1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 716 Security Forces
Li Dagui hurriedly responded, thinking that fortunately he stood firm and was not bought by the small favors of the Dutch.But it was obvious that Roger was not satisfied with the slave transaction that had been completed before, and he had to be careful with this task in the future.In the future, even the slaves sent by the Portuguese and the Ming maritime merchants would have to pick out the slackers from Sumatra, Java and other places in accordance with Roger's rules and negotiate the price separately.

Although there is not much land on Abuna Island suitable for food cultivation, the executive committee and the Ministry of Agriculture are very interested in developing large-scale planting of cash crops here. Some tropical cash crops that are not suitable for planting on Hainan Island are very suitable for cultivation Large-scale cultivation is carried out in the natural environment of Annabuna Island.Under the vigorous publicity of the Ministry of Commerce, investors from Daming, Annan, and Portugal built plantations here one after another. Although some of them may not understand what Haihan is going to do, but for Haihan's business Reputation has strong confidence, of course, what is more important is the attractive reward promised by Haihan.

According to the plantation cooperative development agreement signed by the investors, the money they invest here will obtain the equity of the plantation ranging from ten to 20 years in the next ten to twenty years according to the amount of their investment, and they will have priority to own the future output products of the relevant plantation The rate of return on investment for overseas agency sales rights is much higher than that of local rich men casting silver into watermelons and burying them in their homesteads.Moreover, Haihan also promised in the agreement that if the plantation on Abuna Island cannot continue to operate due to natural disasters or other irresistible forces, such as typhoons, earthquakes or sudden outbreaks of war, the investment The equity of the merchants can still be transferred to other places that belong to the plantation under the name of Haihan to obtain income.

Such insurance clauses also greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of investors. Although the investment threshold for the plantation on Ambuna Island starts from [-] mu, investors still signed nearly [-] mu of plantation in a very short period of time. cooperative development agreement.However, giants such as Qionglianfa, Minhaihang, and Yuehaihang, which are in the nature of chambers of commerce, signed agreements of more than [-] acres in the first phase of development.There is also a part of the plantation, under the name of Roger himself and some other traversers, which is a private property invested by himself.

Judging from the plantation development plans made by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Commerce alone, there is still a huge labor gap in the number of permanent residents on the island. Even if thousands of slaves have been introduced to the island, the huge workload It still seems like a drop in the bucket.If there is no major change in the normal channels for introducing immigrants, at least in the next one or two years, this kind of slave trading on Abuna Island will not stop for the time being.

The focus of Roger's work is not on the plantation. He tried every means to mobilize the military from the Tiandu Industrial Zone, not just to come to the South China Sea to be an island owner and have fun at the farm.As a soldier, a commander who intends to make great achievements, he is more concerned about how to make achievements in his current position.Although with the gradual normalization of relations with the East India Company, the security of the Abina Islands is no longer his top priority, but Roger still has to consider how to strengthen the military influence of the sea in the South China Sea.

From a strategic point of view, the Abunana Islands where Roger is currently sitting is not a place suitable for grandiose militarization.Due to limited natural conditions, there is no natural good harbor for the navy to use as a fleet station. Therefore, the main base of the navy in the South China Sea is still Cam Ranh Bay on the southern coastline of the Indochina Peninsula, and the Abona Islands are only deep into the sea. An outpost camp in the South China Sea, the number and type of ships that can be stationed are relatively limited.And even if the Annabuna Islands can be built into a sea fortress, if they are not equipped with an organized armed fleet, the threat to the South China Sea route is actually not as great as the Dutch fear.

However, the high-level members of the Military Commission have concerns about the complex races on the island, and currently have no plans to recruit troops here.In the early days, this area was colonized and developed by the Han people from Fujian, Guangdong, and South. After the Dutch occupied it, they introduced people from Europe and Southeast Asia. The naturalized people who came and the large-scale purchase of black slaves in the past two months, the race and blood of the resident population on the island are already so large that the staff of the Ministry of Civil Affairs feel a headache.

So many races have obvious differences in appearance, customs, and cultural traditions. It is very difficult for them to live together peacefully, let alone integrate the young and strong into the same disciplined force to go.In addition, the proportion of naturalized civilians here is relatively low, and the composition of personnel is complex. From the perspective of security, it is also the right decision not to conscript here for the time being.

Even if Roger didn't do a detailed investigation, he could still think that all the forces should have sent spies to lurk here.Especially the Dutch who had a temporary truce with Haihan, Roger would never believe that there were no spies among the slaves they sold to Abuna Island.If a guy with this special status was accidentally recruited into the militia during the conscription, the hidden danger would be great.Even if conscription is opened in the future, it is estimated that it will have to wait until the number of local naturalized citizens rises to a certain percentage.

But being unable to conscript doesn't mean Roger can't do anything.According to the regulations of the Military Commission, overseas colonies have the right and obligation to form and train militia units locally.In fact, this regulation is somewhat due to the limited military strength of the Haihan militia, and the scale of troops stationed overseas is often not enough to complete high-intensity combat missions. Therefore, the establishment of a permanent local reserve force has become the priority of each colonial military chief. one of the tasks.

Of course, this kind of real militia-like armed force is not the same thing as the militia army conscripted for service, so Roger doesn't have to worry about conflicting with the military's decision not to recruit troops here.Local civilians participating in militia training will not immediately get the opportunity to be naturalized as Haihan.

