1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 184 Aftermath ([-])

"Colonel Van Dijk, your navy's performance is very heroic, and the mission has been completed perfectly!" Anthony van Daiman, the governor of the Netherlands in Batavia, looked at Colonel Aryan Van Dijk, commander of the Batavia fleet, with a smile on his face.

"Thank you for your affirmation, Your Excellency the Governor!" Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said reservedly: "The arrogance and carelessness of the Spaniards made them completely fall into our plan. Unfortunately, a Spanish warship still escaped. back."

"A warship full of scars will have to stay in the dock for at least three months. Moreover, it will take more than half a year to replenish the personnel on board." Governor Daiman said: "I heard that they still have two warships staying In that Hanzhou?"

"...Yes. But Your Excellency, the two warships should have been sunk or captured by Hanzhou." Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said with a serious expression: "The captured Spanish officers confessed that they were in Hanzhou It was a disgraceful defeat. On the first day, the two warships were damaged by Hanzhou's fierce coastal defense batteries, and lost their sail power. Moreover, their landing force may be... annihilated!"

"Oh?" Governor Daiman looked at Colonel Aryan Van Dijk in surprise, "Han Zhou completely wiped out the Spanish landing force?"

"Yes, it should have wiped out their landing troops."

"How many landing troops do they have?"

"250 musketeers, 1000 native servants. In addition, they also brought more than [-] tribal natives. It is said that after the Spaniards are preparing to capture Hanzhou, they will build it into a fortress against us Dutch. "

"...So, in this way, Hanzhou defeated the Spaniard's attack, and indirectly avoided the rear threat of the Spaniards for us Dutch."

"Well, so to speak."

Governor Daiman paced the room, thinking about what this incident meant to Batavia.

"We will continue to put pressure on the Spaniards, and if possible, tentatively attack the Philippines. Therefore, we need some friends, and friends with some strength, to deal with the Spaniards together." Governor Daiman said: "That Hanzhou seems to be a good choice."

"Your Excellency, but we..." Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said.

"But we once abandoned them, didn't we?" Governor Daiman shook his head and said: "So what? Didn't you do the analysis, as long as we control the front line of Java Island, they will not be able to get the source of immigrants from Ming Dynasty, and they will not be able to get All kinds of supplies they desperately need. In a way, they are under our control. Isn't it?"

"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor." Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said, "However, I am worried that they will not sincerely cooperate with us again because of our abandonment. Perhaps, they will perfunctory us and shirk us."

"But in one matter, they will sincerely cooperate with us." Governor Daiman said with a smile: "To deal with the Spaniards in the Philippines together! Because it is the common enemy of us and Hanzhou. Since we have a common goal, Why not cooperate?"

"Will continuing to cooperate with Hanzhou strengthen their strength?" Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said, "After all, they are located in the southeast of Batavia."

"Do they have enough sea power to threaten us?"

"Not yet."

"That leaves them never having enough sea power to threaten us."

"I understand, Your Excellency Governor." Colonel Ayan Van Dijk said: "Restrict their sea power, but allow them to have a slightly stronger land attack force, and cooperate with us to attack the Spaniards in the Philippines."

"That's right. As long as that Hanzhou doesn't have a strong enough sea power, what if their army is a little stronger? The defeat of the Spanish landing force this time has proved that they can train an army with considerable force. But that's all. Could it be that they still have to find a way to train the army's swimming skills!" Governor Daiman finally made a joke, and several officers in the room laughed knowingly.

"Send our representatives to Hanzhou to talk to them. I think we both have common interests, and this will heal the unhappiness!"
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When the only surviving warship of the Spanish expeditionary fleet returned to Manila dragging its bruised body, it immediately shocked all Spanish colonial officials.

Since colonizing the Philippines in 1565, the Spanish colonial army in the Philippines had never suffered such heavy losses.This fiasco was comparable to that suffered by the Kingdom of Spain in the Gulf of Matanzas, Cuba, nine years earlier.

The Governor of Spain in the Philippines, Sebastian Coquera, furiously threw all the surviving naval officers and soldiers into prison, thinking that their failure had greatly damaged the reputation of the Kingdom of Spain.As for the life and death of Major Anthony Goldstein, the fleet commander, it is even more important to deprive him of all his honor and identity.

The stupid Goldstein actually let the great kingdom of Spain be defeated by a group of dirty and despicable pirates.Where did his profession, his integrity, and his honor go?

Oh, and that lowly Netherlandish commodity dealer, who actually sneaked up on the Royal Spanish Navy in a despicable and shameless way.

All of these must be punished as they should be.Those pirates need to be caught and hanged in the squares of Manila; those Dutch merchants must be struck down by the kingdom.

But when calm was gradually restored, Governor Sebastian Coquera had to recognize the current situation in the Philippines.Originally, the Philippine fleet had ten large armed merchant ships and more than twenty small and medium-sized armed merchant ships.Today, only one of the five large armed merchant ships in the expedition fleet survived to return, and all four merchant ships were sunk or captured.

More than 700 soldiers and more than 1000 native servants were "left" in that Hanzhou.The Philippine land and sea defense strength suddenly dropped by half.In particular, the destruction of the more than 250 Spanish musketeers has caused a significant reduction in the number of Spanish colonial troops, which is a big worry for suppressing those native soldiers and tribal armed forces.

It will take more than nine months (March and April next year) for the Pacific fleet from South America to Europe via the Philippines to reach the Philippines again.But what they brought to the Philippines from South America was not only a large amount of silver, but also the colonial army and normal supplies that were originally planned to be replaced.As for more support troops, sorry, the distance is too far to receive the information in time.

If the Philippines wants to retaliate against the Hanzhou pirate gang again, it will take at least two years to recruit more volunteer soldiers from Mexico, Peru, and Lima to Manila.Of course, Spanish immigrants in the Philippines can also be urgently recruited into the army.But combat capability and will to fight are questionable.

As for the navy, though, the Cavite shipyard near Manila could replenish those lost warships in a year's time.But those lost sailors could not be replaced.At that time, I am afraid that Peru or Lima will also be needed for support.

Oh, God, if those South American governors and generals heard that the Philippine colonial army was wiped out by a group of pirates, I would definitely be the butt of their talk at the party!If it spreads to Madrid again, will the adults of the Office think I'm too incompetent?
Governor Sebastian Coquera, annoyed, was analyzing the consequences of this incident for the Philippine colony and for himself.He was eagerly thinking about how to restore or mitigate the bad consequences of this matter.

Quickly organize another expedition to capture all the pirates and establish a military stronghold that can threaten the Dutch.

Or, take revenge on the Dutch by destroying several of their colonial strongholds in Borneo.Even, you can consider attacking the Moluccas (Maluku Islands, or the Spice Islands), in order to attack the economic base of the Dutch in the East Indies.

Thinking of this, Governor Luis das Marina immediately summoned the main military, political and colonial officials in Manila to come to the Governor's Office to discuss and evaluate which plan is the easiest to implement and the most effective, and at the same time can boost the morale of the Spanish army and the people after this defeat.

"Your Excellency, attacking the Hanzhou pirate gang again, I'm afraid there will be some difficulties." Army Commander Colonel Polzionato glanced at the gray-faced Navy Commander Colonel Rorscheidt, and took a step forward. Said: "The expedition fleet mobilized more than 700 soldiers, but the entire army was wiped out. If there is another expedition, it is bound to mobilize more soldiers. But we only have less than 450 musketeers in the entire Philippines. Oh, now there are only [-] There are many."

"If more soldiers are mobilized to participate in the expedition, it will affect our overall security situation in the entire Philippines, and even shake our effective rule in some weak areas."

"So, what's your suggestion?" Governor Sebastian Coquera, although a little unwilling, had to admit that what Colonel Ornato said was extremely reasonable.

"I suggest attacking the Moluccas." Colonel Polzionato said: "As we all know, there is the economic lifeline of the Dutch, and a large amount of spices are shipped from there every year to the Dutch in Batavia. Untold wealth has been created. When we attack here, we can not only retaliate against the Dutch attack on my expedition fleet, but also severely damage the economic foundation of the Dutch, and at the same time make up for the Philippines’ finances.”

Governor Sebastian Coquera nodded. The first two points are the most important, and the last point is probably not to make up for the Philippines' finances, but to try to fill the pockets of Spanish soldiers.

"What about the pirate gang in Hanzhou?"

"Let them go for now." Colonel Polzionato bit the bullet and said: "After all, we are temporarily unable to organize another expedition, and we have to cross the Dutch forces on the way."

"What's your navy's opinion?" Governor Sebastian Coqueira looked coldly at Colonel Rolscheid, the commander of the navy.

"I fully agree with Colonel Ornato's suggestion." Colonel Rorscheit said, "To attack the Moluccas, we can use the Hele Island (Jollo Island) captured earlier as a forward base."

"Are the natives of the island still attacking us in Spain?"

"The natives have all hid in the jungle. We only need a few hundred people to firmly hold the place near the port and provide the necessary supplies for the navy at any time." Colonel Polzionato confidently Said.

"Then everyone, get ready. Let's teach those Dutch merchants a lesson!"

　Correction: After 1636, the Spanish Governor in the Philippines was Governor Sebastian H. Coquera
　　
　
(End of this chapter)