Xinshun 1730

Chapter 555 The intersection of fate on the eve of World War I ([-])

This kind of worry is very reasonable, and there is enough "history" to draw lessons from.

In addition to the similar experience of the conquerors William and Zheng Chenggong, and Yelu Dashi, who traveled to Central Asia and left the name of Khitan and Peach Blossom Stone in Europe, and established a country from afar, the Dutch also had a special experience of their own.

Just like in the story, Cao Cao, who is best at breaking people’s food routes, will definitely protect his own food routes. The Dutch’s experience in naval battles, where bayonets are popular and surprise raids on military ports, also makes Valkenier have to consider Liu Yu leading the fleet. Possibility of directly raiding battleships in Batavia harbor.

Southeast Asia is the lifeblood of the Dutch East India Company. Once this happens, the company will definitely deploy its fleet to come.

However, it takes two years to go back and forth. If Liu Yu is really ambitious enough to occupy the entire Java and pull out an army of tens of thousands of people, enough to fight against the Russian elite, this has already been confirmed by several people. Proved by the history of years ago. .

In his view, Liu Yu is also fully capable of unifying those Chinese rebels.

For this reason, Valkner had to prudently request the company's warships in Southeast Asia to assemble as soon as possible.

Once Liu Yu's fleet arrives, the fleet can't be lazy and hide in the port to rest, but must float on the sea, ready to fight at any time.

One wave has not settled, another wave has risen.

While Valknir was preparing for this matter, a piece of news came from the port that surprised Valknir.

A group of Chinese expedition ships have just returned from the far southern hemisphere, arrived in Batavia and asked to berth.

The adjutant of the fleet also gave a reason for berthing that the local navy named Batavia could not refuse.

It is a document with the official seal of Dashun, very formal.

There is such a passage written on it in Latin, French, Russian, Flemish, and English.

"In order to explore the unknown of the world we live in, in view of the fact that the transit of Venus in a few decades is the best time to measure the distance between the sun and the earth, if you miss it, you will have to wait for another hundred years."

"Therefore, the emperor of the Chinese Empire ordered the fleet to sail to find a suitable observation location in the southern hemisphere."

"It is convenient to berth along the way. If the ship lacks gold and silver, it can be stamped and go to Weihai to collect the supply fee. The interest will be compensated in two years."

"Anyone who attacks this ship is deemed to be at war with Dashun."

"If there are pirates, you can use this token to collect the ransom and let the fleet go."

Holding this document, Valkner wondered if this was Liu Yu's trick, and whether those ships were here to raid Batavia?
However, the person who delivered the letter from the port said it was credible.

"Mr. Governor, in fact, we recognize the commander of this fleet. He is not Chinese. He also studied at the Naval Academy in Amsterdam back then. He is an excellent graduate of the Naval Academy in Amsterdam. He is my alumni and senior."

"I think you should have heard of his name. Danish, Bering. He was recruited directly from Amsterdam by Peter the Great. He was one of the best graduates of the Amsterdam Naval Academy that year. War with Sweden."

"I communicated with him, and it is true that he came back from the southern hemisphere. In fact, he set off from Weihai. He actually surveyed the northern sea route to find out whether Asia and America are connected. Then he entered the southern hemisphere along the ocean current and stuck to the west coast of America. .”

"The Chinese, especially their emperors, are very concerned about astronomy. It seems that this involves the legitimacy of their monarchy. Those Catholic missionaries relied on this to gain the emperor's trust and hindered our cooperation with China's direct trade."

Hearing this, Valkenir couldn't help but smiled wryly, "Is that the 'trophy' captured in the Shun-Russian War?"

"Yes."

"So, China's navy was built with the help of a graduate of the Amsterdam Naval Academy? Now, this navy has the ability to threaten the interests of the Netherlands?"

The official who reported the report nodded helplessly and said: "Yes. In retrospect, the Chinese navy was built on the basis of our Amsterdam Naval Academy graduates in 1702."

This statement cannot be said to be wrong. The navy is a technical arm, and once a system is formed, it can form inertia.

But building from scratch is more troublesome.

And Bering happened to be a person who perfectly met this requirement.

In 20 years, the Russian fleet has grown from sampans to three-masted warships. Bering participated in the entire process of the Russian Navy from scratch, and also served as the first batch of captains of the Russian Navy.

It was this kind of experience from scratch that allowed Weihai to build the skeleton of the navy, and then to form an alliance with the French and receive French technicians.

Even the current French Minister of the Navy may not be able to skillfully build a navy from scratch. After all, he is a system man under a complete system, not a builder who created a system.

Valkneer thought about this strange fate, but he didn't know that in Liu Yu's eyes, the biggest gain in the war of going north to resist Russia was not the three thousand miles of land, but the capture of the most elite Russian expedition team.

For the three thousand miles of land in the north, Dashun has a time advantage, sooner or later; but the captured expedition team is the spoils that determine Dashun's future fate.

Northern Dashun has a time advantage, while Nanyang Dashun can only seize the day, and the advantage lies with the Dutch and the British.

The Amsterdam graduates 40 years ago have caused the Batavian governor, appointed by the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce, to worry.

This fate-like fate made Valknir somewhat helpless.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Then let these people go ashore. Of course you know what kind of thugs sailors are on the ocean. Today's Batavia's brothels, taverns and casinos will make a lot of money. .However, try not to conflict with these villains. If they make trouble, tell our soldiers not to deal with it privately. Communicate directly with the captain's mate and bosun on the Chinese side."

