1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 406 Adjustment and Planning ([-])
"You mean, Hanzhou also occupied a large island west of Timor Island, and also set up many strongholds, and gradually reached the coast of Daming?" Batavia Governor Anthony Van Daiman was surprised Looking at the naval commander, Colonel Dachman Barek, with a look of disbelief on his face, "How did they do it?"

"Your Excellency, I don't know how they did it." Colonel Dachman Barek shook his head and said, "But according to the captured Hanzhou sailors, when Hanzhou was at war with us, they already Many supply points have been successively established on the route to the north. This shows that they may have started to explore another route to the Ming country a long time ago."

"You mean, they have already started preparing for war with our East India Company?" Governor Daiman asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I don't think they are planning to go to war with us. They may feel that our sea power makes them feel uneasy, forcing them to open another route to the north to avoid being blocked and suppressed by us. Colonel Dakman Barek said: "Moreover, they not only colonized a large area of ​​land near Jianye City, but also built more than ten strongholds in the east of Hanzhou. According to the captured sailors, the environment there In terms of land and other aspects, the conditions are more favorable than those in the northern part of Hanzhou."

"Have they explored the entire Hanzhou continent?"

"Those sailors should not know. But they said that Hanzhou Jianye City seems to know the basic outline and geographical location of Hanzhou mainland. In addition, they also have a small exploration fleet, led by several very fast ships, Constantly explore and open up new colonization points and new routes. Oh, yes, they call that very fast boat a flying fish boat. Well, like a flying fish, with the help of the wind, the speed It is really fast, it is reported that its sailing speed can reach an astonishing thirteen to fourteen knots, and perhaps fifteen knots."

Governor Daiman looked at his naval commander with some annoyance. We are now discussing the strongholds established by Hanzhou, and where those strongholds are, and whether they can be attacked by us.Instead, admire how fast the so-called "flying fish boat" made by Hanzhou is in front of me!
"Many of Hanzhou's strongholds on Weiyuan Island, which they call Weiyuan Island, and the strongholds in the east of Hanzhou, most of them have brick and stone fortresses, and only a few are wooden camps. Although there are no troops stationed in their strongholds, There are many militias." Colonel Dakman Barek understood that Governor Daiman was eager to break through a Hanzhou stronghold, and said cautiously: "If we want to attack, we need to dispatch at least [-] mercenaries."

Governor Daiman walked back and forth in the room, thinking in his mind whether to deploy armed personnel to tentatively attack Hanzhou's relatively weak eastern stronghold, or the stronghold called Weiyuan Island.But when Colonel Barek said that he would organize at least [-] mercenaries, he hesitated.In order to solve the financial difficulties, the East India Company is preparing to attack the Sultan Kingdom of Palembang and plunder their royal city.

However, being able to break through the cities of Hanzhou and capture their personnel is the most morale-boosting thing for the Dutch East India Company.You know, from the beginning of the war to the present, the Dutch East India Company has hardly taken advantage of Hanzhou. Seeing their interception and attack, as for the seven or eight merchant ships that lost contact, they were likely to be sunk or captured by Hanzhou warships.

The harvest of the Dutch was only a small boat of more than 200 tons captured at the gate of Hanzhou's house more than two months ago. The captured materials were also not very valuable wood and rice.For the Dutch East India Company, this war, which lasted for more than two years, seemed somewhat asymmetrical in losses.

"Your Excellency, our main target now is the Portuguese in Malacca. It is to open up and completely control the routes westward to India, Persia, and even Europe. Even if we break through some strongholds in the east of Hanzhou, I am afraid that the gains will be very limited. Those The earliest stronghold, it is said that it was opened and established less than three years ago." Colonel Dachman Barek said carefully.

The settlement has been established for less than three years, which means that the accumulated wealth is limited. If you want to make an expedition, in addition to killing some Hanzhou soldiers and civilians, you will destroy their strongholds and cause some losses to Hanzhou. As for what the Dutch East India Company can get, It seems that there is only empty honor.

Moreover, it costs an extra income expense!
"Have the captured sailors explained what is the current development status of their Hanzhou?... Well, for example, how many people do they have now, how many ships can they use to go to sea, and how are the handicraft industries developing?... ..."

"Hanzhou currently has a population of 5, and there are fifteen or six armed merchant ships that can be used for maritime operations, four of which are professional warships, and there are more than ten other small and medium-sized ships." Dakman Barek The colonel said solemnly: "This means that if Hanzhou concentrates all its armed ships to fight against our East India Company, it may be able to fight. Moreover, according to the captured sailors, their shipyard can produce four ships a year." To five large ships, it is only due to the shortage of sailors that there are not so many warships equipped."

