Under the witness of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Qin Tian and Grand Admiral Count von Tirpitz affixed their signatures to the transfer documents. This signified that the four 'Nassau-class' battleships under construction at Qin Tian's German shipyard were now officially designated as the navy's next-generation capital ships. Once completed and successfully trialed at sea, these battleships would be formally handed over to the navy.
"Your Highness, the navy will forever remember your contributions," Grand Admiral von Tirpitz solemnly remarked.
To the outside world, Qin Tian appeared to have taken on enormous risks for the sake of the 'Nassau-class' battleships. The acquisition and expansion of the shipyard had required vast sums of capital, and the construction of the four battleships itself represented a significant investment. If, in the end, the navy had refused to accept the vessels, Qin Tian would have faced a loss exceeding three hundred million marks, possibly even more. Given that Germany's annual fiscal revenue was only a billion marks, this was a staggering amount. Hence, Grand Admiral von Tirpitz was deeply moved by Qin Tian's commitment.
"Your Excellency, this is my duty. As a prince of the German Empire, it is my responsibility to contribute to the strength of our nation. While donning a uniform and fighting on the front lines may not be my calling, I can still find my own way to make Germany stronger," Qin Tian replied with a smile.
The formal acceptance of the 'Nassau-class' battleships by the navy was a great relief to him. After all, we are talking about four battleships! From the acquisition of the shipyard to the construction costs of the four 'Nassau-class' ships, a total of 350 million marks had been spent. Now that the navy had accepted these battleships, funds would be allocated accordingly. According to the agreement between Qin Tian and Wilhelm II, the four 'Nassau-class' battleships would offset the debt incurred from acquiring and expanding the Royal Shipyard. Qin Tian simply needed to finance the construction of these ships, and for the investment of just over a hundred million marks, he would gain control of a large shipyard, which was an exceptionally lucrative deal.
Of course, for Qin Tian, an expenditure of over a hundred million marks was hardly a concern. With the expansion of the German Lottery Company's business abroad, particularly its tremendous success in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, profits were steadily increasing. Even though they had faced some resistance in the Kingdom of Italy, the company's overall profitability continued to rise. Currently, the German Lottery Company was generating eight million marks in profit every quarter. This meant that Qin Tian's personal share of the company's profits amounted to fifty million marks per month—a staggering sum by the end of the year. Thus, the funds needed for the construction of the navy's battleships were, in essence, a trivial matter.
Both Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral von Tirpitz laughed. After all, Qin Tian was only 17 years old, not even 18. When he had first made his agreement with Ludwig Borkenhagen, the head of the Kiel Naval Academy, it had seemed like nothing more than a joke to them. Yet now, it was clear that Qin Tian had the means to fulfill his promises. The funds required were, to him, inconsequential.
"Your Highness, the navy has accepted all four 'Nassau-class' battleships. But when will you fulfill your promise to Director Borkenhagen?" asked Grand Admiral von Tirpitz with a smile.
"Your Excellency, I am ready anytime. In fact, I have long prepared for this. I will personally fund the construction of the lead ship of the next class of capital ships. Upon its completion, it will be donated directly to the navy, thus fulfilling my commitment to Director Borkenhagen," Qin Tian responded with a grin.
Where once he might have worried about financing, Qin Tian now exuded confidence. The German Lottery Company had become a cash cow, providing him with a substantial income each month, enough to sustain his other capital-intensive ventures.
"The next class of battleships? Oscar, with the 'Nassau-class' battleships still under construction, do you already have plans for the next generation?" Wilhelm II inquired.
Grand Admiral von Tirpitz also fixed his gaze on Qin Tian. The success of the 'Nassau-class' battleships had proven Qin Tian's design capabilities and his insight into the development of the navy's capital ships. If Qin Tian had ideas for the next generation, and they were sound from a design perspective, they could certainly consider using his plans for the navy's future flagship.
"Yes, Father," Qin Tian nodded.
When not occupied with other matters, Qin Tian devoted his energies to designing weapons and equipment. He had already formulated his vision for the next generation of Germany's capital ships.
"For the navy's next capital ships, I believe we should build upon the design philosophy of the 'Nassau-class' battleships. Compared to the Royal Navy's HMS Dreadnought, our design is more advanced. However, the fact remains that the HMS Dreadnought was commissioned first, and that is an undeniable milestone. We could consider the HMS Dreadnought as a revolutionary battleship, and those battleships with secondary armaments built before it could be classified as 'pre-dreadnoughts.' The Dreadnought and similar vessels under construction by the British, along with our 'Nassau-class' ships, should all be considered 'dreadnoughts,'" Qin Tian explained.
Both Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral von Tirpitz nodded in agreement. There was nothing wrong with Qin Tian's classification. However, they still harbored a sense of resentment that the HMS Dreadnought had entered service before the 'Nassau-class.' If the Naval Technical Committee had not previously rejected Qin Tian's designs, the honor of launching the first modern battleship would have belonged to the German Empire.
"For the next generation of capital ships, I propose the concept of a 'super-dreadnought,'" Qin Tian introduced a new term.
"A 'super-dreadnought'?" Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral von Tirpitz looked puzzled.
"Yes, a 'super-dreadnought.' As the name suggests, it would be a battleship even more powerful than the previous dreadnoughts. Its primary characteristics would be enhanced firepower, superior defenses, and, if possible, greater speed. This would ensure that our next class of capital ships would hold an overwhelming advantage against the Royal Navy. From what I understand, the next generation—and even the generation after that—of British battleships will merely be slight modifications of the HMS Dreadnought," Qin Tian said with a confident smile.