Tune the Pacific

Chapter 339 Get out of here!

A wisp of golden gold slowly rises from the horizon, gorgeous like blooming tulips.

Off the coast of the Natuna Islands, three cruisers flying the Dutch flag and two British cruisers slowly. Opposite them are two Jinghai-class light cruisers and two Vladivostok-class heavy cruisers that have long been listed as research targets by European countries.

Lieutenant General Sampson stood on the flying bridge of the flagship cruiser Tulip, his eyes crossed the four monitored Royal New China Navy cruisers, and stared at the bean-sized Natuna Islands on the horizon, in a gloomy mood.

Once upon a time, the powerful Dutch East India Fleet with more than 60 warships was a well-deserved ruler of this sea area, and even Britain did not dare to touch the edge, but how many years have passed? The former sea coachman has dispersed like yesterday's yellow flowers, and the beautiful tulips can no longer continue to bloom in this ocean.

This is the mistake of the Netherlands!

At least he thinks so. While the plunder and killing of one force, the Netherlands firmly control the sea area, but it also makes the locals unwilling to cooperate with the Netherlands, especially the richest Chinese class. As a result, there is no decent city on the islands controlled by the Netherlands so far, which is far inferior to that of the British. A colonial model that cooperates with the locals.

Although the wealth obtained by the Netherlands through East India for hundreds of years is enough to arm the world's largest fleet, the old and cautious political axe has stifled this possibility, especially the declaration of neutrality. Relying on the unique geographical conditions of Sumatra, it has been widely recognized by European countries, but also makes the Netherlands Gradually lost in the pleasure brought by neutrality.

When the steam engine began to roar, and when all countries began to eliminate wooden sail warships, the Netherlands suddenly realized and began to work hard to catch up with the times. However, the coachmen who had fallen behind at the beginning had already had enough strength to catch up with the world's most advanced steps. So far, the best battleships in China still need to rely on Britain and France. Other countries provide technology.

This is undoubtedly sad. The Netherlands has a huge East Indian colony, but it is finally lost in the pleasure brought by gold and silver. It forgets technological innovation and cannot turn the wealth here into new warships and become a second-class world.

The opposite Li Mo, who has stirred up the Far East, is now trying to replace the Dutch rule here, but he has always attached great importance to technical advantages long before his ambitions are revealed. He used Chile to purchase the most advanced ships from the United Kingdom, and later purchased German [***] ships, and bought various technical patents in Europe. He imitated himself and eventually borne fruit, turning into the four warships in front of him, which were also the leading in Europe.

In the past, the coachman, the overlord of the sea, now needs the support of the British to dare to come here, but the outbreak of the Boer War has shrouded a haze on this cooperation, because everyone knows that the Boers are Dutch descendants!

But now it doesn't care so much. Obviously, Britain also realizes that if Li Mo is allowed to expand here, it will threaten Britain's dominance here sooner or later, so it is willing to help the Netherlands this time.

In the distance, the Natuna Islands have been completely controlled by Li Mo. There are many Chinese living on this narrow island. After the destruction of Lanfang Kingdom, a large number of Chinese people fled there to settle down, so the New Chinese army cleared all the indigenous people on the islands in only ten days. This ambitious executioner kept saying that it was the Netherlands. He encouraged the indigenous people to kill the Chinese, but in fact, the indigenous people who died at his hands can be piled up all over Natuna Island!

Sampson's eyes turned to the south, which was the reason why he led the fleet here from Sumatra!

The Xinhua army is landing in Borneo in waves. Their army there has reached more than 20,000 people. It is impossible to invest so many troops so quickly that it is impossible to say that they are not prepared in advance! And according to the report on the return of the reconnaissance ship, the ports of Kuntian and Sammarinda are stepping up the construction of temporary wharves to provide more berths for reinforcements!

So Li Mo's action in Borneo must be curbed as soon as possible. Otherwise, when the follow-up troops of the Xinhua Army arrive, even if all the previous warships are sent to the bottom of the sea, they will not be able to take back Borneo!

