To be fair, the Indian fleet is still very cautious. They also know that the Ming Dynasty naval fleet that defeated the Persian Gulf is difficult to deal with. Mines may be laid around Muscat and torpedo boats may be ambushed. The main force hiding in the Persian Gulf may suddenly come out!
Therefore, at this time, the Indian fleet did not dare to show any neglect. Their second- and third-class cruisers and destroyers even ventured to the frontier close to the beach, conducted repeated searches, and even turned on their searchlights from time to time. They would also fire two rounds on the beach and on the sea to test whether there was anything on the land or on the sea. reaction.
The weather tonight is not very good. There are many dark clouds passing by in the sky, covering the moon from time to time. The wind and waves on the sea are about two or three levels, and the undulating waves stir up the steel hull from time to time. Snow-white waves. This was not a particularly good night. However, the well-trained Indian sailors were still confident and calm, taking pictures of their chests to assure their white-skinned superiors that everything was fine!
The warships on the sea all slowed down to about 10 knots. After a while of busy work, there was no problem. About an hour later, the transport ships on the sea sent light signals to Admiral Codrington, the commander-in-chief of the landing operations on the flagship Revenge - everything was under control!
Admiral Codrington turned to look at the "cannon fodder commander" Colonel Elphinstone sent by the British and Indian Army. It was the "Big D Owl" Elphinstone who was captured alive by Wu Zhenzhen in Peshawar. Major General Tong. He was originally sentenced to "prison execution" by Daoguang for the crime of "selling drugs"!
Because he didn't know whether to behead first and then "prison", or whether to "prison" first and then behead, Elphinstone was so anxious that he cried all day long without saying a word, and kept writing to Daoguang to apologize for his behavior. Defense - he is really just an aggressor and not a criminal!
Of course, the aggressor's crime is no less than that of D's crime. But Elphinstone knows the law! He explained to Daoguang that the crime of aggression was a state crime and that he was just a small man who carried out orders.
I have to say that this Elphinstone is truly proficient in the law!
Invasion is a state crime, committing D is an individual crime. Maybe I will be killed!
Therefore, he would rather admit that he is the aggressor than admit that he is a criminal.
It's a pity that Daoguang ignored him at all and insisted on executing him for committing D crime! However, when his "prison waiting period" expired and he was about to be executed, Mu Zhang Amu Zhongtang, who was responsible for the execution, found out during the "physical examination" that his life should not be terminated, and that his suffering was about to be over. So he again He was taken back to continue his "imprisonment", but after only a few days of "imprisonment" this time, a turning point came. Daying and Daying successfully negotiated peace, and Elphinstone was released.
However, his official career was still over. After he was released, he was sent to a military court to prosecute him for dereliction of duty. But Hugh Gough Pasha, who had performed well in Turkey, saved him. At that time, Hugh Gough was recalled to the British Army by the Duke of Wellington and became the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army!
After Gough arrived in India, he interceded with the military court and had him demoted two ranks and retained. This time he was given an opportunity to perform meritorious service. He commanded about 8,000 people in the First Division of the British-Indian Army's First Corps. Landing in Oman.
Seeing the look in Admiral Codrington's eyes, Elphinstone immediately stood up and asked the admiral for instructions: "Admiral, I recommend starting the landing operation!"
Admiral Codrington nodded and loudly ordered: "Transfer! All landing operations must be completed before noon tomorrow!"
At this time, in a small fishing village next to Mustek Port, in a small harbor formed by rocks, 12 of the latest Taiping 8-type torpedo boats were waiting for the order to attack.
Second Lieutenant Wang Zuo, who was on a reconnaissance mission on the fishing boat that day, was also on one of the torpedo boats.
This type of torpedo boat uses small steam turbine technology and also uses oil-fired boilers. The maximum speed reached 34 knots!
Each boat is equipped with two steam gas torpedoes. The speed and range of this torpedo are epoch-making improvements compared to previous compressed air torpedoes. This is also the best chance of winning tonight's sneak attack!
The 12 torpedo boats were all perfectly camouflaged. In the night, they looked like a few rocks floating on the water.
They are now only about five or six nautical miles away from the Indian fleet. Suddenly, a torpedo destroyer on alert from the Indian fleet passed very close to them.
