User:Semi-Lobster/sandbox2
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |
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| 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 | £1,200,000 |
| Yard number | 68 |
| Laid down | 15 April 1915 |
| Fate | Broken up incomplete, 1922. |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Light cruiser |
| Displacement | 4,900 tons (standard) |
| Length | 137.03 m (449.6 ft) |
| Beam | 14.68 m (48.2 ft) |
| Draught | 4.88 m (16.0 ft) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h) |
| Range | 3,000 nautical miles (5,560 km) at 13 knots (24 km/h) |
| Armament |
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| Armour |
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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 were eventually scrapped. The ship was not given a name, being known only the yard construction number, 68.
Background
On 10 October 1911 in China, the Xinhai Revolution marked the beginning of the end of the Manchu Qing dynasty, which had ruled China for 268 years. The five year-old Xuantong Emperor was forced to abdicate and a new, Republic of China (1912–49) was established on 12 February 1912, with general Yuan Shikai as president. As the revolution grew in strength and territory, the Qing government had been in the midst of a naval rearmament programme to modernise the Imperial Chinese Navy. This naval rearmament, dubbed the "New Fleet Programme", was started in 1910 under the newly appointed Naval minister, Zaixun, Prince Rui and called for the acquisitions of modern warships from abroad, and the reorganisation of the existing Beiyang, Nanyang, Guangdong and Fujian fleets. Three protected cruisers of the Zhào Hé class were nearly complete and the lead ship of the Yù Zhāng class destroyers had been launched by the time the Emperor abdicated on 12 February 1912.
With the end of the Qing, the new Provisional Government of the Republic of China, soon found itself with the same problem confronting the Qing. The newly reformed Republic of China Navy, was in a decrepit state, with many of her ships in disrepair. It was because of this that the new Navy Minister of the Republic of China, admiral Liu Guanxiong, renegotiated the terms for the ships that were ordered by the previous Qing government. These renegotiations lasted until 1914, with the Zhào Hé and Yīng Ruì eventually being transferred to the Chinese government. The Chinese were unable to renegotiate the financial terms for the American built Fēi Hóng with Bethlehem Steel, the ship was eventually sold to the Kingdom of Greece as the Elli. Construction of the Lóng Tuān continued at Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino (STT) in Trieste while the Jīng Bō was transferred to the Royal Italian Navy in 1912 when half-built for use in the Italo-Turkish War. Jīng Bō was subsequently renamed Ascaro. An order for two enlarged Saga gunboats from Kawasaki in Kobe, was also settled. With the American re-negotiations still being settled, the new Yuan Shikai administration had been concurrently attempting to negotiate a $125 million dollar loan from the six world powers in order to stabilize the fledgling Chinese economy and rearm the military, in particular for the construction of six destroyers from AG Vulcan Stettin in Germany and twelve small destroyers from Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino (STT) in Austria-Hungary. Negotiations with the consortium continued but by 1913 the talks had failed.
Eventually, the Chinese government structured a consolidated loan of £3,200,000 with the Berlin based Arnhold, Karberg & Co., at 6% interest to be paid in four years by 31 March 1913. Several arms producing companies, also represented by Arnhold, Karberg & Co., were part of the consolidated loan, particularly Škoda Works, of Plzeň who provided £500,000. Through Arnhold, Karberg & Co. agents, the Chinese government quickly arranged for two contracts for twelve more Lóng Tuān destroyers from STT for £198,000 and six destroyers from Stettin for £1,200,000 by 10 April 1913. Three months later on June 1913, Admiral Liu and the Navy ministry became increasingly interested in acquiring cruisers with the remains of the loan and on June 1913, specified a request for three cruisers of 4,900 ton, light cruiser, armed with four 203-millimetre (8.0 in) guns.