On the deck of the Tulip, the Dutch sailors have been waiting for a long time. The muzzle is all aimed at four enemy ships in the distance. This is a large armored cruiser that has only been launched for three years. It has two 40x caliber double-loaded 203 mm main guns, and has up to 20 rapid-fire secondary guns of various calibers, but this cannot Give everyone any confidence that the original failed fleet was too much stronger than that of the Netherlands, but it still broke the halberd and sank the sand. It was the two cruisers opposite that caused all this.

And this kind of confrontation is really too laborious. Since the two sides met three days ago, they have been walking side by side at a distance of 10,000 meters. At this time, no one dares to blink!

Fortunately, two large British armored cruisers that came urgently from Hong Kong also joined the fleet and gained a weak advantage in quantity. Otherwise, Sampson could not guarantee whether he had the confidence to continue to persevere.

And the British cruiser also brought a piece of news that excited him and all the soldiers. Lieutenant General Felitman, the commander of the British Far East Fleet, has set off from Shanghai with the main fleet!

Sampson took out his pocket watch and looked at it. The main force of the British Far East Fleet departing from Shanghai has been departing for ten days. Why hasn't it arrived yet? Should we go to war first, or should we continue to wait like this?

And!

The other side's main battleships also did not appear from beginning to end. Does this mean that they have already got the news and rushed to intercept the British Far East Fleet?

For Sampson, this is a dangerous signal. If the British main fleet is blocked on the road, although he is sure that there will be no large-scale maritime conflict between the two sides, the New China Army can completely use means of blocking the channel and forcing the British fleet to repeatedly maneuver and lengthen the route, because they know very well that as long as With one more day, their army can have one more day to reinforce Borneo!

But this is also an opportunity, because there are only four cruisers on the opposite side, and there are five cruisers on its side. Although the four warships on the opposite side have pioneered long-distance warfare, Europe has not been idle in recent years. At present, the five cruisers here have also improved their firing angles, which can also achieve the shooting of the other side. Cheng!

Is it an immediate war? Or continue to wait?

"Dick, did the British cruiser agree?" Sampson is not the kind of cowardly politician in the country. In fact, he can become the commander of the Dutch East India Fleet. It is precisely because of his decisiveness that he has sent a liaison officer this morning to consult the British.

Dick, the adjutant of Sampson, immediately saluted after hearing the interrogation: "Your Excellency, the British said that if you make up your mind, they will fly the flag of the Brooke dynasty and act with us."

Brook's flag?

Sampson sighed from the bottom of his heart. He could see that the British still had concerns, so he used this to join the war in the name of the dynasty established by British businessman James Brook in Sarawak, which was bordering Borneo. In this way, he would not completely tear his face with the Chinese Empire, and even if Li Mo dared to fight, he did not Dare to touch the Brooke dynasty protected by Britain.

But this can't be blamed on the other party. In any case, at least the British did not lose face to the Europeans. It is the greatest support to be willing to help the Netherlands participate in the war in the name of a third country!

Then let's start!

"Send a signal and let them get out immediately. This is the territory of the Netherlands!"

"Hang the battle flag and tell every soldier that it's time to defend the Netherlands! Let's tell those yellow monkeys why the tulip flag has been flying on this sea for hundreds of years!!"

"Go and get ready, my soldiers!"

Sampson's words made the Tulip suddenly pick up his mane, and countless Dutch sailors on the deck began to run. The descendants of these sea coachmen were indeed not stupid Russia and those who had just entered the sea. They were ready to fight in just a few minutes.

Five minutes later, the flag and the light signal were played from the tulip at the same time--

A sharp whistle broke the silence of the morning. There were ten brand-new hippo-class airships in the new open space that had just been leveled. The oblique golden light shone on these giants, giving people an indescribable shock!

A pair of soldiers rushed out of the barracks, rushed to the airship, and began to refuel the big guys who had just arrived. At the same time, the crew members also began to check before taking off.

When the warehouse next to it was closely protected by the gendarmerie, even prohibited from approaching within 50 meters, and equipped with a large number of water dragons, just in case, the warehouse slowly opened, every busy soldier was shocked.

I only saw hundreds of soldiers wearing strange one-piece rubber clothes and strange masks like pig's noses pushing out large barrels one by one, followed by dozens of scientific researchers wearing the same masks and white coats.

