The offshore patrol ship that appeared in the western waters of the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa to inspect a small local indigenous port that had been occupied by Chu armed men was the Hill.
When the ship appeared in this small port called Kara, Chen Jingyun and more than a hundred armed men on the shore were extremely nervous. On the one hand, they sent people to explain the relevant situation, and on the other hand, their more than one hundred armed men quickly came from The port was evacuated and moved inland away from the coastline.
They were also worried that if they could not reach an agreement, the Hill outside would go berserk and launch a bombardment. They and others would not be able to withstand the Hill's fierce bombardment...
Although this is just an offshore patrol ship, it is also a serious warship, and the firepower attached to it is beyond what people like them with civilian firearms can compare with.
The Hill belongs to the fifth and final batch of Tong'an-class patrol ships. It was launched in the 39th year of Chengshun and completed outfitting in the same year and officially joined the navy.
As a classic offshore patrol ship in the Da Chu Empire Navy, the Tong'an class patrol ship has been the main offshore patrol ship of the Da Chu Empire Navy in the past ten years. Its number is very large, and nearly one hundred have been built. Fifty ships are currently the largest number of single-class warships in the Da Chu Empire Navy.
Because the design of this class of ship is inherently excellent and the Navy is very satisfied with it, there has never been a new offshore patrol ship to directly replace it. Instead, it has continued to build and design and gradually introduced new technologies.
As a result, there have been five batches of Jean Tong'an-class patrol ships. Each batch has different technical characteristics, and power, armor, and firepower have been continuously upgraded.
But overall, the overall design of the Tong'an-class patrol ship has not changed much. It is still cheap, shallow draft, and widely adaptable.
The last batch of Hill is also the culmination of ten years of continuous improvement of the Tongan class. Its full load displacement has reached 456 tons, but its draft is still very well controlled. In light load mode, the draft is only a mere At 2.1 meters, this draft is enough to allow the ship to sail smoothly in almost all offshore waters and the downstream reaches of most rivers.
After all, this is an offshore patrol ship specially built for the offshore and estuary waters of overseas territories. Its shallow draft is its very big feature.
It is equipped with a mature triple-expansion steam engine, with a maximum speed of fourteen knots and an economical speed of eight knots... And as an offshore patrol ship designed for low-intensity colonial combat, the ship is still equipped with a sail system to reduce usage. cost, and at the same time increase the adaptability to overseas areas... It is difficult to obtain coal replenishment in many overseas wild areas.
A 100mm breech-mounted main gun, a 75mm breech-mounted secondary gun, and four 35mm rapid-fire secondary guns gave the ship considerable power when facing the natives. Intense firepower.
The various advantages of Tong'an patrol ships, especially their cheapness, ease of use, and wide adaptability, have allowed the Dachu Empire Navy to continuously build more than 150 ships and send them widely to sea areas around the world.
It can be seen in the waters of the Americas, India, West Asia, Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, etc. Not only that, but even in inner lakes like the Caspian Sea, the Da Chu Empire Navy disassembled and assembled them. A batch of spare parts were transported by train, and then three Tong'an-class patrol ships were assembled on the spot.
The huge number and frequent missions have made this class of ships the Chu Empire naval warships that the natives most often come into contact with... Well, except for the inland gunboats, most of the Chu warships that the natives can see, in fact This is the Tong'an-class offshore patrol ship.
As for the higher-level frigates of more than a thousand tons, to be honest, it is difficult for even the natives in coastal ports to see them, because the frigates in the Chu Empire are typical ocean-going warships, generally with deep drafts, and The cost of use is also relatively high.
When not performing corresponding combat missions, they would not wander around in front of the indigenous people.
The tonnage is over a thousand, and it is a typical ocean-going battleship design. The frigate will not enter the inland river casually, and will not even approach the coastline easily.
Not to mention larger cruisers and battleships.
This also resulted in that the Chu army warships that the indigenous people came into contact with on a daily basis were generally shallow-water gunboats and offshore patrol ships. Among them, the Tong'an-class patrol ships were the ones that the coastal indigenous people came into contact with the most.
However, with the continuous development of technology, the cost of a series of new technologies that seemed relatively expensive ten years ago has continued to decline, such as high-performance steel plates, triple-expansion steam engines, high-caliber naval guns, etc.
Therefore, after five batches of continuous improvements to the Tong'an-class patrol ships, the Dachu Empire Navy designed the first all-steel offshore patrol ship in the Dachu Empire based on the Tong'an-class patrol ships.
This also means that the newly built warships of the Da Chu Empire Navy have completely abandoned the iron-ribbed wooden hull type that has been used for more than 20 years, and entered the era of all-round steel warships.
The Tong'an-class patrol ship also became the last iron-ribbed wooden hull warship.
