Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 1240 Penghu
Although Kinmen is located between Anping and Xiamen, it is also 12 nautical miles away from Anping. If you use a sailboat to maneuver, the sea voyage time is too long, and it is also affected by the hydrological conditions in the harbor.It is difficult to achieve the effect of sudden attack.Motor transport boats with an average speed of 8 knots obviously have a great advantage in this regard.

"The voyage time is really too long. If the enemy responds in time, they can rescue them from land." Ming Qiu clearly expressed his concern when studying the battle plan. Although he had no experience in amphibious operations, he knew that Class battles are generally quick and quick.But a fleet dominated by sailing ships obviously cannot do this.In addition, Kinmen and Xiamen are both large islands. It takes a considerable amount of time to launch an attack and search on the island. According to the combat plan, it is necessary to systematically destroy the local area and take away the population. It may take three or four days before and after. In order to complete the battle determination.

If the center of the Zheng family hadn't been defeated and lost its response immediately, then Zheng Zhilong might have sent reinforcements from Jinjiang and other places the next day.Zheng Zhilong's army is a private army, not as exhausted as the officers and soldiers. They only walk a dozen miles a day, and it is likely to arrive in Anping in about half a day to counterattack.

According to the records of Zheng Zhilong's use of troops on land many times in historical data, the Intelligence Bureau and the Great Library believe that during this period his army mobile force was around 2000 people.Coupled with the left-behind troops who can be mobilized, as many as 3000 people can be sent to Anping.

"We don't need to worry about Zheng Zhilong's reaction speed." Dongmen Chuiyu was full of confidence, "The Zheng family's army, whether it was the Zheng Zhilong era or the Guoxing Ye era, performed poorly against opponents with a little fighting power. Combat ability or will to fight is a problem. According to war chess exercises, sending out an infantry company equipped with machine guns and light artillery can defeat the reinforcements.” He cited an example, the Qing army Ma Degong attacked Xiamen, and dozens of Qing army scouts The landing caused the defense of Xiamen's entire island to collapse.Ma Degong easily captured Xiamen, the core base of the Zheng family, with the support of the young navy and the overall strength of the army.

"So the fighting power of Zheng Zhilong's subordinates is so unbearable?"

"The Intelligence Bureau's view is that even by the standards of the 17th century, Zheng Zhilong's army—whether it is the navy or the army—is not a strong force." Dongmen Chuiyu said with confidence, "Based on the scale of the troops we mobilized, Enough to complete all campaign missions."

From this time on, Zuoying's base has been raised to the highest alert level, and all vacations and outings have been cancelled.

At 9 o'clock in the morning on September 27, Ming Qiu received a telegram from the Lingao Admiralty: "Start action." Ming Qiu summoned all the captains of the First Fleet at the base and ordered: "The Senate has decided to fight Zheng Zhilong. Our fleet will immediately go to Kinmen to attack Zheng Zhilong's fleet, and cover the landing of the army troops in the Jinxia area." After speaking, he issued orders and tasks to the commanders and captains of the squadrons.

The main force of the First Fleet is 1 cruiser Lichun and 4 hybrid first-class gunboats, and there are five squadrons of sailing spy boats.The total tonnage of the battleship exceeds 8000 tons, and it carries 200 artillery pieces of various calibers.Hybrid battleships are all equipped with rifled guns.Although the ratio is not high, the range and power are beyond the reach of smoothbore guns on spy boats.

Due to the limited combat distance, the accompanying ships did not carry coal carriers.The army, navy, logistics unit and supplies are transported by 35 large miscellaneous transport ships of the Second Transport Fleet - the H800 is not suitable for use in ports that have not undergone port construction due to their relatively large draft.

Another four squadrons of patrol boats cooperated in the operation and performed miscellaneous work.

During the voyage, every warship in the fleet is carrying out targeted training, especially the squadron leader and the captains of each ship, are taking the time to familiarize themselves with the hydrological data of Xiamen Bay and Weitou Bay just before departure, as well as Zhengzhou Bay. Home defense information.

That night, the fleet arrived in Penghu, and the sea was calm during the voyage. All fishing boats encountered on the way were detained and escorted to Penghu.

The fleet anchored in Penghu, and the staff of the Joint Logistics Department established a temporary base on Magong Island to open a material storage yard and an ambulance station.Army personnel went ashore for a short rest.

Although the navy did not issue an order to rest and reorganize, the number of people on duty per shift was reduced by half, and all personnel took turns to rest to accumulate energy for the attack two days later.

Li Huamei was standing on the deck of Lichun—the sun had already set.The First Fleet implemented a blackout, with all but a few necessary signal lights extinguished.The campsite on the shore was also dimly lit.

