Chapter 15, Who is looking for death?

Chapter 15, Who is looking for death?

At the peak of this age of exploration.

Whether it is the Dutch or Zhu Daohua.

We all know the importance of sea power.

Even the Chinese forces in Nanyang and the local indigenous forces can vaguely feel the significance of this war against both sides.

Twenty-one warships set sail from Batam.

It turned into twenty-one white lines that plowed open the sea surface.

Go to the predetermined sea area.

at the same time.

The Dutch fleet from Java has also set off.

It's on the Eagle-class ship No. 001.

Macartney described to Zhu Daohua the power of the Dutch third-class battleships in detail.

"Your Highness Prince Ming, the third-class battleship is also the main battleship in the Atlantic waters. The three-deck third-class battleship is usually equipped with 64 cannons, including 26 24-pound guns, 26 12-pound guns, and 12 6-pound guns. "

"A warship with such firepower is almost invincible in the Eastern Sea... Although I don't know where your confidence comes from, the total number of artillery pieces equipped by the twenty ships under your command is less than three hundred. ...And the forty-two and three-class sailing battleships of the Dutch East India Company that you are going to fight against!"

Macartney finished speaking.

Bourblon on the other side added: "Even in Europe, the strength of such a fleet cannot be underestimated. The British Royal Navy only has 240 third-level battleships, fifty-three second-level battleships, and ten Just two first-class battleships..."

That's it?

Macartney looked at Bulbulon dissatisfied.

The French have the nerve to say that the most powerful navy in the world has "only" a few battleships?

But he didn't refute.

Because the forty-two third-class battleships of the Holand East India Company are indeed a powerful naval force.

Equivalent to...one-seventy-eighth of the British Royal Navy...

Zhu Daohua smiled slightly and said: "Southeast Asia belongs to the Orientals. I think the Dutch should not exist here!"

"Your Highness, the sea is free. I think you will support the principle of free trade, right?"

Macartney frowned and reminded.

"Of course I support free trade."

“Rules-based free trade.”

Macartney nodded slightly when he heard this. He believed that Zhu Daohua would not be crazy and believed that he had the strength to challenge the maritime hegemony of the British Empire...

Rules-based free trade.

It can only be based on the rules of the British Empire.

"Block crotch, block crotch, block crotch!"

The tinkling sound of gongs sounded on the Eagle-class ship No. 001.

Zhu Daohua had no intention of talking to the two envoys from the two countries who were not doing serious business (according to the plan, these two should go north to negotiate with old man Qianlong at this time).

Instead, he immediately walked to the side of the ship and opened the telescope.

There are lookouts with telescopes on the mast of the Eagle-class ship No. 001.

But based on the size of the ships on both sides.

The Dutch with taller masts would definitely find their opponents earlier than the Ming army.

therefore....

When the Sea Eagle class sounded the battle gong alarm sound.

The Dutch on the opposite side must have begun to seize advantageous battlefield positions!

"Your Majesty, the Dutch have been discovered!"

a sailor shouted.

Zhu Daohua took a deep breath.

Napoleon beside him said: "Your Highness, according to the Dutch naval combat manual, they will not open fire until the distance is within three hundred meters!"

"This is our chance!"

Although the range of naval guns in this era is generally more than 1 to 2 kilometers.

However, based on the accuracy of the front-loaded smoothbore cannon, the shooting accuracy of more than 500 meters basically depends on God's blessing.

Moreover, artillery of this era was usually aimed directly.

If you want the cannonball to survive more than 500 meters without falling into the water, the muzzle must be raised appropriately at a certain angle with the ship's surface to form a curved shot.

This makes it more difficult to hit.

In addition, the current goal of naval warfare is mainly to destroy enemy warships and sails through chain bombs, and to kill the enemy's personnel on board through shotguns.

Want to sink the opponent's warship by launching a solid iron ball from a long distance.

That's simply unthinkable...

so.

Nowadays, European navies will try to close the distance as much as possible when fighting in order to take advantage of the advantages of shotguns and chain bombs.

In the future Battle of Trafalgar, where Britain defeated Napoleon, there was even a scene where battleships from both sides fired salvos of artillery at a distance of only twenty meters.

so.

Even though Zhu Daohua knew that these extremely fast boats under his command had a weakness in "vision".

He wasn't worried either.

"Your Majesty! The Dutch formed a line and seized the upper hand! They are going to occupy the T position!"

"Your Majesty! The Dutch have the upper hand now!"

"Your Majesty, a large number of Fuchuan and Guangzhou fleets were found to the north of the Dutch fleet. Some of the fleets were hoisted with the Dutch tricolor flag, and some were not hoisted at all!"

These fleets should be the Chinese forces that were threatened by the Dutch.

But now most of these Chinese forces plan to be cheerleaders.

Everyone is not stupid.

Whoever wins, they will help.

As the distance between the two fleets approached, the Dutch's actions were also observed by the high-altitude lookout post, and they were reported to Zhu Daohua immediately.

"Your Majesty! All the enemy's forty-two battleships are dispatched, divided into left and right wings..."

"They plan to attack from both sides!!"

Napoleon said.

"Your Highness, we are facing a headwind and the enemy is facing a tailwind. Once the war goes unfavorably, we will be very passive!"

Once the war goes bad.

I can't even run away.

but.....

Zhu Daohua had no intention of running away.

He patted the side of the ship gently and said: "The Dutch warships are outdated. After today, the navies of all European countries will be outdated sea coffins!"

Zhu Daohua, who was a sailor in his previous life, knew the history of the development of warships very well.

After the advent of high explosives, reliable blooming bombs.

The era of extremely expensive sailing battleships, often equipped with hundreds of cannons, is over - no wooden ship can withstand the bombardment of several kilograms of high explosives such as mercury fulminate!

Think of this.

Zhu Daohua suddenly raised his voice.

"Send the order! Change into one column and attack at high speed! All ships follow the flagship!!"

"Got the order!"

There was a loud response from all around.

Signal flags waved.

Pass Zhu Daohua's order to the entire fleet.

The advantages of high-speed schooners are fully demonstrated.

All the sails were hoisted.

Twenty-one battleships suddenly accelerated.

During the voyage.

It became a column.

Like a tiger descending from a mountain.

Pounced towards the Dutch fleet!

In front of these twenty-one high-speed battleships.

The Dutch battleships were as slow as snails crawling on the sea....

“Are these Chinese crazy?”

The flagship of the Dutch fleet opened the telescope and saw the actions of the Ming army.

Batavia Governor Dimens Kreutz exclaimed.

"The Chinese don't understand naval warfare at all!"

Dutch Rear Admiral Frankie Stekelen, who was in charge of commanding this battle, sneered.

"Your Majesty the Governor, they are looking for death!"