In fact, the Imperial Chu Navy was quite reluctant to part with iron-ribbed wooden hull ships. It believed that these ships were cheap enough and the technology was very mature. Even if there were any problems overseas, such as a cracked hull, they could easily repair it by just using local materials and making wooden planks.
However, with the development of technology, the price of shipbuilding steel has also dropped significantly, and the protective ability of steel plates is much stronger than that of wood... Even if offshore patrol ships and frigates are both unprotected warships in terms of positioning, but This "unprotected" just means that it is not equipped with a thick armor belt, but it does not mean that it has no protective capabilities at all.
If the steel plate hull is used, its protective capability is also quite good, and it can also protect against primitive grenades and small and medium-caliber smoothbore solid artillery shells at a certain distance.
Therefore, the Navy finally adopted an offshore patrol ship built with a steel plate hull. This is the Anlin-class patrol ship that was launched into service this year, in the 43rd year of Chengshun. Its full load displacement increased to 550 tons, and it is equipped with a A 100mm naval gun, two 75mm secondary guns, a new 40mm secondary gun and multiple 11mm 42 heavy machine guns.
The 40mm secondary gun is also a new generation of ship-based artillery in the Navy used to replace the previous 35mm secondary gun. The previous 35mm secondary gun was not powerful because the caliber of the shell was too small, and the shell was too small. , and the technology is also limited, resulting in frequent problems with this type of artillery shells and the occurrence of dumb bombs.
The Navy simply increased the caliber of this thing to 40 mm, which would make it much easier to use.
Subsequently, in order to reduce costs and enhance versatility, the previous 55mm naval gun was simply replaced with a 40mm naval gun, and a 40mm secondary gun was used to replace the 55mm and 35mm naval guns. .
The secondary gun combination in the future will be 75mm and 40mm, and then a large-caliber 11mm heavy machine gun, thus forming a medium and close firepower combination.
Although the Anlin-class patrol ship is just an offshore patrol ship, located at the low end of the Dachu Empire's naval ecological chain, it still follows the latest design concepts of the navy, using a steel plate hull, a triple-expansion steam engine, and a new 40mm naval gun. and an 11mm four-two machine gun.
However, this type of patrol ship has just begun construction and service this year, and there is no urgent demand on the front line. Therefore, this class of ship is expected to continue testing in the home waters for a long time, and it is unlikely to see this type of patrol ship in one or two years. Warships appear to perform combat missions overseas.
Today, offshore patrols, deterrence and other combat missions in overseas areas still require security-class patrol ships.
Just like the patrol ship Hill, it usually wanders around the coast of West Africa with nothing to do... strictly guard against all kinds of pirate ships that may appear, provide escort for passing merchant ships, and always observe the indigenous people in the surrounding waters. According to the situation, it provides support to the colonial strongholds of the Chu Empire on the nearby coastline, such as the colonial strongholds of the Chu Empire in Ghana on the Gold Coast, etc.
Anyway, I just wandered around the area if I had nothing to do. While on duty, I also did daily training at sea.
This is also the reason why the patrol ship Hill was able to arrive so quickly after a situation occurred in Kara Port... They did not come here specially after receiving the news, but they originally sailed from south to north along a fixed route and passed by here. At that time, I happened to find that fighting was breaking out in Kara Port.
This place is not actually under the control of the Chu Empire. If any fighting breaks out, such as an indigenous civil war, the Chu people will generally ignore it.
However, the lookout soldiers on the Hill discovered that there was also a civilian steam transport ship in Kara Port. Since there were ships from the Chu State, and the sound of gunfire was relatively intense, the soldiers on the Hill The naval commander was worried that there was a conflict between the Chu people and the local indigenous people.
He immediately ordered the ships to enter the harbor, preparing to intimidate the local indigenous people and reinforce the local Chu people...
Well, this is what the Chu Empire Navy often does overseas, which is to provide the Chu people overseas, especially those operating in non-controlled areas, with the most direct means: naval guns!
In order to support the overseas Chu people these days, all kinds of words are useless, and even the natives may not understand... Only the simplest and most direct naval gun support can be used to support the overseas Chu people. The Chinese feel reassured, but the indigenous people feel fearful.
As for the right and wrong of triggering the conflict, who is justified and who is not, these are not important. The naval officers of the Dachu Empire who perform the mission of deterring and supporting the expatriates never consider these issues.
If you really have to think about it...then there's nothing you can do.
When Chu people go overseas, especially those who go to areas controlled by indigenous people, do you still expect them to be good people? Even if they are doing business in a well-behaved manner, they are all armed with guns...
These are all well-behaved people, and it is even harder to speak out about those who are not well-behaved.
After all, the Chu people are decent people, and there is no need to speak out about some not-so-good things, as long as everyone knows about them.
