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Chapter 1680 Queen's Privateer Order

"Those old men in Congress are always wary, and it took me a while to assuage their suspicions."

After answering the questions from the English Parliament, Sophia returned to Whitehall Palace to tell Chu Yun her troubles.

"The National Congress represents the interests of a group of people, and it is difficult to agree with each other. When dealing with all matters, they will definitely consider their own interests in detail. It is normal to be conservative." Chu Yun was looking at a chart, on which there were fleets of various countries collected by the intelligence department intelligence.

There are three main enemies in this sea war, France, the Netherlands, and Spain, and they are also the three most dazzling countries in the European continent.

The Spaniards had an armada of dozens of warships.Although the Armada had been hit by Portugal's independence, it still had dozens of huge warships and a fleet of Mediterranean galleys.

France originally only had offshore small boats in the early 17th century, but with the efforts of Cardinal Richelieu, France has established an Atlantic fleet with 60 sailing warships and a fleet of 35 large galleys in the past ten years. The Mediterranean fleet is enough to confront the Armada.

Not to mention the Netherlands, known as the "sea coachman", their warships are not large, but they are large in number and flexible in action. When the Downs conflicts, the Netherlands can quickly summon 100 soldiers. It can be seen that more than two armed merchant ships surrounded the Armada.

Chu Yun's opponent is about the size of three armadas.The warships of these three opponents may be able to make up 200 to 300 warships together.Moreover, the warships of the Western European countries are not comparable to the outdated Mediterranean galleys of the Ottoman Empire. They are equipped with a large number of artillery. Chu Yun estimates that if the three kingdoms summon all the warships, there may be nearly 5000 to 10000 cannons.

Of course, naval battles do not only depend on the number of artillery, but also on the quality of warships and artillery, wind direction, tactics, morale and many other factors.

"Mr. Chu, don't just look at the chart, help me think about how to counter the pressure brought by the European Union." Sophia saw that Chu Yun was fascinated by looking at the important ports of the countries on the chart and the important ports where the fleet might berth. pouted and said.

"When there is no one, you should call your husband or husband." Chu Yun still looked down at the chart.

According to intelligence, France and Spain are convening the Mediterranean fleet to enter the Atlantic Ocean, and it is very likely that they will gather in the English Channel.

The opponent has a large number of people, and obviously intends to blockade the English Channel with the tactics of concentrating superior forces, and trap Chu Yun in the city of London, unable to advance or retreat.

"Old...husband..." Sophia shouted awkwardly, still a little unaccustomed.

Aila and Da Yu'er next to her also pursed their lips and secretly laughed secretly, because Chu Yun would sometimes make them use this embarrassing address.

"Da Yuer, tell Sophia what to do." Chu Yun said.

"If Spain uses privateers to try to destroy our sea lanes, then we will deal with them in the same way as others, and also send privateers to fight back. At the same time, we will send warships to destroy their privateer strongholds , Capture privateers and merchant ships. We are overseas and they are on land. As long as we continue to destroy their ports and blockade them, they must not last long. The premise is that our navy can defeat their navy." Da Yuer said .

"Then I will also issue privateer licenses to all armed merchant ship captains in England, Scotland, and Ireland, allowing them to capture Spanish merchant ships at sea." Sophia thought for a while, and she couldn't make the other party's merchant ships comfortable before defeating the opponent's navy. .

"There is also the problem of national debt. In order to prepare for the war, I made the Bank of England issue too many national debts, and during the war, I may have to issue hundreds of thousands of new national debts every year, and I have to pay a lot of interest every year. If it lasts for a few years, I am afraid The royal family will go bankrupt..." Sophia looked at Da Yuer inquiringly again.

She studied biology in the East, and she has not yet mastered the use of financial tools. She just uses the Bank of England as a cash withdrawal machine, providing a large amount of funds for the royal family every year.

Now that the royal family is burdened with a national debt of 250 million pounds, and once it breaks out, it will add hundreds of thousands of pounds of debt every year, Sofia is a little scared.

"Only by winning the war as soon as possible. After the war is won, the national debt can be repaid through the European Union's indemnity or by robbing their maritime business. Before the war is won, the nobles and commoners can make big pies to ensure their confidence in the national debt. New debts to repay old debts... In fact, you can also use the farmland in overseas colonies or the right to open up manors to repay the debts, if it is not possible, you can borrow money from your husband, and you can call him a good husband a few more times." Can't help but tease Sophia.

"Okay, my sister bullied me again!" Sophia feigned anger.

"Da Yuer is right. The purpose of issuing bonds is to obtain more benefits, not to feed the standing army, but to use the standing army to achieve political or economic goals. To start a war, we must ensure that the war can be carried out before the economy collapses. It's over." Chu Yun finally raised his head after reading the chart.

Many empires collapsed internally due to endless wars of attrition. The three major Wanli expeditions and the expansion of the German Empire consumed a lot of national power.

The wars that Chu Yun advocated were wars such as the Prussian-Austrian Seven-Week War and the Franco-Prussian War, which achieved their own goals by cutting through the mess quickly.

This is why Chu Yun tried his best to avoid fighting in the interior of Europe under the premise that it was extremely difficult to send troops to Europe. He has been operating in coastal areas with his powerful fleet, and the conquered Constantinople can also be reached directly from the sea.

"It's time for our fleet to act. You issue a privateer license to all the captains of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and attack all ships of the Continental Confederation. All the goods looted belong to them. And our fleet is divided into two, One is going to attack the Spanish Armada, and the other is blocking Dunkirk and destroying this privateer base." Chu Yun's eyes were burning.

On the next day, Queen Sophia issued the famous "Queen's Privateer Order", ordering that all ships belonging to the United Kingdom can freely attack merchant ships from Spain, France, the Netherlands and other countries. Their behavior is protected by the United Kingdom, because This privateering operation was a counterattack to Spanish privateering activities.

All of a sudden, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the English Channel, and the North Sea were active with pirates from the United Kingdom. They hung the Union Jack flag openly and attacked passing merchant ships.

Even the North African pirates hung the flags of various countries indiscriminately and attacked everywhere in order to put the blame on the Holy Alliance or the European Union.

(End of this chapter)