Chapter 127 Go to the horse

"The result of the battle between Roger Strinsky and Dongxiang is related to the overall situation of the war. If Dongxiang wins, it will lay the foundation for remembering the final victory of the Russian War and leaping into the forest of the world's first-class powers. On the contrary, if the Russian fleet is defeated, it can take away the sea control of the sea and cut off. With the supply line of the Japanese army stationed in South Korea, Russia will revive the decline and revive its declining national fortune.

Theodore? Almost all over the world, after China and the two countries reached the Nanjing Armistice Agreement, they once again turned their attention to Russia's Second Pacific Fleet. Anyone knows that for China, the Russian navy has made the best use of everything, that is, so the master naturally wants to ask the "guest" to leave himself. Home. At home.

"Dick these chimneys as yellow as we do."

On May 9, when the Third Pacific Fleet led by Major General Nebogatov had five warships that could barely be called battleships, cruisers and other warships, with an average age of 10 years and an average speed of 16 knots, but the Russian court placed the hope of victory on these old warships, the "gun" Third Pacific ships. Team, after the rendezvous of Sandu Australia and the Second Pacific Fleet.

Rostewinsky had no expectations for these old warships with guns, and he was even unwilling to accept these warships, but now he can only accept these old warships. After the two met, when Major General Nebogatov asked Roger Strinsky how he was going now and what they should do, he just pointed to the black chimney of the Third Pacific Fleet and said.

"Dick these chimneys as yellow as we do."

Rogerstwinsky's order to the Third Pacific Fleet is the only one. No one can understand why Roedeswinsky painted the traditional black chimney of the Russian warships khaki.

Even Chinese naval officers who were half allies could not understand. After their polite questions, Roger Stottwinsky just shrugged his shoulders, and when the Chinese naval officers in Sanshawan looked at the eye-catching yellow chimney, they were all saying a word.

"Rogerstwinsky's aesthetics have only one use: it is convenient for the Japanese fleet to identify the target in the decisive battle of the Russian fleet in the future."

On May 18, the Russian Second Pacific Fleet, which had been silent for a long time, finally set out, and Sa Zhenbing, who was at the Marine School on Book Island on the same day, wrote in the diary after receiving the news that the Russian fleet was on its way.

"It can be expected that Russia will become a navyless country in 10 days."

After the departure of the Russian Second Pacific Fleet, although I caught the information of the Russian fleet from Sandu Australia in time, there was no news after the departure of the Russian fleet as if it had evaporated. This was not the command level of the bureaucrat Roger Strinsky, but the Chinese navy blocked everything. News from the Russian Navy.

Although the Chinese navy has provided help to the best of its ability, it is already exhausted for Rozhstwinsky, who has traveled 18,000 nautical miles. For him, the most important task now is to realize the will of His Majesty the Tsar.

"Go to Vladivostok!"

In the commander's room, Roger Stevinsky repeated his order, and when he gave the order, he almost instinctively wiped his left hand on the birch desk, and the coal ash on his fingertips made Roger Stevinsky frown.

Because Vladivostok could not provide coal, the fleet had to solve the coal-fired problem on its own, so all warships were still on the task of transporting coal ships. Even Roedstwinsky's own office cabin was full of coal, most of which were obtained from Chinese anthracite when they left Sandu Australia.

This is the best white coal! Looking at the black coal bags in his office, Roger Stevensky said in his heart, but... If he met me, he said that he must have caught fire after hitting the shells, and he designed a crematorium for himself.

... In this way... The fleet did not spontaneously ignite on the way, and it was already God's blessing.

"Mr. Commander, for the sake of safety, we should choose to enter the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait, and then sail into the Japan Sea from the Tsugaru Strait or the Zonggu Strait to Vladivostok!"

Major Nebogatov looked at the silent Roger Strinsky who was standing there and made his own suggestion. When he led the Third Pacific Fleet to set off, almost all the princes and ministers in St. Petersburg sent a telegram to him, and there was only one request in the telegram.

"Assist Roger Strinsky to bring the fleet to Vladivostok safely and smoothly!"

The general of St. Petersburg did not have much confidence in Rozhstwinsky, and after Nebogatov joined the Second Pacific Fleet, he also deeply felt this from his friends, colleagues and the treatment he suffered. Rozhestwinsky was just a bureaucrat and a management type. The bureaucrat is also a military illiterate.

Starting from Liepaya in October last year, Roedstwinsky has not called his staff to hold a combat meeting in half a year. In addition to reading the imperial edict of His Majesty, all the meetings were to announce the punishment for an unlucky subordinate. The most hateful thing is that in addition to being military illiterate, he is also a political only husband.