Therefore, when the Chu people have conflicts with the indigenous people overseas, there is no need to think so much. Just bring out the naval guns and bombard them when necessary.
Otherwise, how do you think the Chu Empire came to have so many overseas colonies...
In addition to the official large-scale expansion operations, many Chu people actually went to the indigenous areas to do business and grab land, and then the official regular army of the Chu Empire followed... It didn't take long for the colonies to be established.
One of the important tasks of the troops stationed overseas by the Da Chu Empire was actually to escort the merchants who were exploring overseas and to act as a source of confidence for them.
This time the Hill came to Kara Port with this mentality.
This Chu people went to the local area and started fighting with the indigenous people. No matter what the reason was, the Hill will firmly stand on the side of the Chu people and provide them with solid military support.
However, the navy officers on board the Hill did not expect that this group of Chu people not only wanted to engage in ordinary colonization, but also planned to become king and found a country.
They had heard of this kind of thing before, but they had never encountered it before, and they didn't know how to deal with it for a while.
Moreover, the Great Chu Empire did not have a unified handling template for this kind of matter. In the past, there were various handling methods for this kind of matter... There were many examples of Chu people going overseas to establish their country, and there were various handling methods.
Some carried out suppression and extermination, some recognized the legitimacy of their founding and accepted them, and some simply ignored them.
In short, depending on the situation, the empire officials will handle it differently.
Obviously, the naval officers on the Hill no longer have the authority to handle this matter at Kara Port.
After staying there for two days, mainly to inquire about the situation, Captain Zhao Bingxun, the captain of the Hill, personally met the leader of this group of somewhat mentally ill militants, Chen Jingyun, who claimed to be the King of West Africa.
This Chen Jingyun seems to be young, in his mid-twenties. After talking with him, I found out that this man used to be an army sergeant. After retiring, he went to Africa to make a living. He stayed in Africa for many years and mobilized more than a hundred people. Team.
During the conversation, Chen Jingyun was very sincere, saying that he and his brothers had absolutely no intention of resisting the imperial government. He just wanted to lead his brothers to grab a piece of land from the natives, and then start a small business and plant crops. A farm, and I will be a happy farmer from now on.
As for claiming the title of king and founding the country, it was just for the sake of a name, not taken seriously, and it was said that I, Chen Jingyun, was born and died as a Chu State's ghost, and my loyalty to Your Majesty has never changed.
What's more, I, Chen Jingyun, am also a Chu nationality after all, and I am leading brothers who are also Chu nationalities. It is much better to establish a territory in the Kara area and then firmly implement the empire's overseas expansion policy than to let those shady indigenous people.
The empire looked down upon this wilderness and did not send anyone to carry out colonial management. Rather than letting the local indigenous people occupy this place, it would be better to let Chen Jingyun, a native of Chu, occupy it.
Looking back, I, Chen Jingyun, led my brothers to engage in agricultural development in this area. The various economic crops produced can add a small amount to the development of the empire.
Although Chen Jingyun said a lot and his attitude was extremely sincere, Zhao Bingxun could still tell at a glance that this bald man was an ambitious man...otherwise it would be impossible to do such ridiculous things as proclaiming a king and founding a country.
If you want to mess around in Africa, whether it's colonization or making money, you just do it directly, and the imperial officials will support you... But there is no need for you to renounce your nationality and create a nondescript country.
This fool can also see how ambitious you are!
However, since the other party was very sincere and privately sent several boxes of gold as a meeting gift, Zhao Bingxun didn't bother to care about that much.
Just like what Chen Jingyun said, this poor place is occupied by the natives and occupied by the Chu people. It is better to let the Chu people occupy it.
And to be honest, Zhao Bingxun couldn't handle this kind of thing... He needed to report it and let the superiors handle it.
So after staying for two days, Zhao Bingxun ordered the Hill to leave.
Before leaving, he did some small business with Chen Jingyun and sold a batch of ammunition to them. Of course... It is impossible for this small business to have any official documents. Zhao Bingxun will organize a live-fire training later, and these ammunition will be used. Consumed during live-fire training.
After the Hill left, on the dock of Kara Port, Chen Jingyun breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time there was a hint of worry in his expression.
Just as Zhao Bingxun thought, he, Chen Jingyun, is indeed very ambitious. He is not willing to be the leader of an armed gang. He wanders around Africa all day long, working as a bodyguard for big companies and as a military consultant for indigenous tribes. Although he can make a lot of money , but something is always missing.
He comes from a real low-level peasant background and dreams of becoming a master...otherwise he wouldn't have gone to Africa to hang out after retiring.
But obviously, he is just a leader of an armed gang in Africa, let alone a powerful man, and the bosses of larger agricultural companies do not take him seriously...
