Chapter 659 Stokes’ Dilemma

The drawings and data provided by Charles to Tijani are the "Agile Class" destroyers developed by France nine years later.

The other data are the same, except that the two single-barrel 37MM anti-aircraft guns were changed to 10 20MM machine guns.

Although it started construction in 1925, the two 37MMs used are equipment called "French hand-pull machines", with a maximum firing rate of only 30 rounds per minute and a practical firing rate of less than 15 rounds per minute.

(Note: The "Agility-level" was built shortly after the end of World War I. The French Navy did not have air defense awareness, so it did not pay attention to air defense firepower. The two 37 anti-aircraft guns equipped were only used just in case, and they were better than nothing.)

However, the actual combat rate of fire of the Erlicon 20MM machine cannon can reach 320 rounds per minute.

As we all know, air defense relies on the barrage produced to hit the target, and the rate of fire means a high hit rate.

Therefore, Charles did not hesitate at all and replaced them with Ericon to improve his air defense capabilities.

(The above picture shows the French "Agility-class" destroyer. It started construction in 1925, with a standard platoon of 1,380 tons, a full platoon of 2,000 tons, and a speed of 33 knots)

Nympho

London, England, Stokes walks home as usual after get off work.

It's not Stokes' savings, but he's used to thinking while walking for years, and the prototype of the mortar is what he thought of when he walks on the road.

Now, what he thought about was the task that Charles gave him: shorten the cannon bolts and produce special tank guns.

This is not an easy task, because the blast latch is equipped with a hydraulic stationary and retreating mechanism. To shorten the blast latch almost means optimizing the entire mechanism, except for the barrel.

During this period, Stokes' mind was full of various improvements and optimization solutions, and sometimes even dreamed.

The headache is that the laboratory is located in France, while Stokes and the Machinery Company are in the UK, which makes Stokes need to communicate with telegrams every day.

This takes more than an hour, and there are many problems with misunderstandings due to poor communication and unclear expression.

Just as Stokes was walking, he suddenly felt something was wrong, and someone seemed to be following him.

This idea made Stokes creepy. In this era of war, it would not be a strange thing if someone took out a pistol and pointed it at the back of his head.

To confirm this, Stokes quickly turned into a fork in front, then pretended to be sheltered from the wind and lighted the cigarette and waited in place for a while.

Sure enough, a man wearing a top hat and a black cloak followed quickly. He unexpectedly found that Stokes was suddenly pausing in front of him, and then he pretended to be relaxed and looked around, and then continued to go. Go forward.

Stokes hurriedly changed direction and walked towards his villa, his pace getting faster and faster.

The man followed closely behind him and he stopped until Stokes walked into the villa gate, but he was still wandering outside the door, unwilling to leave for a long time.

After entering the door, Stokes did not rush to take off his hat, but walked to the window and opened a corner. Seeing the man in black constantly peeking into the door, he became more and more sure that he was in danger.

The wife, who was placing knife and fork on the dining table, saw Stokes' actions and asked in confusion: "What happened, Stoke?"

Stokes hesitated, not sure if he should tell his wife about it, and he was worried that he would scare her.

However, if the wife knows nothing, she may be unprepared for the danger that may come.

Thinking of this, Stokes carefully held his wife to the chair and lowered his voice and said, "Don't worry, Lola, there's something I think you should know."

"What?" The wife looked at Stokes with confusion.

She had never seen her husband's expression before, and even if the German airship flew over London, she was not so cautious.

Stokes hesitated for a while before he made up his mind: “We are being followed.”

The wife was stunned and then laughed: "Are you suspicious? It may be just a coincidence..."

"No, no," Stokes explained quickly. "It's true, believe me. And I probably know what's the reason."

"Why?" the wife asked in confusion: "Who did you offend?"

Stokes has a very popular reputation, and this is not the case.

"I might..." Stokes sighed softly, "I may have offended the British government."

The wife was half open and couldn't close her mouth. After a long time, she asked in surprise: "You, what did you say, the British government..."

"Listen to me, Lola." Stokes explained: "I didn't expect this to happen. I'm working with Charles, and I told you, and others know about it. I think the British government knows this too. thing."

"But this..." Then the wife understood: "You mean, is it an invention you cooperated with Charles?"

Stokes nodded.

The wife asked again: "Some important, unknown invention?"

Stokes nodded again.

"About military equipment?"

Stokes admitted helplessly: "Yes, just like you thought."

His wife's face paled in an instant: "You're crazy, Stoke, you're a British man."

"I know." Stokes replied, nervous and helpless:

There is no mistake, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one 619, one book, one, one, one, one, one, one, a book!

"But creativity is Shire's, in principle it was his invention."

"I just helped him achieve it, and I think it's just a business."

"And Britain and France are allies, aren't they? I don't think it will be okay, it's legal..."

The wife interrupted Stokes, with horror in her eyes: "They don't care whether it's legal or not, they definitely don't want France to surpass Britain, at any time."

"You're right, but what can I do now?" Stokes held his head in frustration: "Should I surrender?"

The next second Stokes denied this idea: "No, they don't want to surrender, but what Charles and I are developing. So, they will hope that I can become a spy..."

Stokes shook his head in distress.

He is a businessman, he doesn't want to be involved in such a complicated relationship and live a frightened life.

The wife thought for a while and suggested:

"Why don't you ask Charles?"

"If this is a collaboration between Charles and you, then he should be responsible for this matter."

"Or, you can choose to withdraw from the project."

Stokes' eyes lit up.

Yes, as long as you withdraw from the project, you don't have to worry about anything.

But Stokes hesitated as soon as he stood up.

During the war, the machinery company was in a difficult situation. The rising prices of raw materials such as steel had brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.

The project that was being cooperated with Charles was to produce tank guns.

In the future, all tanks would need tank guns, which could make him rich enough to last for several lifetimes...

If he withdrew, he would get nothing and could only wait for the day of bankruptcy.