User:Semi-Lobster/sandbox2

Number 68

Class overview
Operators	Republic of China Navy (1915) Austro-Hungarian Navy (1917-1918)
Preceded by	Number 64 class (planned)
Succeeded by	Ning Hai class
Built	1915
Planned	1
Completed	0
Cancelled	1
History
Republic of China
Name	Number 68
Builder	Cantiere Navale Triestino, Monfalcone, Austria-Hungary
Cost	£880,000
Yard number	68
Laid down	15 April 1915
Fate	Cancelled
General characteristics
Type	armored cruiser
Displacement	4,900 tons (standard)
Length	136.5 m (448 ft)
Beam	14.65 m (48.1 ft)
Draught	4.88 m (16.0 ft)
Propulsion	2-shaft, 2 Parson steam turbines 16 Yarrow boilers, 30,000 shp (22,000 kW)
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h)
Range	3,000 nautical miles (5,560 km) at 13 knots (24 km/h)
Armament	4 Škoda 203mm/50 K16 guns (4 × 2) 12 Škoda 100 mm/45 K14 guns (12 × 1) 10 47 mm (1.9 in)/44 AA guns (10 × 1) 4 37 mm (1.5 in)/42 AA (4 × 1) 16 13.2 mm (0.52 in)/42 AA (16 × 1) 8 7.9 mm (0.31 in)/80 AA (8 × 1) 2 450 mm torpedo tubes (2 × 1)
Armour	main belt 60 to 100 mm (2.4 to 3.9 in) main deck: 25 to 65 mm (0.98 to 2.56 in) turrets: 100 mm (3.9 in) control tower: 100 mm (3.9 in)

The Number 68 (Chinese: 六十八號; pinyin: Liùshíbā Hào), also known as the Monfalcone large cruiser, was a planned, unique, armored cruiser ordered for the Republic of China Navy. The ship was never completed due to the start of World War I and was eventually scrapped. The ship was not given a name, being known only the yard construction number, 68.

Background

In 1911, the new fledgling Provisional Government of the Republic of China had inherited a small, obsolete navy from the former Qing Dynasty, who had been in the midst of a naval rearmament, dubbed the "New Fleet Programme" since 1910 until the Xinhai Revolution overthrew 268 year old Manchu rule. The new Yuan Shikai-led government soon embarked on acquiring a loan of $125 million dollars from the six great powers to stabilize the shaky economy and to rearm the Republic of China Navy. While funding for the already under construction Fu Bo-class destroyers, two of the three Chao Ho-class cruisers was tentatively secured by 1913, several ships under construction that had been ordered under the previous Qing government were sold off, the light cruiser Fei Hong(Chinese: 飛鴻; pinyin: Féi Hóng; Wade–Giles: Fei Hung; lit. 'Flying Swan') was sold to the Kingdom of Greece, and the destroyers Lung Tuan (Chinese: 龙湍; pinyin: Lóng Tuān; Wade–Giles: Lung Tuan; lit. 'Dragon Rapids') and Ching Po (Chinese: 鲸波; pinyin: Jīng Bō; Wade–Giles: Ching Po; lit. 'Whale Wave') were sold to Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy respectively. One of the few diplomatic successes was a counter-proposal from Arnhold, Karberg & C., based in Berlin but active in China since 1866, for a loan for torpedoes. This relationship continued into March 1913 with Arnhold, Karberg & C. eventually bringing in arms manufacturer Škoda Works of Pilsen and three Austrian banks for a two loans consolidated of £3,200,000. The first loan of £1,200,000 would be for six destroyers from AG Vulcan Stettin and twelve smaller destroyers from Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino (STT). The second loan of £2,000,000 would be for artillery from Škoda. The terms of the new loan were harsher than the original $125 million loan from the great powers, with 6% interest and to be paid off completely in four years.

Immediately after signing the agreement though, the Chinese Navy, under Liu Guanxiong became convinced that cruisers would be better to acquire than destroyers and on June 13, submitted a request for three 4,900 ton cruisers armed with four 203mm guns. AG Vulcan immediately backed out of the deal as it was uninterested in building cruisers, while STT was uninterested in building the small destroyers. In order to salvage such a large deal, Škoda became a majority shareholder of the new Cantiere Navale Triestino (CNT) in Monfalcone to fulfill the order. On June 27, 1913, the director general of Škoda informed the Chinese government that the first loan was reduced to £870,000, which would only be enough to build one large cruiser rather than three. Škoda recommended that instead, for the same amount of money, CNT could build three, small 1,800 ton cruisers. While initially this was rejected by the Chinese Navy, after additional funds from renegotiating the £2,000,000 loan for artillery became available. On August 26, 1913 an agreement on the terms of the first loan was made, for three 1,800 ton cruisers which would become the Number 64-class cruisers. The agreement on the second loan was made on October 20, 1913 for thirty six field guns and seventy two mountain guns from Skoda, and one 4,800 ton cruiser built to a revised specification.