Before they arrived, the gendarmes even drove away all the soldiers on the edge of the airship, and the crew members immediately put on the same masks and carefully cooperated to put these large barrels into the magazine.

Compared with the first generation of hippo-class airships, these have been equipped with new aluminum engines, and the carrying capacity of big guys with increased airbags and pods has reached eight tons.

When forty iron barrels were carefully loaded into the magazine, the bombers immediately closed the hatch and breathed for a long time. At this time, the ground soldiers were allowed to continue to work.

Half an hour later, the first airship side warrior raised a green flag representing the preparation, followed by the second and third...

When the ten airships were all ready, the two small reconnaissance airships on the side took the lead, and then these big guys slowly rose into the sky. Countless people who had just got up were stunned by the spectacular scene in the sky and stood and watched them disappear out of the horizon--

"Get out of here?!"

The signal flag constantly waved on the other side of the telescope made Ye Zugui's eyes red!

It's just three Dutch cruisers. Do you think you dare to run rampant when you hold Britain's thighs? Since Japan can't do it and Russia can't do it, then use the Netherlands to let those European powers open their eyes completely!

"Report, the British cruisers changed their flags and hung the flags of the Brooke dynasty!"

"Report, I received a signal from Sirius radio that the main force of the British Far East Fleet is still 80 nautical miles away from us."

"Report, the Dutch cruiser raised the battle flag!"

Fang the flag of the Brooke dynasty?

Obviously, the British Empire still had concerns, but compared with this, the news that the main force of the British Far East Fleet was about to arrive made the air in the conning tower immediately tense.

Eighty nautical miles means that the British main battleships will arrive in five hours at the latest, and according to the tradition of the British navy, their sudden cruisers may be arriving soon!

"Give the alarm and get ready for battle."

The battle flag flying on the opposite side made Ye Zugui tremble excitedly. It was not nervous, but after several years of silence, the fleet finally opened again!

"Where did the mixed formation go?"

"I passed by the sea outside Kundian an hour and forty minutes ago, and it's still two hours away from us."

After listening to the report, Ye Zugui immediately walked to the chart, calculated with a compass and ruler, and put down the last trace of worry. He knew that as long as the special gang arrived, even if the Felitman arrived and wanted to take risks, the fleet would have a chance to fight back or even win!

Thinking of this, Ye Zugui suddenly threw away his pen and squinted into a thin line of eyes flashed sharply: "Send a signal that the Xinhua Royal Navy is being ordered to protect our expatriates and let them..."

"Get out of here!"

Get out of here again!

There was a sneer in the bridge. Everyone could see that the former Beiyang Pipe Belt, the current captain of the heavy cruiser Ussuri, and the commander of the cruiser formation of the Second Fleet, was very resentful of the Dutch.

"Laughing!"

Ye Zugui stamped his feet and shouted, "Order the ships to concentrate all their firepower on the Tulip and sink it first!"

"Report that the British cruisers and the Dutch are separated."

As soon as Ye Zugui finished speaking, the staff immediately shouted. After seeing the two British cruisers with temporary flags on the opposite side spewing black smoke, they immediately broke away from the formation and circled up from the left.

This change made everyone put away their smiling faces. Ye Zugui, who had studied in Britain, knew very well that the concept of the British navy had always been very advanced, so that they would not use cruisers as capital ships and have their own cruiser tactics like Japan and Russia.

This kind of array is obviously to see through the numerical advantage of one more, in an attempt to disperse itself, disperse the firepower, and make full use of the area of the sea and the high speed of the cruiser.

But!

Ye Zugui's mouth raised a faint smile. The British did not understand from beginning to end. The emperor and the general reference had already obtained the information that Britain wanted to intervene and formulated a tactic to attack the Netherlands, so this division of troops seemed to weaken the firepower of the frontal Dutch at this moment.

"Report, tulip flag, duel!"

"Fire!"

As soon as the words fell, the twelve 203mm main guns on the Ussuri and sister ship Manzhouli fired the first round of sniper shots, and almost at the same time, the main guns of the British and Dutch fleet opposite roared at the same time!

(to be continued)