The mid-19th century was the era when telegraph lines began to expand rapidly around the world. However, it took half a century for humans to invent telegraph technology and achieve true global communication.
In real history, the success of telegraph technology in the laboratory was completed by American scientist Morse in 1837. Later, in 1843, Morse built a 64-kilometer-long practical telegraph line with the financial support of the U.S. Congress. Telegraph line, from then on the popularization stage of telegraph technology started.
But at that time, telegraph lines could only expand on land with difficulty. The deep ocean was an insurmountable gap for telegraph lines. It was not until 1850 that mankind's first undersea telegraph line was laid between Britain and France, ushering in the era of information conquest of the ocean. Subsequently, in 1866, the successful laying of the transatlantic telegraph line between Britain and the United States marked that human communication technology could conquer the deep blue. .
The successful laying of the Pacific Ocean Submarine Cable will mean the official completion of the global submarine cable network, which will not happen until 1903.
Don't underestimate the promotion of telegraph technology. Xiao Letian was unusually sensitive to telegraph technology because he knew that the more than sixty years from 1837 to 1903 was actually the last flash in the pan of espionage in the Middle Ages.
Due to the backwardness of information transmission, it is difficult to form a unified banner for global conquests. Whether it is Britain or France, once the global conquest armies are dispatched, everything can only be left to God to decide.
Not to mention the direct command of the army in the country, even the specific position of the army now depends on guesswork, just like the British and French expeditionary forces in the two Opium Wars. From the beginning to the end, there was strong opposition within the British Parliament, and even if it won, Now, the country cannot directly intervene in negotiations. Many treaties are negotiated by ministers and military generals from various countries. Everything is primitive and crude.
It is precisely because the Global Telegraph Network is in its early stages of construction that it gives Xiao Letian a very good entry point. He can invest in the Global Telegraph Network in advance. Not only can he share in the profits that will be made in the future, but he can also benefit from intelligence warfare. Gain the commanding heights belonging to the Chinese.
A very simple example is that telegraph communications between Vladivostok and Moscow must now go through the area controlled by Xiao Letian. The Russians send intelligence from North Korea to Beijing, and then Beijing sends it to Hong Kong and relays it to the telegraph network in Southeast Asia. within, then entering the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and then the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
This created the best opportunity for the Ryukyu CIA to intercept. All Russian actions in the Far East were completely transparent to Ryukyu.
In fact, this is the case in Russia. The embassies of the United Kingdom, France, and the United States in Beijing are actually under the surveillance of the Ryukyu CIA. However, the message encryption technology of Britain and the United States and other countries is obviously better than that of the Russians. So far, Ryukyu has only cracked less than 30 %.
For Xiao Letian, the period before the Global Telegraph Network was built was actually the last chance for weak countries to rise against the trend. Once the Europeans took the lead in entering the era of global intelligence sharing, all the resources of the entire colonial world could be mobilized. Woke up.
What important information happens in Beijing can be seen by the Prime Minister in London in an hour or two. If a military conflict breaks out between Russia and Ryukyu, the whole world can learn about it in less than three hours.
All intelligence agents in the world share a large network, and no country's military operations can escape the eyes of the great powers. For Xiao Letian, this means that the era of strategic leakage is completely over.
By that era, it was no longer possible to carry out military adventures with small investments and large returns by relying on four ounces of effort. By the 20th century, mankind had gradually entered a period of pure industrial strength. There were not so many legends in war, and some were just drained. The struggle for hegemony at the last vestige of national power.
The United States in later generations rose up in that era.
It is precisely because Xiao Letian is familiar with the profound impact of the information technology revolution on human society that he will seize every available opportunity to benefit himself. The intelligence he sent to South America today is in response to the current global situation. an important judgment.
Xiao Letian's top-secret information was released from Ryukyu and transferred to Hong Kong through the Qing Dynasty's overland telegraph lines. Finally, it arrived in the United Kingdom through South Asia, India, and the Middle East. From the United Kingdom, it went straight through North America and then southward through Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Peru. Finally arrived in Chile.
It takes a full week for such a telegram to be issued and received, which is extremely precious to Tang Lei, Tietoutuo and others.
When Xiao Letian issued this telegram, he did not know that the victory of Iquique and that the Zhiyuan had joined the war. In the telegram, Xiao Letian issued a total of three instructions.
First, the Taiping Army should try to expand the scale of the war in South America as much as possible. Don't just get an Iquique and then fantasize about putting the swords and guns in the warehouse and letting the horses go to the south. The intensity of the war must continue to escalate. It is best to capture the capitals of Bolivia and Peru. If possible, some conflicts can be created against British and French businessmen, with the purpose of distracting the attention of some Europeans.
Tang Lei and Tietoutuo looked at each other, nodded, and then tore off the first part of the message, chewed half of it and ate it.
The two lowered their voices and said, "It seems that the Prime Minister is under a lot of pressure? We cannot let Britain and France devote all their attention to Ryukyu. We should help the Prime Minister share part of it..."
Looking at the second article, the South American CIA branch must be prepared to respond to the battleship Zhiyuan. Xiao Letian did not know that the Zhiyuan had illegally participated in the war. He thought that the Zhiyuan was still sailing silently in the ocean. In his message, he told Tang Lei and Tietutuo decrypted the Zhiyuan's return route map and asked them to prepare for the response.
The two shook their heads with a wry smile, and each of them shared half of the second piece of information. "Prime Minister! Do you know that Xiang Ying looks like a scholar on the surface, but he is just like Mr. Long, he is bold, cruel, and ruthless? You guys have singled out the entire Peruvian Navy. It’s too late for you to give the order..."
Looking at the third article, Xiao Letian asked the South American Intelligence Branch to mobilize resources to invest in Tahiti, especially to increase the construction of infrastructure such as docks, and organize an expedition team to explore the South Pacific to discover as many islands as possible and erect monuments as Remember, first legally seize a group of islands.
If conditions permit, a group of people can be left permanently on some habitable islands. The ultimate goal is to form an island chain in the South Pacific. However, it must be demilitarized in the early stage to avoid irritating the British.
The third part of the telegram was also swallowed, and the two of them imprinted every word of the Prime Minister's order in their hearts. "Looks like we have to get busy again. It's so refreshing to follow the Prime Minister. There are always new surprises waiting." we!"
