Chapter 420 The start of the hurricane

Off the coast of Bandayazi, on the British cruiser USS Dornegal, John Fisher withdrew his eyes from the entangled Russian fleet and three Dutch warships in the distance.

As a first-class cruiser built at the same time as the Jinghai class, after seeing the Jinghai class, the Donetal made a significant improvement in the original design of the Monmes. For the first time, the full six-inch (152 mm) naval gun was the main gun, and also adopted a backpack turret. Two double-loaded turrets were installed in the front and rear, and In addition to the five cannons of the same caliber on the side, the firepower of the whole ship has reached 18 guns and 6 inches. In addition, 10 12-pound guns have been installed. It can be said that the firepower has reached the extreme, and the displacement has increased to 11,000 tons.

The British navy was extremely satisfied with this improvement and ordered ten ships in one go, but Fisher still felt insufficient. The most important thing was still the power and triple installation technology. After obtaining the naval gun retreat technology at a high cost, the triple installation technology and power became his confidant, and the new type of dynamic secretly developed in power. The force is still difficult. Although the fuel boiler is progressing smoothly, the steam turbine still does not meet the standard of loading the ship.

Although the Senegal can reach 21 knots, its displacement is only a little more than 10,000, and the caliber of the naval gun is still too small. The perfect cruiser in his dream should have the same main gun caliber as the battleship, and can cross the sea at a speed of more than 22 knots, but at present, this is not yet. It's true.

Moreover, the United Kingdom has not broken through the triple installation technology so far. It is not that it cannot be triple installed, but that the accuracy of the naval gun has reached an unacceptable level. Taking the six-inch gun as an example, the accuracy within 10,000 meters of double installation can reach 50 meters, and after the triple, the accuracy suddenly drops to 500 meters. Rice, enough for the enemy to drink coffee and leave.

Fisher didn't know how Li Mo solved this problem, so he decided to take time out of his busy schedule to watch this naval battle with Europe, which is known as the world's largest steel collision. Thinking of the birth of the Jinghai class when he came last time, he even looked forward to what killer Li Mo would come up with this time. .

Perhaps even he doesn't know that unconsciously, the Far East is full of opium in the eyes of the world, with big braids, and the ugly country has become the leader of naval innovation. not to mention the Intrepid that Britain began to build on a large scale, the Jinghai level alone has attracted a lot of imitation and research.

Fisher turned his head and was surrounded by the new commander of the Far East Fleet, Seymour. The 40-year-old naval lieute general took his place after Felix was dismissed. In the three years, under his leadership, the Far East Fleet was slowly recovering.

" Lieutenant General Seymour, if you were Roger Winster, which way would you take?"

"There is no doubt about the Strait of Malacca!"

"Why? It's too narrow, and there are many export islands, which is not conducive to maneuvering. Once trapped, the whole army may be destroyed!" Fisher asked curiously.

Seymour smiled bitterly and spread out his hand and explained, "Mr. Secretary of the Navy, in my opinion, it is a mistake for Nicholas II to let his fleet come here. His fleet has sailed more than 10,000 nautical miles, and the speed and condition have been seriously poor. Previously, the Xinhua Navy also attacked them for about a month. Soldiers We are already overwhelmed.

"In this case, why do you choose the more dangerous Malacca?" Fisher is even more curious.

"The reason is very simple, because the distance is closer!" Seymour said, "Russian soldiers are still insisting that as the fleet commander, we must grasp this last bit of courage. Although the Strait of Malacca is narrow, Li Mo will never let his fleet enter the Strait to fight. At most, he can only block the exit of the Linga Islands.

But there are many small islands around the Linga Islands. No matter which fleet enters, it will lose its speed and engine power, which will allow the Russians to win back their disadvantages in these two aspects.

Although I am not optimistic about the final victory, it is still promising to choose the breakthrough time at night, relying on the cover of the night and dense islands, and using the capital ship as the arrow to protect some warships. Even if half of the fleet is finally lost, as long as it can enter the south of China, the huge sea area will become For the best cover, the southeast coast of the Chinese people, Luzon and Borneo will be in panic at that time.

Russia has no chance to win, but if it can enter the South China Sea and threaten the southeast, Nicholas II may still get some at the negotiating table.

"But Lieutenant General Seymour, have you forgotten? Li Mo has a technology that can monitor the distant fleet. Even if the Russians enter the South China Sea, it is impossible to escape their surveillance, right?

"Yes, I've heard about it, but the sea is really too big. If Roger Stern scatters the fleet into five, six or even ten formations, then anyone will want to control it all!"

Fisher nodded. Seymour was worthy of being a general who could be ordered in danger. He smiled, "Your Excellency Seymour, you are an excellent fleet commander, so which way do you think your colleague Roger Winster will take?"

