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Chapter 1609 Expedition to the West Indies

"Sir Pennington, it is a great honor to invite you to drink tea this year. I heard that the British Parliament has successively allocated 170 million pounds to your Royal Navy in the past three years to train officers and build ports. You have also ordered several ships from several shipyards. Ten warships, it is estimated that the strength has greatly increased."

Sun Xu, the commander of the Fourth Fleet, brought Zheng Zhibao, Ruan Youjin, Ruan Youyi and other members of the Fourth Fleet to invite the officers of the Royal Fleet to come to his station for tea.

The two fleets are in the same port, and they have joined forces in the Mediterranean. The relationship is not bad. Basically, there will be a gathering every month to get to know the officers of both sides, and occasionally exchange information.

"No amount of ships can compare to one of your ironclad ships. Our shipyard is also researching to cover the hull with iron armor. I don't know if we can produce ironclad ships that satisfy our navy. If you are willing to send one or two Just sell it to us." Sir Pennington looked at the Huo Qubing and General Fubo staying in the port, and always felt that the length of the other ship's ships was too exaggerated, and it was about 100 meters. unreachable length.

The two steam ironclads were the envy of the officers of the Royal Navy, who would have given ten sailing ships for one ironclad.

"I see that there are many new faces in your Admiralty. Has something happened recently?" Sun Xu noticed that the Royal Navy had undergone a major change. Many officers were replaced and many new recruits were added.

"Speaking out about this matter may shame our Royal Navy, but you are allies, and there is no need to hide this matter from you..." Sir Pennington lowered his voice, "Congress believes that our navy is corrupt. When the parliament opposed King Charles, the navy’s position was not firm, so a group of officers were replaced, and a group of officers from the army were transferred to our navy. Many of them have not experienced battles at sea or even lack of sailing experience. It's hard to believe they can lead our Royal Navy to victory."

"So it's like this..." Sun Xu picked up the teacup, feeling relieved.

Charles I once raised 80 pounds for the Admiralty. In this era, 80 pounds was quite a lot of money, but because of bureaucratic corruption, the Royal Navy was not revived.The Royal Navy was also bought by the Parliament with money in the struggle between the king and the Parliament, standing opposite Charles I.

As the younger sister of Charles I, Sophia didn't have a good impression of the former navy, so she also took this opportunity to let many naval officers step down.

"We also noticed that you have assembled 14 warships and 20 transport ships. With such a huge fleet, do you plan to go on an expedition? What is your purpose?" Sun Xu asked another sensitive topic.

"It's really helpless. Our two fleets are in the same port, and you can't hide any troubles from your eyes. We are indeed going out for a trip, but I can assure you that our private actions this time have nothing to do with you." Sir Pennington did not specify the destination of their Royal Navy expedition, for fear of leaking the expedition.

"I can understand your difficulties. Now that the Royal Navy has been brought under the control of the Queen and the Congress, your salaries will be blocked by the Queen and the Congress." Sun Xu didn't ask much.

"The navy has almost become a profession. Fortunately, England is an island country, and there is never a shortage of sailors." Sir Pennington said with a wry smile.

"The proportion of sailors here is really astonishing. Many people make their living from the sea. If they left the sea, there might be unemployed homeless people everywhere." Sun Xu said.

There are more than 10000 sailors in Portsmouth alone, serving the Royal Navy or sea merchants, earning meager salaries.

"Sailoring is a dangerous and low-return profession. Only privateers can get rich overnight. Many people come to become sailors because they can't survive. There are not many people who can really get rich. Many sailors have heard that Pirates of the Caribbean can obtain unimaginable treasures by robbing Spanish treasure ships, but the Spaniards naturally guard their treasure ships strictly, and there are very few sailors who can snatch the treasure ships." Pennington Sir said.

After the Royal Navy's blood change, Army officers such as George Monk, Blake, and William Penn came to Portsmouth to take over as naval officers. Prince Rupert, who was famous in the English Civil War, also came this time.

Prince Rupert, who is only 24 years old, is the most popular figure in England other than Queen Sophia, one of the main commanders of the King's Army, and half of the Stuart royal family.

For this expedition, Prince Rupert was appointed as the deputy commander of the expedition, and Sir Pennington was the commander of the naval fleet. A force of 14 warships and 20 transport ships secretly crossed the English Channel to expedition to the West Indies and rob Spain in the West. Colony of the Indies.

They concealed the Spanish Armada and made a great surprise attack.

The whole of Europe did not expect that Queen Sophia, who had been back in England for three years, would become a blockbuster without making a sound, and would choose to snatch Spain's colony in the West Indies at this time.

"My lord, what do you think is the destination of England's Royal Navy leaving port and sailing south this time?" Ruan Youyi asked Sun Xu after the England Royal Navy left.

"They have 14 warships, but they need 20 transport ships as supplies, which shows that they may not get supplies along the way. It must be a long-distance battle. The east has been occupied or affected by us, so it is impossible to go to India or the east. India. This fleet is either going to the Americas or Africa. It is more likely to go to the Americas or the West Indies." Sun Xu deduced.

"Queen Sophia was indeed influenced by our military leader. She has only been in power for three years, and the number of ships in the Royal Navy has just reached 50, and she can't wait to start colonial expansion. If the East is our colonial field, then the West is Queen's Colony."

"However, the competition in the West is too great. Several kingdoms are expanding outwards. In the final analysis, the land and population of Western countries are too small, and all kingdoms are looking for a way out."

The officers of the Fourth Fleet deduced that Queen Sophia ordered the Royal Navy to expand outwards, and they did not respond much to England's expansion.

Speaking of colonies, the area of ​​colonies they control is far larger than that of European countries, North America, India, Oceania, Cape Town...

"I'm just afraid that if England robs the colonies of other kingdoms, we will also be involved in the war."

(End of this chapter)