Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1187 The Era of Rampant Privateers
"Our merchant ship encountered a privateer in the waters near Dunkirk. Although the other party did not fly any flags, the French merchants recognized that it was a Spanish galleon."

The sailors drove the damaged merchant ship back to the city of London, which shocked Li Jinde and other directors who were still in the city of London.

This is the first time their merchant ships have been attacked in the West.

The merchant ship docked on the Thames was severely damaged, several artillery pieces were damaged, and the hull had cracks and holes.There were also wounded or dead sailors being carried off the ship, and they groaned in pain.

"How could it be like this? The waters near Dunkirk are too dangerous. It hasn't been long since we set off. Why did we encounter privateers! How many casualties?" Li Jinde saw that a good armed merchant ship was damaged, It is estimated that the repair cost of the merchant ship is a large expenditure, and there are incalculable casualties.

"Seven people died and more than 7 people were injured." The sailor replied.

"Dunkirk is the pirate den of the Spaniards. There are hundreds of privateers, even ordinary Spanish merchant ships, once the flag is lowered, they become privateers. Not just the Spaniards, we in Britain are earlier than them Use this method to attack the enemy's fleet. Before Queen Elizabeth's time, our British strength was far inferior to Spain, so we encouraged private ships to attack the Spanish fleet. This method was a great success at the time, and it also broke the record for us. Spanish and Portuguese monopoly on the sea."

Lord Greenville knew that Li Jinde's fleet had been attacked in the Dunkirk waters, and followed him to the Thames.

Lord Greenville and other British people were not as surprised as Li Jinde when they saw the merchant ship scarred by artillery.It is not uncommon for merchant ships to encounter privateers at sea.Every year, a large number of merchant ships are attacked by privateers and pirate ships, some people are sunk in the sea, and some people are captured and sold as slaves.Even some admirals may have been captured by pirates when they were young.

"Private ships are so rampant, how can merchants from all over the world unimpeded? Doesn't this increase the risk and cost of transportation?" Li Jinde saw that the situation in the West was compared with the time when pirates were rampant in Southeast Asia, and even wondered. To be more tragic.

"So war is the original sin. Countries fight with each other and use all means to win and weaken each other's strength. Privateers are an effective means of war. Unless there is peace in Europe or the countries have reached a navigation treaty. But . . . " said Sir Greenville.

"But what?" Li Jinde asked.

"The Elizabethan era when privateers were rampant is regarded as the golden age by us. However, I personally think that privateers gathered wealth quickly at that time, but it was not a long-term solution. The sudden wealth of privateers will make businessmen focus on robbing other countries. Wealth on top of wealth, not on trade itself. Trade is the main source of wealth. After Queen Elizabeth's time, our Britain fell into a period of decline, so that the Dutch, who mainly traded, gradually climbed to our heads superior."

"The Dutch have tens of thousands of ships of various sizes and purposes. Every time the monsoon comes, a fleet escorts hundreds of galleons into the Atlantic Ocean. Once they enter the vast Atlantic Ocean, the Spanish privateers It is difficult to catch them. So even if hundreds of Dutch merchant ships are captured by the Spanish every year, they are nothing compared to the huge fleet of Dutch merchants. So the Dutch not only were not captured by the Spanish People are defeated, but they accumulate more and more wealth.”

Sir Greenville could only feel helpless about the fact that warships from Spain and the Netherlands appeared on the British coastline.The real rise of the British Royal Navy will not be until after the bourgeois revolution and the glorious revolution. At this time, we can only watch the fleets of Spain and the Netherlands clash in the English Channel.

"My father was attacked and killed by pirates in the South Seas when he was doing shipping in Nanyang... It would be great if there was a strong navy that could maintain the order in the Atlantic Ocean and allow businessmen to run amuck." Li Jinde sighed.

"No country has a navy so powerful that privateers are banned," said Lord Greenville.

Li Jinde also frowned slightly.At present, there is really no country in the world that can completely solve the problem of privateers and pirates along the Atlantic coast.Unless the navies of various countries are strong enough to easily defeat the enemy's privateers, or there is a powerful country that rules the huge ocean of the Atlantic Ocean.But even if Chu Yun mobilized four fleets to come, it would not be able to solve the problem of privateers and pirates here.

The sea is just too big.

On the Pacific coast, there are also Chinese merchants who can assist the government in encircling and suppressing pirates.

"There is really no way to meet privateers. In the future, try to go to sea under the protection of military ships or with multiple armed merchant ships. Our ships finally came from the far east. Every lost ship must be replenished from the mainland. You can’t risk going out to sea like ordinary small businessmen.” Li Jinde felt a little distressed for the severely damaged merchant ship.

"I suggest that you send this ship to the Woolwich Shipyard for repairs, which help the Navy produce warships. Your armed merchant ships should be able to be repaired in this port." Sir Greenville said.

"We are still collecting goods and specialties from various countries in the city of London, and then apply for the Fourth Fleet to escort our fleet to the waters of North Africa." Directors of Western companies such as Li Jinde saw that their own merchant ships were damaged, so they gave up taking the initiative to go to various countries Instead of purchasing commodities and raw materials, they indirectly purchase commodities and raw materials from various places in the London market.

Allowing merchants from other countries to transport their products at risk will reduce profits slightly, but reduces the risk of being attacked by privateers.

"The Dutch use the escort strategy to deal with privateers. Their fleets are owned by the provinces, and they will regularly organize fleets to protect merchant fleets through the dangerous English Channel. I think the reason why your military leader will One of your squadrons was sent to Britain to protect the safety of your merchant fleet in the English Channel in the future, and adopted almost exactly the same strategy as the Dutch." Sir Greenville said.

"The people above are far-sighted, and it's not easy for people like me to understand." Li Jinde also didn't know the purpose of Chu Yun stationing a fleet in Portsmouth port.

The military expenditure of an overseas fleet is much higher than that of a local fleet.

(End of this chapter)