"Your Majesty, the Dutch did not detour to the New World earlier, but also reached the Southern Continent. Maybe we can look for it first, and then find the best route after we find a suitable colonial location."
Zheng Jiangong also participated in the preparations for exploring the Southern Continent. He is now the Navy Commander, equivalent to the Chief of Staff of the Navy. He is involved in all naval affairs, so he knows that he can reach the Southern Continent through the equatorial windless zone. Because as early as 1605, the Dutch navigator William Janes set out from Java Island, sailed along the southern coast of New Guinea, and finally crossed the Torres Strait, landed in the northern part of the southern continent, and named the southern continent New Netherlands.
Between 1642 and 1644, Captain Abel Jansson Tasman of the Dutch East India Company was ordered to conduct an inspection of the southern continent. However, he did not take the equatorial windless belt to the northern part of the southern continent. Instead, he circled around the Indian Ocean, found the westerly drifting belt, and then headed eastward. Three months after leaving Java, when he changed his course to the north to avoid the cold current, he accidentally discovered Tasmania, and later discovered New Zealand, Tonga, and the Fiji islands. But he did not discover the real southern continent, which is Australia.
Because the islands discovered by Tasman were difficult to reach and seemed to have no special products, the Dutch East India Company did not occupy and develop them.
The Tasman himself is now in Shanghai. He retired from the East India Company in 1653. Later he accepted Zheng Jiangong's invitation and became the deputy director of the Shanghai Naval Academy, a position he has held until now.
Since the East India Company had no interest in Tasmania (then called Van Diemen's Land), New Zealand, Tonga and other places, Tasman did not conceal his discoveries between 1642 and 1644. And he also participated in Ming's southern continent exploration plan.
In the original plan, it was to travel through the Indian Ocean, then find the westerly drifting belt, sail eastward for a period of time and then head north, that is, copying the route Tasman took between 1642 and 1644. However, this plan was rejected by Zhu Cixiang. The reason is simple: this plan must pass through the sea areas and islands firmly controlled by the Dutch.
Unless the Ming Dynasty could capture Java Island and Malacca, it would be impossible to implement it.
After that, Tasman proposed a plan to set off from the Portuguese-controlled Timor Island and sail southward through the equatorial windless zone to find the southern continent. That is to copy William Jane's route.
But this plan was also rejected by Emperor Zhu. Because the sailing speed in the windless zone is too slow, and the ocean currents in this area are westward, the exploration ship must take a route with light winds and countercurrents. Although there are many islands along the way for convenient supplies, the speed is still too slow and it is difficult to pass this route. Arrive at the fertile east coast of Australia.
Even if they arrive by force, it will be difficult for subsequent immigrants to follow. Because this route still passed under the eyes of the Dutch, and also passed through the Spice Islands, which was regarded as a cash cow by the Dutch East India Company... Of course, the main difficulty was that the speed was too slow!
The exploration ship is not afraid of being slow, because there are fewer people on board and more supplies, so it can last for a long time. The same cannot be said for immigrant ships or merchant ships. They have many crews and cargo, but relatively few supplies, and the time they can maintain at sea is also short.
If we need to pack more supplies and bring less people and less goods, then the cost of immigration is too high - Australia is good in the 20th and 21st centuries, but now it is only the 17th century. Where can we invest at all costs for the benefits 300 years from now? Therefore, the cost of colonizing Australia also had to be considered.
And once the Ming Dynasty's exploration ships arrive on the east coast of Australia and start colonizing there, Europeans may also follow suit!
Since Europeans control the Indian Ocean-Westerly Drift Belt route and can transport immigrants to the east coast of Australia at a lower cost, Ming Dynasty's high-cost colonization in Australia is likely to be a wedding dress for others.
Therefore, although Zhu Cixiang had long wanted to acquire Australia, he was not in a hurry to invest. Instead, he was patiently waiting for the opportunity to open up the Pacific Ocean Channel.
Because he knew that only the Pacific route was likely to be controlled by the Ming Dynasty in the next ten or twenty years. Currently, the only one that controls the Pacific routes is Spain, which has declined. It is still possible for the Ming Dynasty to defeat the Spanish navy in the Pacific.