"I don't know." Seymour shook his head crisply. Just as he was about to continue to speak, a report came from beside him: "Report, the Russian fleet is forcibly entering Banda Aceh."

Forcibly enter?!

Not to mention Fisher, even Seymour's eyes are straight. Is Roger Stern crazy? Is he like that idiot Witthoff, who knows that he is going to occupy a new base under his eyes?

Looking at the Russian [***] ships that were constantly clapped with the banner of "attacked, immediately fight back" and forced into the port of Bandaazi by three dull Dutch cruisers, Fisher sighed in his heart that Roger Winster was not crazy, but he had no choice!

Whether going to Dili or Luzon from here, his coal burning is not enough to support it, not to mention that the front will enter the war zone, and the journey will be difficult. If the coal is not filled at this time, I'm afraid it will become an iron coffin without fighting the Russian fleet.

"Coloon Steven, send someone into the port of Banda Aceh immediately. I want to know what happened there!" Before Fisher could sigh, Seymour had begun to order.

In the face of the doubtful eyes of the First Minister of the Navy, Seymour raised his head and said coldly, "Your Excellency, please forgive me directly. If the Dutch are finally under pressure to add coal to Russia, they will violate the Chinese legislation, and Dili will soon be submerged by the Xinhua Navy, so."

"You want to occupy the island of Dutch Guinea!" Fisher's eyes suddenly widened.

"Do you think we still have a choice? Li Mo will never give up this good opportunity!" Seymour spread out his hand and smiled bitterly. Once the Dutch violated the Chinese legislation to add coal for the warring parties, the Far East arsonist would certainly not give up. After Dili was cut off, the Dutch island of Guinea had been cut off. In this case, it was better for Britain to occupy it than Li Mo!

Fisher took a deep breath. Perhaps this is the reason why the Admiralty chose Seymour. He was more decisive and pragmatic than his predecessor Felix, which made him wonder if Russia really walked through Malacca and eventually caused a certain heavy hit on the New China Army, could Britain take the opportunity to break Li Mojian? What about the standing control of the Pacific Ocean?!

Roger Winster doesn't know how many people's reverie his move has caused, but even if he knows it, he won't hesitate. As Fisher said, he is desperate!

After starting from Colombo, because of fear and encountering attacks, he ordered to cut off the cables of the small warships that were originally behind the capital ships and let them act on their own. Although those small warships did not consume much coal, the amount of them added up to a burden. After arriving in Bandaqi, the fleet's coal-fired has been After consuming nearly half of the time, he had no ability to reach Luzon or farther Dili, so after the Netherlands sent warships to stop him from entering the port, it was worth gritting his teeth and ordering him to force him to enter, and telling the ships that if they were attacked, they could fight back immediately!

After getting the news that the Russian fleet forcibly broke into the military port, the Governor-General of the East Indies of the Netherlands was dumbfounded and hurried to negotiate with Roger Stern, but the latter's sailors looked at the hill-like coal pile and went crazy. How could he withdraw again? Finally, he had to order to open the coal bunker to add coal for the Russian ship.

The governor may not know what his order brought to Banda Aceh later.

On the afternoon of April 2, when they saw the Russian ships starting to reap coal, one of the two cruisers that followed the Russian fleet from Colombo to watch the battle immediately set out for Guinea along the coast of Sumatra.

At the same time, a radio wave was also sent from a strange large warship off the coast of Banda Aceh. Three hours later, two Duke-class battleships with four destroyers suddenly left the main formation and headed for Dili.

At the same time, 3,000 marines urgently set out from Kandian. In order to make up for the shortage of ships, they even recruited several civilian cargo ships there and quickly rushed to the island of Dutch Guinea.

Perhaps the whole world did not expect that after Roger Stern ordered forced entry into Banda Aceh, Britain and Xinhua aimed at the island of Dutch Guinea at the same time, just like a small butterfly flapping its wings in the Brazilian rainforest, causing a hurricane.

When Britain and Xinhua launched a race against the island of Dutch Guinea at the same time, Rogers Winster in the port of Banda Aceh sent an inquiry telegram to Vitheft of Dili. After getting a safe reply, he began to wait for the news of the two Russian cruisers to explore the Strait of Malacca.

While Roger Winster was waiting, Long Guozhang was not idle. Under his order, he hid under the water and set off at the same time. He had been hiding more than 100 kilometers in front of the fleet and avoided everyone's eyes. The six gray sharks quietly passed through the Wangkashi Strait and passed southeast of Java Island. After crossing out of Bali and entering the Indian Ocean, it immediately sails to the west

(to be continued)