Chapter 260 Difficult Choices

This is an era of sea power!

Since Mahan's Theory of Sea Power, for the whole world, sea power has become a crucial link in safeguarding its own interests. When the cruisers of the world's major countries cruise around the world, the Admiralty is the heart and brain of this country's protection of sea power.

For China, he does not have a strong navy, and even his naval strength is far inferior to that of the Banana Republic in South America, but this does not prevent his naval department from being the heart of his own navy. It is also in the naval department of Yongxing Road in Nanjing that a step-by-step naval preparation plan has been formulated. Zhang Zhang is listed as a confidential schedule and is also locked in the secret room of the Admiralty Department.

There is a new combat room in the courtyard of the Admiralty. There is a huge sea map covering the world hanging on the wall of the war room, but on the sea map, there is a blue line. More than a dozen naval officers in front of the map seem to be discussing in front of the map.

"Sir, it seems safe to return from the Sukda Strait, but the risk is even far greater than returning from the Strait of Malacca! Our intelligence personnel in Singapore sent back a report that the British cruiser squadron has cancelled its vacation, and they are likely to sail to the Sunda Strait to intercept the return of the two ships!"

"These two warships must find a way to drive back anyway!"

Ye Zugui nodded and said that although the rule had been determined to be intercepted, he would rather sink himself than make a precedent for the navy to surrender and surrender the ship.

Staring at the nautical chart, Ye Zugui's eyes had already turned red for two days. The whole navy was focused on the two warships, and even the tense situation at the mouth of the Yangtze River could not distract him.

"How much coal do the two ships have!"

"About 1,100 tons!"

"How far can you sail!"

"At a speed of ten knots, about 3,8 hundred nautical miles!"

One by one, it is not optimistic. One thousand British and German crew members of the two ships have a range of 3,8 hundred nautical miles. If the endurance is enough, it can be covered by the ocean, turn to Australia into the Pacific Ocean, and then enter Japan, so as to safely return to China. But now not only is the endurance is insufficient, but also a thousand British on the ship. German ships may also become internal enemies.

The two ships with unstable fleet and insufficient endurance need to face the Chinese fleets of Britain, France and the United States. Whether from Malacca or the Straits, they will inevitably encounter the Asian interception of the three countries.

For these great powers, they also urgently need some actions that do not cause China to overreaction to show their attitude, especially in the case of preparing for war in Shanghai and Pingjin. For them, the capture of these two warships may be the best statement, and for the rule, he would rather choose to sink than be subject to others.

While Ye Zugui frowned and meditated, a major staff officer who had been staring at the map turned to look at the minister.

"Minister, maybe there is another way!"

"Tay!"

At night, the fog on the sea dissipated, and a crescent moon quietly appeared in the sky. The snow-white waves stirred up by the warship's night voyage were dazzling. At this time, the two battleships "Zhenhai" and "Dinghai" were sailing at full speed in the Indian Ocean. If they had just left Alexandria and loaded 2,048 tons of coal, it would not have been possible for the two "fast battleships" to reach a high speed of 14 knots.

The two warships sailing on the ocean were under light control at this time. The two ships did not enter Manar Bay as planned, enter the Andaman Sea through the strait, and then into the Strait of Malacca, but sailed directly to the south to avoid the possibility of the British Navy's Indian Squadron. Intercept.

In the command tower reflecting the moonlight, Cheng Biguang searched the sea with a telescope from time to time. He was even glad that he had decided to choose Welsh anthracite to protect the boiler. The light anthracite was conducive to the concealment of the warship. After driving nearly 200 nautical miles south, the two ships that suddenly turned to the square and headed straight towards Malacca still maintained a high speed at this time.

"General, do you think the British will be fooled?"

"I'm afraid it depends on the British's own decision. It's relatively safe to return from the Sunda Strait. The strength of the Dutch East India Fleet is far inferior to mine, and it will never dare to intercept it. Anyone who faces the current situation will choose to pass through the Sunda Strait instead of the high-risk Malacca!"

Cheng Biguang shook his head.

"Although passing through the Strait, it seems safe on the surface, the British Navy in Singapore can intercept near the Sunda Strait. I'm afraid it's not easier to go home safely than from Malacca!"

Once again, he picked up the telescope to search the dark sea, and Cheng Biguang continued to speak.

