Nanming: I can build wonders

Chapter 701 The Eight-Nation Allied Forces Want to Touch Daming (Please Subscribe!)

On December [-]th of the tenth year of Shenwu, the Indian Ocean was calm and calm, and it was a good day to go to sea.

The two second-class battleships of the seventeenth century, the Ceylon of the Netherlands and the Madras of the United Kingdom, proudly set out to sea.

Their two second-tier battleships are actually hydrated.

Generally, it carries more than 80-100 artillery pieces, and gradually increases to more than 140 pieces in the later period.Those carrying more than 80 artillery pieces are first- and second-level battleships, usually with three decks, and all three floors have artillery. According to the weight of projectiles, the bottom layer is heavy artillery, the middle layer is medium-sized guns, and the upper layer is light guns.

The tonnage of the third-tier battleship is smaller, generally has two decks, and usually carries 74 artillery pieces, and there are also 64 artillery pieces. They are not suitable for high-intensity naval battles.

Ceylon and Madras have only two decks!

Because it carried [-] artillery pieces, it was barely classified as a second-class battleship.

But for the Eight-Nation Allied Forces, they think it is enough, because the three-deck sailing battleship, Europa in this era is enough to be called the treasure of the town!

In the small Indian Ocean, there are two second-tier battleships. It is not easy to win Ceylon Island!

At the same time, there are more than forty third- and fourth-tier warships.

In order to give the Eight-Power Allied Forces fleet a greater numerical advantage, the Dutch East India Company also summoned nearby galleys, and there are about a hundred ships!
In this way, a huge fleet of more than one hundred forty or thirty ships was formed.

This fleet mainly came from Holland, England, Portugal, France and Spain.

Europa's navy relies on these five countries to maintain its presence in Asia.

This bloated and huge fleet formed several single columns, slowly heading south along the coastline of South Tianzhu, heading for Ceylon Island.

Their formation is very interesting, with the big ships in the center, and the galleys guarding the big ships around.

Each large ship is escorted by a galley with a displacement of two to three hundred tons.

This time they also came prepared. The Eight-Power Allied Forces were supported by sugar gunpowder shells from the Qing and Mongol Empire, as well as a small amount of rockets, which doubled their confidence.

Such a huge fleet can be called "invincible" even if it is placed on the sea near Europe, let alone in the Indian Ocean.
The soldiers who went up to Canfezis, the governor of the Dutch East India Company, and went down to the battleship, more or less began to feel flustered.

Ernst Lewis, the boss of the Ceylon Island Merchant House who had seen the Ming Navy, was a little panicked.

Holding a telescope in his hand to observe his fleet, he discovered a serious problem.

On the decks of those large warships, there were quite a few groups of sailors lying on the side railings, blowing the gentle sea breeze.

Looking at the scenery on the sea, everyone's expressions were extremely relaxed, as if they were not here to fight at sea, but to travel.

In this battle, it really fought against the Ming Navy, which had thirty three-deck warships, and it was over.

Ernst Lewis's face was full of worry.

But it is not easy for him to remind the morale of the coalition forces.

Bentinck, commander of the Eight-Power Allied Forces, and Thomas, the governor of the British East India Company who had been taken hostage, also had a bad look on his face.

For Thomas, he is well aware of the strength of the Ming Navy, and he believes that the fleet of the Eight-Nation Allied Forces is purely dying!

He is not willing to come!
However, Bentinck was afraid that he would cause trouble in the rear or escape, so he just took him with him.

"Mr. Bentinck, seeing your complexion is so bad, you know you can't beat Daming, right? Why bother!"

"Governor Thomas, let me reiterate that the Eight-Power Allied Forces came here with friendship, not to start a war with Ming!"

The purpose of Bentinck's trip is very simple. One is to cruise around the island of Ceylon, find the defense vacancy of the Ming army, and transport the army to occupy a piece of territory.

The second is that after settling on Ceylon Island, they quickly put on a posture of fighting at all costs and headed to the Strait of Malacca.

If the Dutch ship can successfully pass through the Strait of Malacca, then Ming's sanctions will be self-defeating.

Thomas felt that there was something wrong with his plan, and that Ceylon alone would not be able to pass.

The Ming Navy on Ceylon would never give them a chance to go ashore.

Unless you let them ashore on purpose, and then take the opportunity to open fire.

If he really opened fire, wouldn't he be accidentally injured!

Thomas sighed silently. At this moment, the alarm bell on the battleship Madras was suddenly rang!
Dangdang Dangdang!
Then the sailor in charge of the lookout shouted loudly: "I found the Ming fleet, south of Delft Island, there are more than [-] ships, and the distance is more than [-] yards!"

What should come is still here, and Bentinck immediately became nervous, "What's going on, I encountered the Ming fleet so soon!"

His plan was to bypass the island of Delft between the mainland of South India and Ceylon, and land at Mussari.

No, according to the progress of the Ming people, they are estimated to be still occupying Ceylon Island and setting up a naval base.

It turned out, of course, that the ghost next to him, Thomas, leaked the news.

The first thought of Bentinck, who was born as an army general, was to be reckless!

He asked, "Governors, how about we rush over there? There are many warships in the coalition forces, they are not afraid of Ming people, and the wind is good!"

"No, I can't. The wind is too weak, and the speed can't be increased at all. It's not suitable for charging."

Although the Dutchman Canfezis is full of self-confidence, the profiteers in the Netherlands these days understand naval warfare, so he immediately pointed out the thoughts of the army general Bentinck.

"Mr. Bentinck, you forgot that if we take the initiative to open fire, it will definitely lead to an all-out war!"

After quickly calming down, Bentinck decisively gave up Ceylon!
Because if you want Ceylon, it will definitely lead to war.

"Governor Kanfezis, you have seen it now, if the Eight-Power Allied Forces landed on Ceylon Island, they must have narrowly escaped death!"

"According to the philosophy of the Ming people, Ceylon Island is already their territory. If we go ashore blatantly, they will definitely stop us!"

"Instead of this, it is better to abandon Ceylon Island and sail to the Strait of Malacca at full speed while not being intercepted, at least to achieve the strategic goal of breaking through the sanctions!"

Bentinck gave up Ceylon very decisively, and Kanfezis had to agree.

This fleet has a large number of ships of the Dutch East India Company. If they can sail through Malacca, then the sanctions prohibiting the ships of the Dutch East India Company from passing through the Strait of Malacca will naturally be broken.

Bentinck wanted to run to Malacca, so all the staff quickly changed the route.

And the Ming Fleet was under the command of Liu Guoxuan, and he had no intention of firing on Ceylon Island at all.

Since the Eight-Power Allied Forces intends to go to Malacca, he will follow all the way behind and wait until Malacca to start.

This makes sense!

Moreover, there will be a large number of reinforcements in Malacca.

As long as their ships with the Dutch flag dare to step into the Strait of Malacca, he will decisively fire!
Five days later, Bentinck also found out that the Ming fleet had been following them, and was a little worried.

"Let's go to Little Nicobar Island to anchor first, and then send people to negotiate with the Ming fleet."

(End of this chapter)