1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 623 Raiders of Timor Island ([-])

Ambon, March 1649, 3.

The governor of Ambon, Scotty Evans, saw the armed merchant ship "Flying Eagle" fleeing back to the port in embarrassment. Not far behind it, there were also two Hanzhou warships, and he knew that Ambon had been blocked by the other side.

The sea battle that took place in Ambon Bay five days ago, all the East India Company employees in Ambon City already knew the result of the battle.This news was hard for everyone to accept. As many as thirteen armed merchant ships were wiped out by the Hanzhou people.Today, the Spice Islands, the most important of the East India Company, are still blocked by the Hanzhou people.

Did Hanzhou really devote all its sea power to this war?
Does Batavia know that the Hanzhou people have changed their tactics, abandoned the previous sabotage warfare, and instead adopted this open and close style of play?
"We must find a way to send the ship back to Batavia, and report to the Governor and our naval commander what happened here!" Governor Scotty Evans said solemnly: "Otherwise, our East India Company It may still suffer a big loss in the hands of the Hanzhou people."

"Governor, the only two remaining armed merchant ships in the port have already been seriously damaged. If they sail again, they may be easily captured by the Hanzhou people." A naval officer reminded in a low voice.

"Show the courage and confidence of your soldiers!" Governor Scotty Evans glanced at the naval officer with dissatisfaction, "The blockade of the Hanzhou people cannot be airtight, and there are always gaps that can be used. To Know that once our East India Company is defeated by the Hanzhou people at sea, each of us will face a huge disaster. We may become a secondary force in the East Indies, and even be driven out of this rich land by the Hanzhou people sea ​​area."

"In addition, we in Ambon also need support. The native riots that occurred ten years ago are faintly showing signs of resurgence, and the once docile tribal leaders have once again questioned our trade policy. I think that the Hanzhou people may be here in advance. The island has done some instigating work, and even secretly sent weapons to the natives on the island. Damn it, the Hanzhou people must have planned this war for a long time!"

The few colonial officials and military officers next to me sighed softly when they heard this. Yes, at the beginning of the war, everyone did underestimate the Hanzhou people, their strength, and their determination to fight. .
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March 3, Timor Island, Zhenhai.

With the arrival of the Qi State Special Attack Fleet, nearly 4000 ships suddenly flooded into the small Zhenhai Port, filling the port to the brim in an instant. In addition, thousands of naval officers and soldiers went ashore to rest, making this town only have more than [-] people. The small town of people suddenly became noisy and lively.

"A big victory in Ambon?" Hu Pingjiang led a group of local officials to greet Qi Dajiang and other naval officers at the pier. He glanced at the many ships berthed at the pier, and there were several captured Dutch armed merchant ships among them.

"Well, a big victory!" Qi Dajiang said with a smile: "The first battle wiped out the Dutch fleet to aid Ambon, sank three ships, and captured ten ships. In addition, we captured seven or eight ships in the Spice Islands in the early stage It can be said that it has won the first phase of the battle.... Can you make all preparations for the general administration of Timor Island?"

"Our entire administrative area can mobilize 3000 to 800 native servants and more than [-] rural soldiers. In addition, the various combat materials stored in Zhenhai City are sufficient to support continuous combat for several months." Hu Pingjiang raised his brows, "As long as your navy can wipe out the Dutch threat at sea and send our people to the shore, it shouldn't be difficult to capture the two strongholds of the Dutch."

"So confident?" Qi Dajiang smiled.

"There are not many people in the two strongholds of the Dutch on the island!" Hu Pingjiang said disdainfully: "We have thousands of native servants in our hands. Even if we use people to kill them, we can kill them. Besides, the Dutch In the two strongholds of the people, we buried nails in advance. Maybe, as long as we attack the shore, someone will help us open the gate of the Dutch in advance."

"In this case, we rested in Zhenhai for three days, and then went to pull out two strongholds of the Dutch." Hearing Hu Pingjiang's words, Qi Dajiang was also excited, "After that, the island will be completely controlled. In our hands, become the real screen protector of the mainland of Hanzhou!"
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April 4, Timor Island, Fort Oecussi Hallward.