"Although the Strait of Malacca is narrow and close to the British Fleet base, the Strait is full of sea fog. We can use the cover of sea fog to cross the Strait of Malacca. Sailing south can show the false appearance of the fleet sailing from the Sunda Strait, so as to mobilizing the British ships to turn to the Sunda Strait. The strength of the British Chinese fleet is inferior to our fleet. If it wants to intercept our ship, it will pour out. In this way, the area of Singapore is an empty city. Even if it is found by foreign ships in the Strait of Malacca, as long as it exerts the high speed of Zhenhai class, the fleet may have already sailed into the South China Sea before the British ship returns from the Sunda Strait to pursue. There is only one battleship in the Chinese fleet, and it is stationed. The Chinese fleet in Hong Kong has no warships. Even if the Chinese fleet in Hong Kong blocks the enemy, it can be escorted by ships such as Haiqi and Haitian. There is no need to consider the threat of British ships!"

Although he is full of self-confidence, Cheng Biguang's expression is still solemn. He knows the risk of choosing this route, but this risk is always worth taking. As long as he sails into the South China Sea and waits to meet with Haiqi, Haitian and other ships, the task is completed.

"The officer's telegram!"

He took the telegram from the hands of the VIPs. Cheng Biguang looked at the telegram and frowned first, and then the exhibition.

"Order, drive at full speed towards the Strait of Malacca!"

Singapore is like a green triangular land on the undulating high seas with a tip cut off from the steep Malaya Mountains. Two gray "tumors" destroyed the beauty of its jungle: to the southeast is a modern city dotted with red roofs, and to the north is a large number of small sheds, cranes, barracks, streets, houses and a wide green site: Singapore Naval Base.

The base, which is not large, is particularly quiet. There are more than a dozen cruisers with tonnage from more than 2,000 tons to 6,000 tons parked on the wharf and the vast anchorage. This is the main berth port of the British Chinese fleet.

At dawn, on the front deck of a light cruiser in the military port, barefoot sailors are washing the deck there, which often means the beginning of the day. On the other side, the sailors are constantly lifting vegetables and grains on the ship, and the coal is being transported. The broken warship is the prelude to the departure of the fleet.

Pagus, standing on the deck, felt very comfortable stepping on the iron deck under his feet. The gentle breeze in the harbor has a pungent smell and smells very comfortable. This is the world he is familiar with, a well-organed world composed of huge warships, powerful mechanical equipment, active young sailors, heavy artillery and the sea.

"Henry, we will go to the Sunda Strait today to search for Zhenhai and Dinghai!"

There was a little helplessness in Pegg's words.

"Have you found them?"

"After turning from them, they lost their tracks, but compared with Malacca, Commander Gerard Noel believes that they will definitely choose to return to the Strait! So we're going to stop them there."

Henry shrugged his shoulders and continued, "To be honest, this is definitely not a good task. The Chinese ruler has expressed his attitude that the warship would rather sink than hand over the ship, and the Duke of Ji Li is also on the warship. If they don't stop the ship, do we have to bombard them with naval guns? Although they don't have the ability to fight back at all, Duke Ji Li has said that he will never leave the ship. If she really sinks with the ship, I'm afraid that the war will be inevitable at that time!"

"Who knows?"

Paggers narrowed his eyes and remembered the telegram sent by the Dukeess Ji Li to her husband in the newspaper, and couldn't help sighing at the beautiful face in the newspaper.

"If they say, they have sank. At least by then, Commander Gerard Noel will set a record. He not only forced a British duke to die at sea, but also added an unprecedented result to the navy. We killed a queen.

When Paggers and Henry were talking on the warship, Gérard Noel, the commander of the Chinese fleet, was there savoring a telegram from London, which was sent by Commander Fisher. The content of the telegram was very simple, but he reiterated his friendship with the Duke of Platinum Khan again, and again. The attitude of naming London is not to wage a war with China, but to convey appropriate pressure to China.

"... If Her Majesty the Duchess sinks with the ship, whether we are willing or not, we must carry out a full-scale war with China. For the navy, we can fight at any time, but the final victory of China needs to be contested by the army. London does not have much hope for this... The London Ministry of Foreign Affairs For, proper pressure can achieve the goal, rather than provoke a war.

"Damn Chinese!"

Lieutenant General Geral Noel scolded helplessly. He understood what he was going to face. What he had to face was two warships that put explosives into the ammunition depot and were ready to sink at any time. If it was only two middle [***] ships with no resistance, the problem was very simple, even if they sank, At that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can also praise their bravery in a very regretful tone, and then express regret that this is their choice and has nothing to do with Britain.

But what about now? Ji Li on the ship? Chen's existence makes the problem complicated. It's not only him, but also London. If Ji Li? Chen really died. It was not only a British duke who was killed, but also the future queen of China. Is it possible to avoid war at that time?

"I hope...I hope they can understand..."

Thinking of the farewell banquet at noon today, Lieutenant General Gerard Noel shook his head again, hoping that the Singaporean Chinese leaders could understand the information he had revealed.

(to be continued)