On this point, he is the same as His Majesty the Tsar who trusted him extremely, and it can also be said that he is the little tsar of the Baltic Fleet. Since the Tsar did not need to listen to his subordinates, Commander Rodstwinski did not need to listen to his subordinates. Although he knew that his advice was difficult to be adopted, Nebogatov still made his own suggestions conscientiously, not for Roedstwinsky, but for the Russian navy.

" Major General Nebogatov!"

Looking at the tropical fruit on the exquisite Jingdezhen fruit plate placed on the desk, Roedesthewinsky showed his only husband's side in the future, and said with great interest.

"After the departure of the fleet last year, we have walked 18,000 nautical miles, which may be the greatest expedition in the history of the world's navy, but now our soldiers are already exhausted, and almost everyone can't wait to arrive in Vladivostok a second!"

Excuse!

Rostewinsky's reason made Nebogatov curse in his heart. Yes, everyone can't wait to get to Vladivostok a second earlier, but it doesn't mean that everyone is willing to take risks in the Strait of the Strait. In fact, almost everyone is unwilling to let me have the geographical advantage. Horse. Compared with the time spent on a detour, I'm afraid the sailors are more eager to reach Vladivostok alive.

"Why should we take a detour at this time? And you should know that if we take a detour through the Tsugaru Strait or the Zongya Strait, which is full of reefs and thick fog, we may sink more than half of our warships without waiting for a war. So, now the safest way for us is to break through the Strait of Tsushima desperately, my General Nebogatov!"

When he said this excuse, Roger Strinsky's expression was still tired. Perhaps the rest in Sanduao restored some energy to his body, but in fact, as a court favorite, he never thought that he needed to bear the fate of the whole fleet, or perhaps the ship. The fate of the team is nothing, but the most terrible thing is that what you need to bear is the fate of the decline and prosperity of the entire Russian empire. God knows that this is the responsibility that the tsar can bear, which can be borne by himself, a small naval officer.

And Roger Strinsky, who is overwhelmed by this kind of pressure that he can't bear, has no confidence in the future at all, and is unwilling to take on this "great responsibility". He has never thought about any choice but the Strait of Malaysia. The responsibility of the 18,000-mile expedition, the "eighth miracle of the world" and "the Russian Empire will revive the decline and revive its declining national fortune" have long made Rostshwinsky physically and mentally haggard and even unable to think normally.

At this time, what decisions can be made by him, but Nebogatov is not clear about this, but what's the use even if he knows it?

"Mr. Commander, when we set out, I..."

Major Nebogatov straightened his chest. As a professional naval officer, although the journey made him also exhausted, he met with Chinese naval officers and staff officers many times as soon as he arrived in Sandu Australia to consult them, exchange views with them, and even listened to their construction. Discuss.

"Sir, when we were in Jinlan Bay and Sanduao, especially after our fleet appeared in Taiwan and even Ryukyu, there had been a great panic in Japan, because we had inadvertently threatened the lifeline of Japan, and the number of ships entering and leaving the port had been greatly reduced. The area of Kansai and Osaka was due to raw materials. It's not enough. There have been factory shutdowns!"

Major General Nebogatov put forward a fact that Russia did not know and could not understand as a mainland nation.

"So, if we enter the Pacific Ocean from the Luzon Strait, directly occupy the Ogasawara Islands, and fight with the joint fleet in the future, it will be a complete dead end. Even, we don't need to occupy the Ogasawara Islands. We just need to cruise around the Ogasawara Islands, which is enough to force us to..."

After Major General Nebogatov finished his suggestion, Roger Strinsky revealed his identity as the "Little Tsar of the Second Pacific" and interrupted him rudely.

"General Nebogatov, I need to remind you that the commander of the Second Pacific Fleet is me..."

Looking directly at General Nebogatov, Rostewinsky continued in a questioning tone.

"Do you need me to repeat His Majesty's order to you now?"

Nebogatov was stunned by Roedtwinsky's change. At first, his attitude even gave Nebogatov the illusion that maybe he could persuade Roedwinsky to accept his suggestion. Even if he did not cruise in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan, he should take a detour from the Pacific Ocean. Return to Vladivostok.

"The panic has already begun in China? Are they afraid that we will appear in Ogasawara? Don't you know that I am a cunning nation?

Rostewinsky stared at General Nebogatov and continued.

"Chinese? Maybe they have reached an agreement with me! If I expected it to be good, now this joint fleet may be waiting for us to throw ourselves into the net in the Luzon Strait!"

Rogerstwinsky asked in a sarcastic tone, what is the economic fear in China and what they are afraid of their own shipping lines. In Rogerstwinsky's opinion, this is just a conspiracy. They tried to lead the fleet to the Luzon Strait conspiracy.

