Chapter 92: Strengthening the Fleet
The performance of the battlecruiser designed by Oscar was indeed impressive, and it greatly satisfied the emperor. But what pleased William II even more was how Oscar had handled the delicate situation with Moltke. Rather than escalating their conflict, Oscar had cleverly shifted the focus onto his design, effectively easing the tension. It was a diplomatic maneuver that highlighted Oscar's potential as a leader—far more capable than Crown Prince William in this regard.
For a moment, William II found himself questioning whether it had been a mistake to make him only acting Crown Prince. However, he quickly suppressed the thought; now was not the time to second-guess himself.
"The battlecruiser designed by His Royal Highness is indeed very powerful. If it can be put into service, it will further strengthen the strength of the German Navy," Marshal Tirpitz commented approvingly.
William II turned to the Naval Technical Committee. In principle, any new type of warship needed their approval before construction could begin. However, the committee had learned from the earlier debacles, such as with the 'Nassau-class,' and were less likely to challenge Oscar's designs now. They were mindful of the risk of being publicly humiliated again.
Count von Warren, ever cautious, cleared his throat and stood up, ready to address the issue that was on everyone's mind.
"Your Majesty, the 'Moltke-class' battleship designed by His Royal Highness is excellent in all respects. However, we do have one concern: the cost of each ship is expected to be very high," Count von Warren began, choosing his words with careful precision to avoid offending the Crown Prince.
Oscar acknowledged the point. "Indeed, the cost will be high. We estimate that each 'Moltke-class' battlecruiser will be around 60 million marks," he said.
A stunned silence followed. Even William II couldn't help but wince at the exorbitant price. If it weren't for the royal family's annual loan to the Navy, totaling 100 million marks, the Navy would have been in no position to afford such costly warships.
"Sixty million marks per ship?" Everyone gasped. That was an immense sum, a burden on the already strained naval budget.
Oscar, however, remained resolute. "Everyone, the Navy is an expensive branch, especially when we are outnumbered by the British. We can't hope to compete in terms of numbers, so our only option is to make each ship as powerful as possible. The price we pay for that power is high, but it is a necessary investment if we are to match the British in future naval battles."
The assembled officials nodded in agreement. It was clear that, for all their concerns about the cost, they had no other viable option if they wanted to catch up with the Royal Navy. The British would be able to outbuild the Germans in sheer numbers if they competed on that front. But quality could make all the difference.
"Do any of you have objections?" William II asked, scanning the room. When no one raised their hand, not even Moltke, he added, "Then the construction of the 'Moltke-class' battlecruiser is approved."
There was no dissent, even from Moltke, who had made his opposition to Oscar clear on several occasions. His silence spoke volumes; it seemed that even he was willing to see the 'Moltke-class' come to fruition, likely for personal reasons—after all, the battlecruiser bore the name of his late uncle.
William II turned to Oscar. "Son, please also name the other two 'Moltke-class' battlecruisers."
Oscar, always pragmatic, had already prepared for this. "The other two ships will be called 'Goeben' and 'Sedlitz.'"
"Very well," said William II, granting his approval.
"Now, in addition to the battlecruiser, we must also begin the construction of a new battleship, the successor to the 'Helgoland-class,'" Oscar continued, his tone resolute.
He motioned for the engineers to unveil a large blueprint on the wall. The design that appeared was a more refined version of the 'Helgoland-class,' featuring enhancements to its firepower and armor. The overall layout was familiar, but the improvements were immediately evident.
"Everyone, this battleship is 185 meters long, 28.5 meters wide, and has a draft of 9.1 meters. Its standard displacement is 28,500 tons, and its full load displacement is 32,500 tons. It is equipped with three triple-mounted 343 mm 50-caliber main guns, 14 150 mm 45-caliber secondary guns, and 16 88 mm 45-caliber anti-torpedo boat guns. The propulsion system includes 24 improved Sulzer oil-fired boilers, four Curtis steam turbines, providing a maximum power of 60,000 horsepower with four-axis propulsion. The maximum speed is 23 knots," Oscar explained.
"The armor has also been significantly strengthened. The main armor belt is 350mm thick, the frontal armor of the turret and the armor of the conning tower are both 350mm, and the deck armor is 65mm thick. This class of battleship is an enlarged version of the 'Helgoland-class' battleship, with a particular emphasis on enhanced defense capabilities," he continued.
The room fell silent as the officials reviewed the design. It was a logical evolution of the 'Helgoland-class,' and no one could argue with its merit. Improvements in armor and firepower made it a formidable vessel, and it was clear that this battleship was exactly what the Navy needed to maintain its edge.
After some consideration, William II asked, "Are there any objections to this design?"
Once again, no one voiced any dissent. The committee and military leaders had no reason to oppose such a practical and necessary upgrade.
Thus, the construction of the new battleship was approved, and it was officially named the "Caesar-class" by William II.
Oscar's strategy was proving effective, building the Navy's strength step by step, despite the challenges. With the 'Moltke-class' battlecruiser and the new 'Caesar-class' battleships on the horizon, Germany's naval future looked brighter. Yet, Oscar knew that the true challenge lay ahead—when war came, these ships would need to prove their worth on the high seas.
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