His Majesty William, the Emperor of the Indian Empire, the King of the United Kingdom, and the King of Hanover, who is personally conducting the expedition, is now sitting firmly on a sailing ironclad with a fully loaded displacement of more than 10,000 tons.
The location of this sailing ironclad is located near the Port of Mumbai, on the shores of the picturesque island Elephant Island, about 10 kilometers away from the Mumbai Royal Palace in a straight line!
In addition, Emperor William also had an extremely luxurious palace on Elephant Island with blue water and white sand. When His Majesty the Emperor is tired of his personal conquests, he can go to his palace to "have fun" with the female slaves. It’s so exciting to be the emperor!
Of course, Emperor William is still on the expedition in person on Elephant Island, not on vacation. Because the Warrior he was on had undergone a comprehensive transformation before arriving in India! The latest long-wave radio station from the UK was installed, and a naval command center was built. After arriving at Elephant Island in Mumbai, wired telegraph and wired telephones were directly connected, and new equipment was also installed that was conducive to His Majesty’s long-term command on the ship. Equipment - air temperature control system!
It is no exaggeration to say that as long as Emperor William stays on the Warrior, blowing on the air conditioner, drinking coffee, and smoking cigars, he can command the navy and army through telegraphs and telephones, and win decisive battles thousands of miles away.
The so-called "strategize on the shores of Elephant Island and win decisively thousands of miles away" refers to the Emperor William of Great India!
"His Majesty the Emperor, Admiral Codrington reports that his fleet has completely blocked the Gulf of Oman and completed clearing the waters off Muscat. It can now launch artillery bombardment and landing operations at any time!"
The person who was reporting to Emperor William the movements of the main force of the Indian fleet that was pretending to attack the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf was none other than Charles Eurytsu, who almost lost his butt in the Battle of the Kii Channel. When Emperor William came to India to usurp the throne, he wanted someone who knew both the navy and India to be his naval adjutant. As a result, his old boss Nelson recommended Charlie Elliot. So Charlie Elliot, who had retired due to a "butt injury", put on the military uniform again, returned to work, and got a good job.
Emperor William crossed his arms and wandered around a large chart table. Several naval staff officers, who knew at first glance that they were Indians, each used a long push rod to move the map away from Muscat. Dozens of wooden ship models farther away were pushed forward again. Then he took a few steps back respectfully and stood aside.
Emperor William was very satisfied with the service of these Indian servants. Just look at their respectful attitude and you will know how grateful they are to the Anglo-Saxons for their rule of their country! This is really a gift from God! Without the British Empire and the Unsa people, no one dares to imagine what this country would be like?
Emperor William of India asked again: "Where is Vice Admiral Hood's fleet?"
"It has already bypassed the Island of Ceylon," said Charlie Elliot. "The specific location is unclear because Vice Admiral Hood's Second Indian Fleet formation is currently implementing radio silence, but their approximate location can still be inferred. . It is about 300 nautical miles southwest of Sumatra Island and has basically reached the designated position."
The so-called Second Indian Fleet is a formation dominated by cutting-edge battleships that were worked overtime by the British "997". Its main force includes 22 battleships, 20 armored cruisers, and 15 motherships that have just arrived from the British mainland. In addition, The two Blake-class ships that completed emergency repairs at the Hindustan Shipyard were also incorporated into the Second Indian Ocean Fleet.
"Where is Rear Admiral Rodney's Second Channel Fleet?" the emperor asked again.
"We are about to enter the Strait," said Charlie Elu. "They should be able to arrive at Temasek Fortress and join Commodore William Baga's First Strait Fleet the night after tomorrow. Then they will have enough power to fight against the Ming Dynasty Navy in the Strait of Malacca. The main force is fighting."
The Second Strait Fleet is mainly composed of shallow-water heavy gunships. The so-called shallow-water heavy gunships are a strange combination of small stature, short legs, and huge guns. Of course, a small one means a small displacement, usually five to six thousand tons. Short legs mean slow speed and short endurance. The speed is generally 6-10 knots, and the endurance of 2,000 nautical miles is enough. A giant cannon is, of course, one or two heavy cannons with a diameter of 12 inches or more.
This kind of ship is actually a beggar's version of a battleship. It is not suitable for decisive battles in the ocean, but it is still very useful for guarding ports, bays, and straits. Even against big guys like the Hero class, they actually have enough deterrence - their 12-inch cannons give the Hero class a try, and it's hard for the Hero class to be a hero. And even if the Hero-class can sink them, how expensive can a shallow-water heavy gunship be? Moreover, this kind of ship can be built very quickly. As long as 12-inch cannons are available, British workers in 997 can build a whole batch for you in 3 months. Even if it were replaced by Hindustan Shipyard, several ships could be built in a year.
So if you use this to line up with the hero class, the hero class will probably have to go around!
This time, Emperor William prepared a total of 10 shallow-water heavy gunships for the Second Strait Fleet, plus the 5 shallow-water heavy gunships that belonged to the Strait Fleet, for a total of 15 shallow-water heavy gunships.
This strength is enough to block the main force of the Nanyang Fleet in the strait channel for a period of time. And a period of time is enough!
"Okay!" Emperor William nodded and looked at Nelson again - although the concept of this time's battle plan was proposed by Emperor William under the inspiration of Marquis Nelson, the specific plan was still led by Marquis Nelson and a group of British Royal Navy soldiers. Made by elite staff.
Whether it works or not, only Marquis Nelson should know best.
Marquis Nelson nodded, and Emperor William suddenly gained confidence and asked: "Where is the main force of the Ming Navy's Nanyang Fleet? Has it been dispatched?"
"Not yet!" Charlie Elliot said, "According to the latest intelligence, they are still staying in Brunei Bay."
Marquis Nelson said: "Your Majesty the Emperor, their Persian Gulf Fleet is already an existing fleet. If they can attract the main force of the Indian Grand Fleet, it will achieve their goal. It is normal for the main force of the Nanyang Fleet not to rush to attack."
Emperor William snorted: "Then let Admiral Codrington give me a hard beating and capture Muscat first! Let's see if they are in a hurry or not!"
"Yes, His Majesty the Emperor!"
Along the coastlines on the north and south sides of Muscat, there were faint sounds of gunfire. After passing for dozens of nautical miles, it sounded like faint thunder. This is a harassment attack by small ships of the Indian fleet on strongholds on the long coastline of the Sultanate of Oman. These ships risked being attacked by the Ming fleet that suddenly emerged from the Persian Gulf, and faithfully carried out the orders given by Admiral Codrington. They put pressure on the few defenders throughout the day and attracted their attention. The force is spread over the long coastline.
The huge fleet of the main force of the Indian Grand Fleet, as well as the transport fleet carrying the entire First Army of the Indian Army, have arrived on the ocean off Muscat with murderous intent.
This is an unprecedentedly powerful fleet, covering hundreds of transport ships, as well as coal ships, laying ships, and minesweepers. It looks like a floating city wall on the dark sea!
The main force of the Indian Grand Fleet finally arrived at the launch line of the landing attack off Muscat on time at 2 a.m. on October 15, 1830 in the Western calendar. The entire fleet began to circle on the sea while adjusting its formation. Although the officers and soldiers of this fleet are a mixture of British and Indian soldiers, as long as there is no fierce battle, the performance of these officers and soldiers is still quite online.
Under the command of British officers, the entire fleet operated in an orderly manner. Large warships were surrounding the Indian Army's transport fleet, and the transport fleet was also covered by small warships and headed for the beach near Muscat Port. Get out of the way.
A large-scale amphibious landing operation is about to begin!
(End of chapter)
