarded by Tang Mo. In their ce were six more powerful Maxim water-cooled machine guns.


    Since the machine guns were still under development, the new vessel, during construction, only reserved their mounts without installing them.


    Simrly, as there was no need for focused ammunition protection, most of the ammunition stores were dispersed and designed near the gun positions, which inadvertently reduced the overall weight of the firepower system and correspondingly increased the speed at which shells could be essed.


    Theck of defense was effectively countered by the subpar opponents of today; the solid shots that could only reach one kilometer were incapable of piercing the thin side armor and prating the irond''s ammunition storage.


    In fact, this colossal warship discing 3700 tons was unquestionably the most advanced and powerful warship in the world. The sail-powered ships of war from other nations stood no chance against it.


    Despite its numerous imperfections, its creation was destined to be recorded in history books, and its presence was bound to redefine naval warfare across the world.


    Tang Mo was confident that, once this warship wasunched, he would nearly have the capability to secure his own sea transport routes.


    When that time came, establishing ck Dragon Ind would be a top priority. Therefore, he found it necessary to scout ck Dragon Ind in advance and ensure his sailors were skilled in long-distance voyages.


    So, looking at Roger and the others, he inquired about the activity of his fleet, "How are things with the fleet?"


    Roger immediately answered his question, "We''ve sent two ships to the south, carrying 1000 K1 Quick Guns and 50,000 rounds of ammunition. If all goes well, they should be able to sell these weapons."


    Li''ao also added, "They''ve been gone for just over a month and we''ve received no news yet."


    "If we can sessfully market the bolt-action rifles, then next time all our ships can head south together," continued Roger.


    "That''s good news," Tang Mo nodded.


    After six months of training, his fleet had finally begun engaging in oceanic activities. This would not only train the sailors but also generate greater profits for Tang Mo.


    Simply operating within the borders of the Leite Kingdom was clearly insufficient to satisfy Tang Mo''s ambitions for expansion. He needed to secure more trade routes and sell more products.


    "Until they return, this isn''t good news," John interjected from the side, cautioning, "Sea trade is a very dangerous affair."


    He nced at Tang Mo and furrowed his brow, "You''re beginning to look more like a man; did something happen on your trip to the Northern Ridge...?"


    "Don''t make wild guesses!" Tang Moughed as he nced at John, exining, "It''s good news that our sailors have the courage to fight on the high seas."


    "If we don''t send them out, they might indeed fatten to death at the port," joked Bernard, who was in charge of the Navy.


    "Hahahaha!" Everyone burst intoughter.