But Wang Zuo, who was the captain of the No. 12 boat, was frightened to death... Although the combat effectiveness of this kind of destroyer of several hundred tons was quite weak, it was not something that the torpedo boat could deal with.
After all, he is a "ship" and what he is driving is just a boat.
Fortunately, the sound of sea water hitting the rocks covered up the sound of the torpedo boat's main engine.
After the torpedo destroyer moved away, Wang Zuo's blood boiled again.
Such a huge fleet of the Indian Empire was five or six nautical miles in front of me!
As long as your own torpedo boat moves forward at full speed, you can rush into the middle of them within ten minutes... a torpedo boat with a speed of more than 30 knots plus two steam gas torpedoes. After rushing in, it’s time to eat meat!
And you have to pick up big meat to eat, the bigger the better, wealth can be found in danger!
On the high ground outside Muscat, there is also an artillery observation post of the Ming Navy infantry.
It is also observing the movements of the Indian Navy, waiting for the Indian Army to start transferring and landing, and is ready to report the coordinates back to the eighteen 155mm cannons on land at any time.
According to the raid plan, the Army's 155th artillery should fire first to create chaos. Then, taking advantage of the chaos, the navy's torpedo boats launched an attack with all their strength!
After firing the torpedoes, they stopped turning around and retreated north, all the way to the Persian Gulf.
At this time, the Indian transport ship had already arrived at the launch line of the attack, surrounded by some destroyers and light cruisers on vigilant patrols. One by one, small boats were launched from the ship.
Perhaps the white-skinned officers were rushing in a hurry. In the flickering moonlight, they saw Indian soldiers crawling down the rope net in disorder.
These landing infantrymen carrying dozens of pounds were clumsy. The transport ships and escort ships also maintained extremely low speeds, waiting patiently for them to climb down.
At this time, Wang Zuo issued an order in a low voice: "Raise the boiler temperature and pressure, and wait for the army's artillery fire signal!"
As the sound of the turbine gradually became louder, his face was filled with excitement!
The opportunity is coming!
"Boom!"
Four or five kilometers away, several dull sounds suddenly came from the land.
The British and Indian infantrymen who were changing vehicles heard the sharp sound of artillery shells passing over their heads in an instant.
This is the enemy attacking with artillery!
Before they could recover. More than ten water jets have stirred up on the sea surface and landed next to a 3,000-ton transport ship on the far right side of the formation. The seawater poured heavily on the heads of the Indian officers and soldiers who were still crowded on the deck. It seems that Daming has discovered it!
The entire fleet suddenly erupted with exclamations of curry from Indian officers and soldiers!
After all, these well-trained Indians among the British and Indian officers and soldiers are usually tough-talking, but once they go to the battlefield, they are not so brave.
The 155mm artillery shells were fired in waves, as if they were free of charge.
Obviously, the Ming Army on the shore was also working hard.
Suddenly, a 155mm shell hit the mast of a transport ship, and then a terrifying air explosion occurred!
The flying shell fragments hit a large area of the Indian infantry in Class A, and curry-smelling screams suddenly sounded on the sea.
The Indian lookout on the nearby armored cruiser Insolent used the light of the explosion to quickly observe, and suddenly swept in the direction of the fishing port. I saw a dozen small boats puffing out thick white smoke, preparing to attack here!
He almost screamed in curry English: "Torpedo boat! Due west!"
The sudden bombardment and the warning signal of the appearance of torpedo boats completely disrupted the landing operation, which was being transferred ashore in chaos!
The Indian navy ships, which were already nervous, immediately turned on their searchlights in the due west direction.
At the same time, the Indian Navy officers frantically turned the artillery towards the west.
The transport ships also eagerly ordered the boilers to increase the pressure immediately, and stopped the transfer of infantry to prepare to avoid torpedoes!
Pity the infantrymen of the Indian Army who are still climbing on the rope net. Now it is impossible to get down and it is also difficult to get up.
There was a lot of shouting and cursing, and no one knew which warship sounded the alarm again, plus the long-range land artillery fire that was still rumbling and exploding. The entire transfer area was in complete chaos.
At this moment, the twelve large torpedo speedboats were shaking, like wild horses running wild, seeming to be rushing towards these low-speed transport ships!
Harvest is about to begin!
(End of chapter)