"Also, tell those crew members who fought with the Dashun sailors at Tianjin Port last time to be patient and not to find fault with them. It's not the same group of people, and this is not the time to fight."

Valknier has become convinced that these people should indeed just go to the southern hemisphere to find islands in preparation for the transit of Venus many years from now.

As Governor of Batavia, he knew only too well what it would be like for hungry sailors on shore in the vast sea.

I am really worried that these drunk sailors will fight and cause some violent conflicts.At that time, Liu Yu might find some excuses to find fault.

And a few days ago, the group of sailors who were beaten by Liu Yu and the sailors in Tianjin also returned to Batavia. Valkenier was really worried that these Dutch sailors would fight with these Chinese sailors out of revenge.

Even if these people don't retaliate, the drunk sailors who make trouble in the brothel will appear as soon as a ship docks.

The sailors are a bunch of desperadoes, and it is quite normal for them to froze, to use knives and guns, or even take out grenades or deck-sweeping hand cannons directly from their trouser pockets.

Once a bloody conflict breaks out, these sailors are nothing to worry about, and there will not be much firepower on the expedition ship.I'm afraid that it will be troublesome if someone with a heart takes the opportunity to make trouble.

Now Valkner is really terrified of Liu Yu's visit. He is so afraid that even if there is a drunken fight between Chinese and Dutch sailors, he will not dare to judge. He can only wait for Liu Yu to negotiate after Liu Yu's arrival, so as not to be caught. casus belli.

Soon, the Dutch sailors who were on vacation in Batavia were summoned and read out the governor's order, prohibiting conflicts with the sailors of the Chinese expedition ships that were docked.

For this reason, we temporarily assign additional tasks today to clean the deck, and do not go to taverns, brothels and other murder-prone places.

On the several Dashun expedition ships docked at the port, the sailors were happily receiving their salaries, and some Weihai sailors couldn't wait.

This is the rule at sea at this time. Once the ship docks at a more reliable port, the salary of the sailors will be settled immediately for the sailors to squander.

These sailors were also crazy. They set sail from Weihai and took the northern route to North America, then followed the ocean current from North America to South America, crossed the Pacific Ocean, and made a big circle in the southern hemisphere.

Along the way, there is not no chance to vent. There are also natives on many islands. Sometimes they can take pictures for free, and sometimes they only need some simple goods to have fun.

But although it doesn't matter if you have been holding back on the ship for a long time, even if the sailors are more handsome, but in the end, when you get to Batavia, there are people who suit your aesthetics.

The sailors didn't know what kind of feat they had accomplished, nor did they know how plump the aquatic plants on the island named "New Kuwu" by the captain and surveyors had been in conflict with the local aborigines in the southern hemisphere.

Maybe you know it too, but it doesn't matter.

They only care about three things now.

Batavia's tavern, do you have good cachaça?
Will brothels in Batavia raise prices today?
Batavia's casino, dare to open?
Someone planned it long ago. When they arrived in Batavia, they would go straight to the casino. If they won, they would take the money.

Although it is said that the strong dragon does not overwhelm the local snake, but considering that there are thousands of brothers and dozens of warships in Weihai, these sailors who think about winning and leaving, and losing and making trouble don't care.

Not all sailors are moral scumbags, but sailors who are not mentally ill or moral scumbags must be rare in the life of sailors in this era.

The sailors in Dashun are not made of special materials, and of course they are no exception. Anyone who lives in a small cabin for a year or two will suffer from mental illness of varying severity.

But in this era, if you want to become an empire on which the sun never sets, you have to rely on the shoulders of these scumbags and villains.A child from a good man's family, whoever has three mu of land, will be a sailor.

The jingling silver coins were distributed to the sailors. These sailors who accompanied the officers in the "New Kuwu" to survey and map the coastline for several months, and then sailed westward to confirm that the southern mainland did not exist, seemed to fly before and after receiving them. disembarked.

Listening to the familiar Chinese voices in the Batavia neighborhood, the local dialect is also mixed with shouts of Fujian and Cantonese mandarins to solicit business. Instead of kissing the land, there was a howling sound like a wolf, as well as the distinctive scolding sound in the Jiaoliao area.

Finally... Finally, there is a place where I can spend the money I bought with my life!
The torturous nautical expedition is finally over.In their eyes after crossing the Pacific Ocean, the distance from Batavia to Weihai is as close as the bow of a pooping ship to the mast.

On the ship, the 60-year-old Bering was sorting out the charts with the officers and deputies in Weihai, carefully subpackaged the charts in several large boxes, and sent people to Batavia to buy asphalt to seal and store the charts. illustration of wooden boxes.

In this era, voyages around the world have no historical significance. The last remaining blank about voyages around the world is the voyages of warship fleets around the world.

Obviously, Dashun does not have the ability to paint this blank space with its own blue color.And they didn't know that the British fleet and captain who made this history were already approaching Guangdong at this time.

Even crossing the Pacific this time is not the first time in Asia.Japan was already done during the Apocalypse.

However, this voyage, in Bering’s view, can be regarded as a perfect end to his exploration career, and it can also be regarded as a new beginning for those young Dashun naval officers who completed this expedition. chapter.

(End of this chapter)