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Chapter 1183 Spanish Privateer ([-])

Dunkirk, across the sea from Britain, was the port of Spain and the gathering place of privateers at this time.

Because of the existence of this port, merchant ships from the Netherlands to the Atlantic Ocean and France to Northern Europe suffered a lot of losses, and Britain could only turn a blind eye to Dunkirk.This is the territory of the Spanish Netherlands. Attacking here can only curb the momentum of privateers for a while, unless a powerful army can annex the Spanish Netherlands.

Chinese armed merchant ships and French merchant ships flying the French flag sailed from the Thames River into the English Channel, and entered the scope of Dunkirk privateering activities.

The waves were beating against the hull of the armed merchant ship, and the English Channel was still calm at this time.

"However, we should not take it lightly. It is said that the Spanish expedition to Britain's Armada suffered heavy losses from hurricanes many times. We are going to pass through the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay this time. If we encounter a storm in autumn, the possibility of encountering a storm is very high." Headed to France said the director.

At this time, there is a mist on the sea, and seagulls are circling in the sky.The weather is already trending towards warmer.

"Kerber, those Chinese merchants are really rich, and they will go to France to buy wine without saying a word, and they will find you a cloth merchant." Said a merchant following Kolber on the French merchant ship.

"I think they are just throwing stones and asking for directions, and want to quickly open up the situation. Before they came to Britain, where did they see their people in the Atlantic Ocean? It's like we French didn't go to the Far East. We France pay too much attention to the hegemony on the mainland, Too much neglect of the sea. Leylin Island was taken by the Spanish fleet last year, and it has not been taken back yet. The Spaniards do not know how much gold and silver they have obtained from the other side of the sea. Every year, treasure ships transport a large amount of wealth to To Seville." Colber sat cross-legged on the deck, looking at the sky.

Even an ordinary French businessman will be affected by the country's actions at this time.

Only by occupying sea power can their merchants run unimpeded on the sea.

"But the navy cannot decide the outcome. The outcome of the negotiation table is determined by the outcome on land. Spain and the Holy Roman Empire are trying to pinch us from the north and the south, and the war has already begun," the businessman said.

"It's really annoying. The Holy Roman Empire has been fighting for almost 20 years. The Danes were defeated and the Swedes were defeated. This time it's our French turn to fight in person. It's strange to say that Prime Minister Richelieu is a red-clothed The Archbishop, but he and His Majesty the King stand in the Protestant camp... The Prime Minister said that the interests of the country are above all else, maybe this is why he chose to stand in the Protestant camp. The Habsburg dynasty has already surrounded us in France ...If we can defeat them, our France will become the most powerful country in continental Europe." The young Kolber did not know that he would enter the political arena of the Kingdom of France in the future and succeed the ambition of Prime Minister Richelieu, but It is full of worries about the future of its own country's involvement in this protracted war.

The 30-year war in Europe has reached its final stage. France led the two countries of the Netherlands and Sweden to confront Spain, Portugal, and the Holy Roman Empire.If France wins, it will become the most powerful country in Europe, and the Netherlands will become the overlord of the Atlantic sea power.On the contrary, if the Habsburg dynasty loses, it will spread across Europe, and may even make the whole of Europe the territory of the Habsburg dynasty.

At this point in the war, it is no longer a battle of beliefs, but a battle of practical interests.

"Spanish galleon!"

"A galleon, they don't fly a flag! They're privateers!"

Suddenly, a sailor observing the sea yelled.

Kolber, who was sitting on the deck, immediately jumped up when he heard this, and broke out in a cold sweat before he could see the enemy's sailboat clearly.

"Binoculars!" Kolber took the brass telescope from the sailor.

In the mist, a Galen ship of about 700 tons showed a ferocious face.

The 40-meter-long hull has fifteen cannons on the left and right sides, and two cannons on the bow and stern. It is a medium-sized Galen ship with 34 cannons!
The appearance of this Galen ship shocked the sailors on the French merchant ship.Their merchant ship is an ordinary merchant ship without any artillery, and the only weapon is the musket on board.

"Oops, what are you afraid of? I actually encountered a privateer, which looks like a warship serving the Spanish Navy." Kolber said it was not good, "Warning to the Chinese merchant ships, we send a warning to the British The shoreline is approaching! See if this galenic ship will give up on us!"

On the side of the directors of the Huaxia merchants, they also discovered the privateers patrolling the south coast of the English Channel.

However, Chinese sailors are still unable to tell which country's privateer ships are not flying the national flag. They are not like the French who can quickly distinguish the subtle differences between Spanish ships and ships from other countries.

"The other party is a Spanish privateer! The captain of our ship sent us a signal to retreat to the north coast. Britain is now a neutral country. If we enter British territorial waters, maybe they will give up their pursuit of us!" Kolber arranged in the The sailors on the Huaxia Merchant Ship could understand the semaphore raised by Kolber and his merchant ship, and said anxiously to the Huaxia Merchant.

"Private ship!" The sailors from China also realized the seriousness of the problem this time.

What are you afraid of!
Director Huaxia stood at the bow of the boat with a sad expression on his face.

They had the Fourth Fleet, the Royal Prince and other warships escorting them all the way to the Thames, and no pirates or privateers dared to provoke merchant ships escorted by a large fleet.

But it's hard to say now.

The armed merchant ship he was on had more than a dozen cannons, and they were six-pound cannons that were not very powerful. There were only two 12-pound cannons as the main naval guns. It was impossible to compare with the Galen ships that were specially used for war.

"Turn the rudder! Follow them to the north!"

When the Chinese merchant ships and French merchant ships encountered the Spanish privateers, they sailed towards the seas of Britain according to the direction of the wind.

However, the Spanish privateers didn't seem to intend to give the British Navy face at all, and they mustered their sails to chase the two merchant ships without much artillery.

"General De Hawkes, we seem to have captured a French merchant ship. These are two fat fish!" The Spanish sailors on Galen's ship showed greedy eyes at the captured French merchant ship.

Spain and France went to war, and they were responsible for plundering the merchant ships of the French and the Netherlands in the English Channel to attack their maritime traffic.

As for the plundered proceeds of the privateers, as long as they hand over a part to the empire, the rest will belong to them!
(End of this chapter)