However, these days are during the full moon, even if there is no light, you can still see the ships anchored in the archipelago and the tents on Magong Island under the moonlight.

Although there were many people and boats, there was no noise everywhere, the boats berthed one by one, and no one walked around on the island or on the deck.A chilling order.The signal lights on the boat and in the camp flickered on and off in sequence, conveying messages that she still couldn't understand.You can faintly hear the voice of the password sent by the sea breeze.All this made Li Huamei, who participated in the large-scale operation of the Australians for the first time, secretly awed - she and the young lady, the Ming court, and Chinese and foreign maritime merchants all seemed too small and insignificant in the face of such power.

She is on duty.Because Hangzhou was being refitted, she did not participate in this operation, but as a member of the trainee officer, she boarded the cruiser Lichun——by right and wrong, she achieved the primary task assigned to her by the lady.

This is the first time in years that she has served on a ship as a crew member rather than captain.According to her expertise, Li Huamei was assigned to be an intern in the Sail and Cable Department.

Boarding this black "giant ship", Li Huamei was extremely excited - the same feeling as when boarding the holy ship, and even more excited.You must know that the holy ship does not move, and it is too far from her cognitive level.Unlike Lichun, although there are many inconceivable things, they are within the scope of her understanding.When she was sailing, she had seen large European ships of similar size - some were even larger than Lichun.The three huge masts, the cloud-like sails and the intricate sail cables were once her capital for laughing at the "Senate Navy".

This time she was assigned to the sail and cable department, and she wanted to show off her skills in front of a group of people.Not to mention the veterans, even though most of the naval officers and soldiers they recruited were from seafaring families, they were also laymen in climbing masts and sailing.However, she was soon disappointed. The sails of the Lichun ship were all retracted in a way she could not understand: the sailor in charge pulled an operating lever under the mast, and the sail cable winch next to it would whine. It can be rotated by itself, and the sail can be raised or lowered, and it can be operated in an instant.Compared with her sailors queuing up and shouting chant to pull the rope and turn the winch every time she raised and lowered the sails on the Hangzhou, it is heaven and earth: if there is a competition, the sailors on the Hangzhou have not assembled yet, and the work of raising and lowering the sails here will be exhausted. It's done.

Such a mysterious "automatic" can be seen in many places on the Lichun: retracting and releasing iron anchors, rotating cannons... As long as it is a labor-intensive thing on board, you can move a certain pole or turn the wheel, and then the object will be released. It will mysteriously move by itself.Li Huamei knew roughly that this was a mysterious power of water and fire, just like the steamer carts and big iron cranes that Australians drove on the shore—the huge black chimney in the middle of the three masts, spewing out thick smoke and white steam It is the embodiment of this power.

She has a strong interest in this "power of water and fire", but it is the engine department that manipulates the power of water and fire, and has nothing to do with her.The rigging department was always working on the deck, and the engine department never saw these black-and-black people except when she went back to the cabin to rest.

"It would be great if I could get into the engineering department sometime." Li Huamei thought to herself.She realized how ridiculous it was that she wanted to get an Australian "fast ship". She and the Chinese and foreign sailors under her hand alone could not serve such a big black ship.

If you want to get this kind of ship, you need the help of the Australians to train all the sailors-it's simply wishful thinking to rely on the strength of yourself and the lady.

She sighed, now even if she got an Australian fast boat with pure sails—such as the Haitian, she would be very satisfied.Don't know what will happen to your Hangzhou after refitting?

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but think of Miss, her sister and herself——and Elder Qi Yuan.She felt that she had been involuntarily, driven by some force, and came here step by step.

Now, standing on the deck of the Australian "black ship", she put on their uniform, but she was still half-hearted.What about your own home?She felt that it was unlucky to think like this, but she couldn't help thinking about it.

Li Huamei stood alone in the dark for a long time until a replacement arrived.She finished her shift and went back to her cabin below deck.

As a trainee reserve officer, she was not entitled to the officer's quarters and slept in the noncommissioned officer's steerage: all berths.

Sleeping in the steerage with a group of big men made Li Huamei very uncomfortable. Although everyone knew that she was a famous pirate and no one dared to call her attention, just watching these men undress and sleep every day made her feel uncomfortable. She felt ill all over.The men also said that it was too exciting and embarrassing.In the end, the ship department temporarily separated a room in the corner of the steerage with wooden boards.

Li Huamei returned to her "single room", took off her coat and climbed onto the bunk.There was already a loud snoring in the steerage outside.She was still a little uncomfortable in such an environment, so she had to close her eyes to rest.In another day, the fleet will set sail for Anping.

(End of this chapter)