Throughout Europe, because they have the world's largest maritime merchant fleet, the Dutch, as advocates of free trade, firmly support and maintain the freedom of passage in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. No country or region The free flow of trade should be forcibly hindered.For this reason, many Dutch scholars wrote in-depth monographs to find various legal basis for free trade at sea.

However, the Dutch faith in freedom of the seas ended in Sumatra.To prevent foreign invasion of all the Spice Islands, including those not yet occupied by the Dutch, the East India Company invested heavily in forts, armed merchant ships and armies.Just like the Spaniards used to guard their silver mines, they carefully guarded the origin of spices and forbade any country or force from getting involved.

In 1520, Portugal traded with the natives on Timor Island because of sandalwood. In 1613, the Dutch landed in a hidden bay at the southwestern tip of Kupang, and then, like in the Spice Islands, slowly brought the Portuguese Squeezed to the east of the island, then joined the sandalwood trade.

As the Hanzhou people occupied a stronghold in Xinxiang City (now Suai Town, East Timor) on the south side of Timor Island more than ten years ago, the island entered a short period of "three kingdoms" coexistence.However, because the Portuguese arbitrarily provoked a dispute with Hanzhou, in 1638, Hanhe captured Dili and Oecussi respectively, and completely expelled the Portuguese forces from Timor Island.

But then, because of the dominance of the Dutch, they forced Dili from Hanzhou, which triggered the first Han-Dutch war.However, after more than three years of war, neither side could do anything to the other, so peace was restored and Timor Island was divided into two halves, each occupying the East and West.

Now, the Sino-Dutch War broke out again, and Fort Hall Ward, the stronghold of the Oecussi region, is now in a state of panic, but Governor Cormran Benavides is not as confident and calm as the Governor of Kupang .

Because Fort Hallward is the closest stronghold to the Hanzhou people, and about a dozen kilometers to the south, there is a fortress set up by the Hanzhou people across the border.It is said that there are more than 100 Hanzhou armed militias there, driving hundreds of natives to cut down precious sandalwood and mahogany, and collect alluvial gold in mountain streams.Before the war, these people also came to Fort Hallward to buy daily necessities and sell tortoiseshell and pearls.

Although the Dutch East India Company has protested many times against the Hanzhou people's wanton cross-border establishment of strongholds, the Hanzhou people have also stated that they will restrain the people and not enter the Dutch sphere of influence.However, looking back, the Hanzhou people still went their own way, hunting for wealth that should have belonged to the East India Company, which made the colonial government in the Oecussi area very angry and seemed helpless.

The East India Company has too few employees. Except for a few key points along the coast that can barely be controlled, the inland mountainous areas are basically in a laissez-faire attitude.

In Zhenhai City further to the east, the former Portuguese stronghold of Dili, there are even more Hanzhou people, with a total of 5000 people. It is said that there are more than 100 standing troops stationed there.As long as they are willing, they can easily recruit more than 1000 armed men and sweep the entire Timor Island.

It has been more than a month since the war broke out, and the Hanzhou people in the east are quiet and terrifying. They have not launched any attacks against the strongholds of the East India Company. .

The mercenaries and residents of the entire stronghold have been on full alert for more than a month in order to deal with the Hanzhou people who will kill at any time. Everyone seems a little tired and relaxed, but Governor Benavidez does not allow the temporary relief of this situation. a state of alert.The Han people will definitely come. They have absolute strength on this island, and it is impossible to let the two Dutch strongholds of Ocussi and Kupang exist.

"Your Excellency, there are many warships outside the port." Lieutenant Ismail Hux, the sheriff of Fort Holward, came to the Governor's Mansion and said solemnly: "The Hanzhou people are here."

For some reason, Governor Benavidez suddenly felt an inexplicable relief when he heard the phrase "Hanzhou people are coming", and the boots he held up high finally fell to the ground.

"Then, let's get ready to fight."

(End of this chapter)