"Hiss..." Governor Daiman took a deep breath. Hanzhou has a population of more than 5, not to mention far more than all the employees of the East India Company. Less than the population of Hanzhou.Not to mention, most of the Hanzhou immigrants are young and middle-aged.If people are willing, they can even organize an army of [-] people.Moreover, Hanzhou can also produce its own guns and self-sufficiency in food, which seems to have become a reality.

So, does the war with Hanzhou need to go on?The East India Company seems to think that it is a very effective blockade, but it seems that it has not played a big role at all.Unless, the East India Company dispatched a large-scale fleet, recruited more armed personnel, cleared each stronghold of Hanzhou one by one, and completely defeated it by destroying the country.

However, the East India Company is a profit-oriented joint-stock company after all, and it is impossible to use too many resources to fight a national war with Hanzhou like Spain, which is too unrealistic.Not to mention the disapproval of the local board of directors and many shareholders, even if a company is willing to fight a big war, but it will take tens of thousands of miles and five or six months to come to support the Batavian authorities, it may not only bankrupt the East India Company , It will also drag down the finances of the Netherlands.

"It seems that we should make some changes to our current slightly aggressive offensive strategy." Governor Daiman sighed slightly in his heart, "The suppression and blockade of Hanzhou will be long-term and difficult. On the premise of accelerating the development of the East India Company, try to slow down the development of Hanzhou as much as possible.”

"Our primary goal at present is to capture the Portuguese Malacca. Then, we will integrate the colonial strongholds and commercial stations we control, and vigorously develop our armed forces in the East Indies. If possible, it is best to support a country that can serve us. The puppet kingdom used to fight for our East India Company."
-
Daming, Guangzhou, Hanzhou Warehouse.

On Tuesday, Gui welcomed a special guest at the warehouse, Yu Shikang, the representative of Governor Shi Luobao of Haojing (now Macau), a Chinese businessman serving the Portuguese.He brought a personal letter from Governor Schrobaugh, with a Chinese translation attached to it.

On Tuesday, Gui turned over the translated document, read it three times, and then showed an expression of disbelief on his face.

"The Portuguese want us from Hanzhou to send troops to support their Malacca?" Gui asked in surprise on Tuesday.

"That's right, Governor Haojing told me before leaving that if you Hanzhou are willing to send a certain amount of troops to help them defend Malacca, the Governor of Portugal and India will pay you a large sum of money. In addition, nutmeg and pepper from Ceylon For trade, you can also allow you to sell it to your Hanzhou at their island price."

You are a little speechless on Tuesday, do we in Hanzhou lack the money you Portuguese have?The question is, even if we in Hanzhou send an army to assist you in defending the city of Malacca, how can we pass through Java Island and the Straits of Malacca?Don't forget that the Dutch East India Company has many armed merchant ships in that area.If one is not careful, even the boat and the people are captured by the Dutch, it will be a big loss.

I still remember that two years ago, on behalf of Hanzhou, I went to Haojing to pay a visit to your governor, Shi Luobao, and proposed that Hanzhou send three or four armed merchant ships and some marines to your city of Malacca, and use this as a base to attack the Netherlands. The merchant ship was politely declined by you with a cold attitude, for fear that our Hanzhou will try to take over your city of Malacca.

Why, now you are indeed in big trouble. Knowing that the Dutch are going to attack your city of Malacca, and because of all kinds of consumption, you feel that you can't resist the Dutch. Now you think of asking us to send support from Hanzhou?

"It is said that the Portuguese control the entire island of Ceylon?" Gui asked doubtfully on Tuesday: "Malacca is so close to Ceylon, why don't you ask for help from your Portuguese colonial stronghold, but instead go all the way to my Han?" Zhou asking for help?"

"Last year, the Dutch landed on Ceylon Island." Yu Shikang said softly.

"Oh!" Tuesday Gui suddenly realized that the Dutch landed on Ceylon Island last year, so the local Portuguese colonial authorities must have been thinking hard about how to defend against the Dutch, so naturally they could not care about the Portuguese in Malacca.In desperation, they could only ask Hao Jing for help, hoping to get some armed support.

"I can't make the decision on this matter. I need to ask the senior management of Hanzhou." Gui shook his head on Tuesday and said, "When our Hanzhou immigration fleet arrives in Guangzhou in July and August, I will pass on your Portuguese request to me." Shangguan."

(End of this chapter)