"Now, our intelligence shows that the Japanese joint fleet is really waiting for us in the Luzon Strait south of Taiwan!"

As soon as Rozhestwinsky said this, General Nebogatov immediately refuted it.

"Mr. Commander, we don't have accurate information now. It is indeed the main force of the Japanese navy in the Luzon Strait, and it may be their bait fleet! It's like... it's like a British fishing boat in the Hull Sea area of the North Sea!"

When the unscrupulsive Nebogatov refuted Rogerstwinsky, he just forgot one thing. Standing in front of him was the commander of the Second Pacific Fleet, who also had the alias of "Little Tsar of the Second Pacific Fleet". Such a ignored refutation could not be accepted by the "Little Tsar", and also What he couldn't stand, and what was more fatal was that he mercilessly turned out the old account "Hull incident".

After Nebogatov mentioned the "Hull incident", Rogerstwinski's white cheeks immediately showed a look of shame and anger. The "Hull incident" can be said to be a great shame for him. It was a heinous disaster six days after the fleet set sail. A spy reported that the North Sea was full of words. Ben's lightning strike ship and torpedo boat, for this reason, when he passed through the Sea and Sea Hull area, he regarded the shadow of the British fishing boat on the sea as a Japanese lightning ship, and then fired nearly 300 cannons at the British fishing boat. Although he only sank ordinary fishing boats and injured three, it almost led to the Anglo-Russian war.

If it hadn't been for the French to threaten Britain with French loans to Britain in the end, I'm afraid that the Second Pacific Fleet would have been sent to the sea by the British navy.

"General Nebogatov, I need to remind you that the order given by His Majesty the Tsar is to "Go to Vladivostok", not "defeat the Japanese fleet and win the war", not to mention the suggestions made by those stupid Chinese. They didn't even There is a navy! And... my order has been given!"

Perhaps considering Nebogatov's relationship in St. Petersburg, although Rogers Winsky was full of anger, he did not show it unexpectedly and reminded Nebogatov again.

Long before leaving Sandu Australia, out of confidentiality, worried that the Chinese or the spy would get the movement of the Second Pacific Fleet, Roger Strinsky specially sent an envelope to all the captains, asking to open it after going on the road. There is a small piece of paper in the envelope, on which Roger Strinsky wrote "to the horse" in beautiful floral characters.

"Commander, if we go to the Tsushima Strait, then the horse is a dead end!"

Major General Nebogatov said directly.

"At least it's fuel-saving there!"

"But the whole Russian navy will be buried! The Russian navy will suffer a hundred years of humiliation for your actions!"

Nebogatov continued to argue, but at this time he also understood that unless there was a direct order from the Tsar, it was impossible for him to persuade Rostewinsky to accept his suggestion, and he himself on the sea could not make any advice to St. Petersburg.

"I think... I guessed at least a little!"

After leaving Roedst Wenski's office, Nebogatov, who was full of bitterness, said so to his entourage. Looking at the ragged sailors, he sighed helplessly.

"Rostewinsky's stupidity will destroy the wisdom of the Russian navy for two hundred years!"

Under the desperate spirit of Rozhstwinsky, the huge Second Pacific Fleet continued to go north. Although Roger Strinsky is a full-fledged bureaucratic court officer, he also knows that it is now at the most tense moment. After driving out of Sandu Australia, he changed the habit of the whole fleet all the way, which is as bright as day in a few nautical miles.

Deck lights, portholes, etc. are all turned off, and the anti-collision lights that have to be retained also reduce the brightness. The whole fleet implements the strictest light control. Of course, radio can no longer be used. The court-born admiral has a little knowledge of radio silence.

Finally, he saw the ship along the way and went out to show his mouth. However, Roger Strinsky still knew that he was a navy, not a pirate. He could not kill people. He could only rob the ship first and force him to follow him.

It is natural to take these measures, but there will be some inexplicable mistakes in "naturally". Originally, the arrival of the Russian fleet caused panic in the maritime world. Everyone didn't go there when they had nothing to do. Roger Strinsky only robbed two merchant ships along the way, but there would be something wrong with these two ships.

At noon on May 19, the Russians robbed the British oil tanker "Olt? The Hamiyan forced the ship to follow the fleet. But at 9 a.m. on the same day, the Russians also robbed a Norwegian-registered cargo ship "Second Oscar". After the inspection of the Second Oscar, they unexpectedly let go of the freighter out of some mentality. However, Roger Strzewinsky did not know that the cargo ship he had kindly released for a while was rented by Mitsui.

And the most fatal point is that the Russian officers who boarded the ship for inspection also casually answered the "casual" questions asked by the second Oscar crew.

"Where are you going?"

"Let's go to the horse."

(to be continued)