Many large agricultural companies in Africa occupy dozens or hundreds of square kilometers of land, and often have hundreds or even thousands of armed personnel under their control... These agricultural companies are often the pioneers of colonial expansion under the official control. He has a close relationship with the authorities, or simply is an agent of the authorities.
Many agricultural companies leased land from local indigenous people and eventually became administrative colonies of the empire.
And he, Chen Jingyun, was the leader of a mercenary gang.
Although he has a little money, when it comes to social status, he is still at the bottom of society.
The unwilling Chen Jingyun, together with a group of equally unwilling mercenaries, thought for a long time and decided that they should still be the masters of their own affairs... In the Chu Empire, they could not be the masters, but in the indigenous-controlled areas, they were. Able to become masters, even kings and nobles.
And they are not stupid. They have also learned about some cases of the imperial official's handling of the Chu people's overseas founding, and finally came to a conclusion: most of the overseas founding members who were exterminated by the imperial official were stupid, and they actually wanted to In order to truly break away from the empire or even fight against the empire, after the empire officially expanded to the area, they also had a resistance mentality... They felt that they were so awesome that they dared to resist the imperial army... In the end, they were basically stereotyped as rebels and were directly exterminated.
However, the several small countries established overseas by the Chu people who actively cooperated with the empire and were willing to be the empire's lackeys were all safe and sound, and even finally received official canonization from the empire and became one of the vassal states of the empire.
Therefore, although Chen Jingyun and others are engaged in overseas nation-building, they do not want to fight against the official empire. They simply want to be kings and nobles, dominate among the natives, and satisfy their own mentality of life... If they can, they still I really hope to become the official expansion agent of the empire, and it is best to get the name of a vassal state.
It's just that it's hard to say what the outcome will be. Everything depends on the official attitude of the empire.
However, as an ambitious and capable man, Chen Jingyun has made up his mind in his heart. Even if he cannot obtain official permission or acquiescence in the end, he will continue the cause of overseas nation-building.
The worst case scenario is to abandon Kara Port on the coast and go inland... The situation in West Africa is still relatively complicated. The military of the Chu Empire generally does not go deep into the inland areas and only hangs around the coast.
Therefore, the vast inland areas of Africa are actually lawless and chaotic areas these days, but they are also extremely dangerous... This danger is not about the local indigenous people, but the health threats posed by the local harsh environment.
Malaria is no joke.
Therefore, without special circumstances and under the premise of major interests, contemporary Chu people generally will not go too far into the interior of Africa.
Chen Jingyun was determined. After the Hill left, he called together more than a hundred people under his command and held a meeting.
The more than 100 people under him are basically retired soldiers, and then went to Africa for various reasons to continue working as mercenaries... This way they can go to Africa, which is extremely chaotic, to work as mercenaries, and they have been so successful. Those who have not died for many years are naturally not good children. They are all desperadoes. They also dream of being prosperous and becoming superior to others.
Part of them is really following Chen Jingyun in playing the game of overseas nation building, dreaming of becoming a noble, general, high official, etc., even if it is just a powerful person in a vassal country.
There are also some people who are persuaded and brainwashed by those delusional elements and follow them. They are people who have no firm beliefs and just follow the crowd.
But most of them are mercenaries who want to make a profit first and then continue working if there is any benefit or danger depending on the situation. If there is danger, they are mercenaries who are ready to run away at any time.
Chen Jingyun recruited these people to follow him to fight the natives. The price was not low, and they were fighting the natives who had little resistance. It was a good job for mercenaries. It was easy, safe and profitable.
If the empire later recognizes Chen Jingyun, then they can continue to work here and get a job as an official.
If the imperial officials did not recognize Chen Jingyun and positioned Chen Jingyun as a rebel, then these mercenaries who came with the mentality of making money would not follow Chen Jingyun to risk their lives, but would leave in a hurry.
Some people are even thinking about catching Chen Jingyun and then bringing him to the officials in exchange for a bounty.
In short, these more than a hundred people have their own ideas... and Chen Jingyun also knows that among the people under him, except for a few dozen or so confidants who have similar ideas to himself, the others are either following the trend or Mercenaries who are simply here to make money.
But that's not important... What's important is that these people are following you now!
Relying on them, Chen Jingyun was fully confident that he would crush the natives along the way, continue fighting inland, occupy a large enough territory, and capture enough natives.
In the end, even if you can't be the king of a vassal state, it's still good to be an African warlord.
In short, he doesn't want to go back to China and be an ordinary person with a little money!
He wants to be a master!
Even if it’s just a good person hanging out in Africa!
When Chen Jingyun and his men began to attack the indigenous tribes in the interior, they began to seize territory and capture the indigenous people.
The Hill also returned to Ghana City, the African Fleet's military base on the Gold Coast, and then reported the founding incident of Chen Jingyun to its superiors.
