The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 471 Panic at Fort William
Fort William, Bengal.

Governor Warren Hastings knew that he was in big trouble, and the warships that fled back to Chittagong one after another brought him the shocking news.

In fact, the losses of the British Indian Fleet were even greater than Chen Lian had counted. Of the 27 warships that set out, only 17 returned to Chittagong and other ports.

If we subtract those that sank and were captured, at least five more ships have lost their trace and no one knows where they went.

Even the third-class battleship HMS Hero, which had managed to escape capture, was abandoned under the orders of Vice Admiral Edward Hughes.

"Lieutenant General Hughes is converting more merchant ships into armed merchant ships in Chittagong. He requested that all the artillery in the warehouses at Fort William be shipped there to immediately complete the construction of the various battery batteries at Chittagong Fort."

Governor Warren Hastings's clerk was reporting to him, and in the room besides him were important commissioners, Baron Thomas Rumbold of Woodhall, and the army commander, Lieutenant General Sir Al Coote.

Governor Hastings's face was clearly filled with anger, but he quickly concealed it. He turned to Lieutenant General Sir Al Coote and asked, "Sir, do we need to hear Lieutenant General Hughes's opinion?"

The situation was urgent. Hastings, who had no backing, could suppress his anger, but that didn't mean others could. Baron Woodhall spoke before the Lieutenant General could say anything and said rudely:
"Hughes's incompetence casts a fatal shadow on His Majesty's great cause in India. His decision to stay in Chittagong instead of returning to Fort William is clearly an attempt to evade accountability.

My Lord Governor, I recommend the immediate arrest of this criminal who has damaged the reputation of the invincibility of the British Navy.

His suggestion was illogical. The enemy would arrive soon, and the artillery should be concentrated at Fort William. The most important thing was to keep Bengal."

It's no wonder that Baron Woodhall was so angry. He had worked so hard to come to India, where it was so hot, as a member of the House of Commons and a baron, just to gain political capital and make a fortune.

All of this is inseparable from the very deterrent British Indian Fleet, which nominally belongs to the East India Company but is actually directly controlled by the Admiralty.

Before setting off, Vice Admiral Edward Hughes vowed that he would definitely defeat the Combined Fleet, but he ended up being completely disappointed.

How dare he, a defeated general, make such an outrageous suggestion, Baron Woodhall thought angrily.

However, at this time, Daiying was still in a prosperous stage. Although there were many foolish nobles like Baron Woodhall, there were also many capable people.

Lieutenant General Sir Eyre Coote did not directly respond to Governor Hastings's question. Instead, he read Vice Admiral Edward Hughes' report before replying:

"Your Excellency, Governor-General, Your Excellency the Baron, although Lieutenant General Hughes has caused the kingdom to suffer heavy losses, I believe that his strategy of retaining Chittagong is correct."

Sir Al Coote pointed to the location of Chittagong on the map and continued:
"From the course of the battle, we can see that the Chinese Empire's navy is not very experienced, but its fighting determination and will are very good, surpassing non-naval powers such as Russia, Denmark, and Prussia.

I even think that if the war had not taken place in Europe, the United Provinces Republic, with more warships, would not have been their match.

However, that’s all. The Chinese Empire is still a long way from the French, let alone us.

And although the Imperial Chinese Navy has won the victory, this is already their entire naval force and the limit of what they can use, but we don’t.

So I think that if His Majesty King George III could send another squadron including two third-class battleships from the mainland to India, I think we will be able to regain the initiative soon, or at least stabilize India.

Governor Hastings was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Yes, I think so too, but considering the complex situation in Europe, it is not easy to withdraw such a squadron.

Even if we send back the request immediately and wait for His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister to agree before sending the fleet to India, it will take at least one to one and a half years.

In this case, shouldn't we make every effort to hold Calcutta and Fort William until the squadron arrives?"

"Fort William will never fall!" Army Lieutenant General Sir Al Coote first gave Governor Hastings and Baron Woodhall a reassurance.

“Because Fort William is the strongest fortress in India, and we still have 12,000 defenders, it would take more than eight months to capture it even in Europe, let alone in India.

At the same time, the Zamindars of Bengal are deeply bound to us. They know the strength of the Kingdom of England and will not easily turn to outsiders.

Governor, we have no need to worry about the safety of Fort William.

On the contrary, it is the navy. If our navy in India is destroyed, then even if a squadron is sent from the mainland, it will not be able to exert its full combat power due to the lack of officers and soldiers familiar with the Indian Ocean. If we are defeated again, it will be a devastating blow.

Therefore, we must maintain a certain presence in the Indian Ocean to provide guidance for the squadron in the future and prevent the Chinese Empire's fleet from operating too recklessly in the Indian Ocean.

If necessary, we can even enter the South China Sea to give a warning to the ambitious Emperor Guangzhong.

They defeated the kingdom's fleet in India, but that doesn't mean they defeated the entire fleet of the Kingdom of England." "Yes, Governor-General, Your Excellency the Baron, we cannot lose Chittagong because it is close to Myanmar, and the Burmese king, Bodawpaya, has defected to the Chinese Empire.

If China takes Chittagong, it will sandwich the Arakan Kingdom, which has already surrendered to us. Considering that the previous king of Arakan was personally supported by Emperor Guangzhong of the Chinese Empire, Arakan may also surrender.

Then we would be in big trouble, as the Chinese Empire's fleet could directly threaten Fort William from only 120 nautical miles away from us.

In that case, even if the kingdom tries its best, it will be difficult to keep India."

The next person who pointed out the importance of Chittagong after Army Lieutenant General Al Kut was the Governor of Guntur, Army Major General George Sullivan, who had arrived not long ago.

The horrific scene he described frightened everyone.

Even Baron Woodhall, who was very dissatisfied with the defeated Vice Admiral, could not help but feel a little frightened and did not immediately raise any objection.

Governor Hastings nodded slowly. He glanced at Baron Woodhall secretly, and when he saw that the baron did not refute him, he said hesitantly, "But if we do this, Madras will be impossible to save."

Lieutenant General Al Kutt had a very twisted look on his face, "If you don't consider the thousands of company employees and local settlers there, this is actually a good thing.

Madras is easy to capture, but St. George's Redoubt will definitely take more than five months, which gives us enough time to prepare our defenses."

The lieutenant general felt that this seemed a bit too heartless, so he quickly suggested: "Or we can withdraw Governor Whitehill and Brigadier General Smith to Fort William."

"No, let them stay there. