1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 260 The goal of the attack

Five armed merchant ships of the Dutch East India Company floated outside the port of Jianye City, closely watching the movement in the port.

However, it has been a month since the Han-Dutch war broke out, and the Jianye City port has been blocked for more than 20 days. The Dutch ships did not find any Hanzhou ships entering or leaving the harbor.

The dead and silent port, as if deep in the pier is a deserted and uninhabited land.But the Dutch warship knew that there were dozens of heavy artillery hidden in the silent pier and the mountains on both sides.When the Jianye port was just blocked, a Dutch armed merchant ship tried to attack two fishing boats in the harbor when it arrived for reconnaissance, but was bombarded by forts from three directions. In less than 15 minutes, it was killed Six or seven shells hit him, and he fled out of the harbor in embarrassment.

Therefore, the blockade fleet wisely stayed near the sea of ​​Jianye City Port, monitored all the movements in the depths of the harbor, and resolutely intercepted and sank any ships that dared to enter and exit Jianye Port.

"I think we should set up a temporary camp on the island opposite Jianye City (Bathurst Island), otherwise, we will not be able to persist in the long-term blockade of Jianye Port." A Dutch naval officer suggested.

"If a temporary camp is established, I think we may need support, not only supplies, but also the camp's logistics personnel." Major Gregory Thomas, the commander of the Blockade Squadron, said with a frown.

According to the current situation in Jianye Port, it is estimated that the Hanzhou ship must have been transferred to a place unknown to us.For a short period of time, they may be able to hide outside, but after a long time, the ships and personnel must come back for supplies.The task of blocking the squadron seems to be a long and boring wait.

Oh damn Han Chau, why can't you, like a brave man, send out all your ships and have a sea duel with our East India Company warships? ——
"We can't have any kind of confrontation with the Dutch warships!" Qi Dajiang looked at the several captains sitting there, and said in a deep voice: "Our strength is too weak now, and we can't easily lose any warships. But We can't hide here and let the Dutch block our door!"

He patted the table and said with firm eyes: "We must fight out and teach the Dutch a profound lesson."

"Commander Qi, you can order wherever you want to fight!" Luo Rucheng said loudly: "Now the Dutch are blocking the door of our house, but we ran to Beikoubao to hide."

"That's right, Commander Qi, find a loophole for the Dutch, and do it hard, so that they know that Hanzhou is not easy to mess with!" Niu Jinming said.

"When we came out of Jianye Port, the commander-in-chief and the chief manager had discussed with me. The Dutch have many colonial strongholds in Nanyang, and the distance is relatively scattered, and the number of people is not very large. Therefore, we can attack any of them. Colonial stronghold. However, the first time we hit the Dutch colonial stronghold, we have to hit it! And, it can disrupt their overall deployment." Qi Dajiang said.

"Which place is so important that it can cause pain to the Dutch and disrupt their deployment?" Luo Rucheng asked: "The Dutch have so many colonial strongholds, we won't be able to attack Batavia, right?"

"Batavia? With our current strength, we can't beat it."

"Since Batavia can't do it, let's go to Kubang, which is relatively close to Xinxiangbao and Dili City. Maybe the blockade of these two places can be lifted."

"Gupang is very close to Oecussi, which the Dutch just occupied. Moreover, this is also an important node of the Dutch spice trade. You may encounter many armed merchant ships. We can't compete with them!"

"How about fighting Ambon?" Niu Hu, the chief officer of the Marine Corps, interrupted suddenly.

"Ambon? That's the center of Dutch rule in the Spice Islands, their most important stronghold. Will you encounter Dutch ships coming to trade?"

"Any of the Dutch colonial strongholds may encounter their ships that come to trade or deliver supplies." Niu Hu said: "However, Ambon lives in the Spice Islands, and there are no other Atlantic forces around them, and the nearest colony to them Kubang, the stronghold, has a voyage of eight or nine days. We sneaked into the vicinity of Ambon quietly, and we will be able to catch the Dutch by surprise.”

"What if Ambon can't be defeated in three to five days?"

"If you can't defeat Ambon, then send more weapons to the natives on the island." Niu Hu said: "Half a year ago, the natives rioted on Ambon Island and were forcibly suppressed by the Dutch. I don't believe it, those riots All the natives were killed!"

"Ambon!" Qi Dajiang stood up and made a decision, "Ambon is the ruling center of the Dutch in the Spice Islands. Taking it down will definitely shake Batavia. Moreover, the Dutch have run Ambon for decades, and they have It is the place where the spice trade is exported, and it must have accumulated amazing wealth, and seizing Ambon will definitely make the Dutch feel distressed!"

"However, we have never been to Ambon, how to sail there?" Luo Rucheng asked a question.

"We haven't been there, but Portugal." Qi Dajiang said with a smile: "It just so happens that there are several Portuguese naval officers captured in Dili City in our fleet. Presumably, they are also very willing to lead us there. Hit Ambon."

Ambon was first established by Portuguese colonists in 1526, but in 1609 the Dutch East India Company captured Ambon from the Portuguese and gradually expelled Portugal from the Spice Islands.If the Portuguese were worried about Hanzhou's capture of Dili City, then they gritted their teeth in hatred for the Dutch's capture of Ambon.

The plan has been decided, and Qi Dajiang immediately organized four warships, two transport ships, two marines and more than two hundred local soldiers, led by Portuguese naval officers, to go directly to the center of the Spice Islands - the center of the Spice Islands. Wen.

Seven days later, the Hanzhou attack fleet passed an island (Yandena Island) and stopped for two days at a protruding place on the northeast side of the island (near the small town of Watmuri, northeast of Yande Island, Indonesia today).

Qi Dajiang considered that this island is just in the middle of the four places of Timor Island, Ambon, Weiyuan Island and Hanzhou, and has an excellent strategic position.When the fleet set off, a team of more than [-] local soldiers was left behind to set up a temporary camp here in case the fleet docked again for repairs later.
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"Xiaotian, there are more than 1 people in this city, right?" In the early morning, Cao Xiong and Qitian stood on the wall of Jianye City, watching the increasingly noisy scene in the city, with emotion and a little pride.

"There are not 1 people." Qi Tian said: "There are more than 300 people in the city. However, including the residents of a dozen settlements near and far outside the city, there are more than 1 people."

"If we have more than ten Jianye cities in Hanzhou, why are we afraid of the Dutch?"

"We are not afraid of the Dutch now!"

"Hehe..." Cao Xiong smiled, "That's right, two or three years ago, we were afraid of the Dutch. Now, we dare to confront them head-on. After another three years, maybe it's the Dutch who are afraid." We are gone!"

"The Netherlands may not really be afraid of us. They just don't want to lose too much. After all, they came from far away Europe for wealth and profit." Qi Tian said: "Even if we develop for another five or six years, compared to those who have There is still some gap between Westerners with deep background. What's more, our sea power is obviously weak."

Qi Tian remembers that the Dutch's global maritime hegemony seemed to have been maintained until the end of the 17th century, and it did not gradually decline until after three naval wars with the British.However, the maritime hegemony in the Nanyang region was maintained until the middle and late 18th century, and it was still the strong intervention of the United Kingdom, which had to give up the sea dominance in the Far East.

"I know the strength of the Dutch at sea, and I didn't expect to fight such a battle to do anything to the Dutch." Cao Xiong said: "But we want to let the Dutch know that we are not on the islands of the South Seas." The Tubang savages who provoke us will have to pay the price."

"That's right, one punch is enough to avoid a hundred punches! In the future, we Hanzhou will create such an image for the Dutch. It looks harmless, and cooperation is fine, but if you deceive me, I would rather be broken than crumbled!" "Qi Tian said.

"I don't know if Dajiang and the others can lay down one or two strongholds in the Netherlands to let them know how powerful we are."

"It should be possible, as long as you pay some price." Qi Tian thought for a while and said, "That Ambon is a very good target."
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"Gentlemen, it has been more than a month since the war with Hanzhou, but the news is not optimistic." Anthony van Daiman, governor of the Dutch East India Company in Batavia, looked at the colonial government officials sitting in the conference room, He said solemnly: "Jianye City and Xinxiangbao are tightly guarded, and the warships we sent can only monitor and blockade them from the outside. Dili City has been attacked for more than ten days without any results."

Commander of the Batavia Fleet, Colonel Aryan Van Dijk peeked at Governor Daiman anxiously. The attacks on the above three Hanzhou strongholds were all led by the Batavia Fleet.There is no progress now. As the commander of the navy, it is hard to blame.

"I'm extremely dissatisfied with the current situation." Governor Daiman glanced at Colonel Aryan Van Dijk, "In the short term, we must have a new breakthrough. Hanzhou's homeland is well-defended and has once again frustrated Spain. People, if you want to capture Jianye City, it will be a difficult task, but can't we also capture those strongholds far away from the mainland of Hanzhou?"

"Governor, we are considering reinforcements for the attack fleet in Dili City, and sending more landing troops to try to capture this stronghold in the shortest possible time." Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said quickly: "We are confident that the whole Annihilate the Hanzhou army in Dili City."

"When can Dili City be captured?" Governor Daiman asked.

"Within a month." Colonel Aryan Van Dijk said through gritted teeth.

"Within one month? That means you can capture Dili City before Christmas?"

"Yes, my lord governor."

"Okay, I hope that our East India Company can get your Christmas present before Christmas."

(End of this chapter)