If you want to go through the Indian Ocean and the westerly drifting belt, you have to challenge the powerful Dutch Navy and British Navy. There is no chance of winning!
"Don't follow the path that the Dutch took," Zhu Cixiang once again rejected Zheng Jiangong's suggestion. "The Spanish charts have already marked the eastbound equatorial countercurrent and the westbound south equatorial current, so it should be feasible. We are here After establishing a foothold on the west coast of the New World, let's try to explore. If Captain Jane's discovery in 1606 is true, we will definitely find something. If not, let's look for New Zealand, which Captain Tasman discovered in 1645. Then Since there are many powerful natives on the island, they might be of some value, so we can capture them if possible."
Emperor Zhu smiled again and said to Wei Zaode, who looked melancholy: "Tongzhou Marquis, don't worry, I won't let you stay in the New World for a long time. If you are really afraid, just stay in Uraga Port, Japan, in the name of the Imperial Envoy Contact Japan and be responsible for the supplies for eastward exploration. When the expedition team carried by the Henan has established a firm foothold in the New World, you will follow the second batch of colonial fleets into the New World and establish the American Protectorate. Wait for the American Protectorate After it is completed, your son Zhongcheng will succeed you. In the name of the imperial envoy of the Ming Dynasty, you will visit Europe via New Spain, and finally return east to the Ming Dynasty... This is a round-the-world trip!
If the Marquis of Tongzhou could accomplish such a feat, who would care about where the hundreds of thousands of people's wealth came from? When the time comes, I can reuse you and let you serve as the first assistant again! "
Can he still be the first assistant?
Wei Zaode's eyes lit up when he heard Zhu Cixiang's promise, and he became more energetic just looking at it. He immediately stood up and bowed to Emperor Zhu Da, "Your Majesty is a great kindness, which I will never forget. I will definitely fulfill my mission with this trip!"
"Sit, sit!" Zhu Cixiang waved to him, "With the words of Marquis Tongzhou, I feel relieved... I have always kept my word, and I will definitely let you be the first assistant when the time comes!"
Lu Zhenfei, who replaced Wei Zaode as the first assistant, was too old, sixty-six years old, in bad health, and not as well-behaved as Wei Zaode, so Emperor Zhu felt very uncomfortable and already missed Wei Zaode, the "Sai Zhuge". .
"Your Majesty," Zheng Jiangong was already a little worried when he spoke again, "The Spaniards have always regarded the west coast of the New World as their own forbidden area. If we really set up a Protectorate in the northwest of the New World, I'm afraid it will trigger a war between the two countries. ah!
The Spaniards' current confrontation with us around the Japanese archipelago is ultimately to prevent us from traveling eastward across the Pacific.
If we really reach the New World, then a war will be inevitable! "
"Can you win?" Zhu Cixiang asked.
"This..." Zheng Jiangong said thoughtfully, "I dare not say it on land, but at sea, the advantage is still with Spain! They have many thousand-ton Gallens, and our eight You can’t defeat a hundred-ton warship! Moreover, our naval officers and soldiers are still a little inferior.”
"Can't you win?" Zhu Cixiang frowned.
After getting the Spanish chart sent by Obai, Zhu Cixiang already knew that the Spanish American empire was missing a large piece in the northwest corner. The northern border of New Spain was roughly the dividing line between California and Oregon in what would become the United States. All north of New Spain is now unclaimed land!
It is estimated that the Ming army went up and built castles, ports, and farms, and the King of Spain may not even know about it!
Moreover, after more than ten years of war between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Ming army is now very good at building bastions. Artillery technology has also advanced by leaps and bounds. It also has quite reliable explosive shells. It should be able to defend the base in northwest North America with a small number of troops.
Therefore, Emperor Zhu did not want to delay any longer, but wanted to drive a nail in northwest North America as soon as possible!
Once the nail is driven in, he believes that the Spaniards will not be able to pull it out. If this matter continues to be delayed, I am afraid that the Spaniards will strike first and block the gap in the northwest of America...