At present, there is a battalion of militia troops stationed on the island. Considering the population of the island is less than [-], the proportion of this garrison is actually quite high.However, with the recent purchase of a large number of slaves, the garrison, which was originally only responsible for external defense, had to put more energy into the management of slave labor camps.At least one company must be dispatched every day to monitor and command the slaves who entered the forest to work.And Roger's plan is to train an armed force that can take over these non-military tasks from the militia army according to the specific local conditions. Its role is between the civil affairs police and the public security anti-riot team.

Due to the lack of policy support, Roger is unlikely to be as comfortable as Qian Tiandun was when he formed a civilian armed force in Annan Black Earth Port. It is also unlikely that this armed force is equipped with advanced standard flintlock guns as individual weapons.But Roger still intends to give it a try, to see if he can create a law and order force that can be commanded by his arm in such an unsatisfactory environment.With Qian Tiandun's successful example ahead, building a special force has almost become a compulsory project for every senior military officer who leads troops overseas.

As long as you don't ask for military expenses from the base camp and don't occupy the resources of the regular army, in fact, the Military Commission and the Executive Committee have always turned a blind eye to the private training of overseas military leaders, and will not force them Such practices are prohibited.This is not a simple matter of face. When necessary, it will be more useful for unofficial armed forces to come forward to solve the problem than directly dispatching the militia army that symbolizes Haihan.For example, private armed forces such as the "Golden Shield Escort" jointly built by the Haihan military in Guangdong and local tycoons can often play a role when it is inconvenient for the Haihan militia to come forward directly.

In terms of the number of investors attracted by the Abona Islands, if Roger wants to find a few merchants to invest, it is not difficult to create a shell for this civil armed forces to fool outsiders.Private armed training in Annan and Guangdong and Guangxi regions has been monopolized by a few large households for a long time, and many rich people are unable to find them. As long as Roger agrees to train the personnel they send for these funders, some of them are investors. Willing to pay for this armed force in the Abona Islands.

On June 6, notices from the Ambuna Port Management Committee were posted all over the island. The content was to prepare for the establishment of a local security force and mobilize young and strong men of the right age to sign up.In fact, after Mu Xiabai led his troops to take down the Ambuna Islands, a militia was organized, including even the Portuguese who immigrated here to replace the Dutch.However, after Mu Xiabo resigned and returned to Annan, the militia that participated in the second battle of Abunna Island had basically been disbanded, and there was no intensive training.

Roger didn't intend to start anew. In the notice issued this time, the priority is still to recruit members of the militia who were registered last year.Recruitment is voluntary, but those who pass will receive a special subsidy from the management committee, and this income is the treatment that the first batch of militiamen did not enjoy last year.In addition, Roger also imitated the militia's practice of conscription, announcing that those who qualify will enjoy preferential policies in many aspects such as naturalization and property purchase.The difference is that enlisting in the militia is naturalization, and can be automatically promoted to Haihan naturalization, while the security militia recruited by Roger can only shorten the immigration and naturalization inspection period to a certain extent.Of course, the slaves who were recently trafficked to the island are not yet eligible to sign up for this recruitment activity.

Roger still has some doubts about whether such measures will be effective, so this time the recruitment time is set for one week.However, the result was better than he expected. A week later, the number of applicants exceeded 400. After eliminating some unqualified applicants, there were still more than 300 people, almost equivalent to the size of the island's current garrison. halfway through.

On June 6, Roger received 20 qualified candidates who passed the final review in the military camp on the island.Half of these people are naturalized citizens who have obtained Haihan nationality, while the other half are immigrants from Portugal, Java, Annan, Daming and other nationalities, as well as some locals who have mixed blood so much that they can't tell their original origin composition.It even included more than a dozen tall black men. They were not slaves bought recently, but descendants of black servants who stayed here during the Dutch occupation period. They grew up on this island since they were young, and they can basically speak Chinese. , there is no big barrier in terms of language.

Among these were about 40 trainees selected by each of the six sponsors.Their mission is to receive Haihan-style military training, and then return to the master's house at the right time to form a private armed force for their master.Of course, the purpose of the host’s paying for them to come here for training is not only to learn Haihan’s military skills, but also to maintain the relationship with Haihan’s military, so that they can form private armed forces in the future. Only when there is a channel to purchase advanced weapons manufactured by Haihan, and when necessary, to obtain military support and assistance from Haihan's military.

In particular, investors in Annan and Guangdong and Guangxi regions are eager for the support of the Haihan military far beyond the importance of this training itself, because they have already contacted those private armed forces supported by Haihan, and they know that the Haihan people are As long as the practice in this field can be regarded as "one of our own" by the Haihan military, it will be very easy and pleasant to do many things in the future.And spending 8000 taels of silver for this is actually a very worthwhile deal.

"Listen well! There is no need for losers here. Those who do not meet the requirements, I will kick you out of the gate of the barracks unceremoniously, no matter whether you were sailors, farmers, hunters, liars, or criminals. After coming here, I will transform you into real fighters!"

Roger held a tin trumpet and stood on a temporary platform built of wooden boxes to preach loudly to the militiamen: "Here you will not get military membership in the Haihan Militia, but you will get courage and survival skills. If you are brave enough, In the future, there will be opportunities to fight to make you heroes in the eyes of the world!"

Roger's speech was full of passion, but the response was not enthusiastic. It was obvious that these people did not accept Roger's bloody way.Most of them came for the monthly militia training subsidy. It is estimated that the proportion of those who really intend to join the army and rely on military merits to climb up is not too high.

Roger himself is full of motivation. He believes that his aptitude is not much worse than Qian Tiandun's. Since Qian Tiandun can lead a powerful special operations force in Annan, he can also make the same achievements here. .Although this army was established in the name of the local security force, Roger had in mind the intention of building it into another ace overseas army under Haihan's banner.

(End of this chapter)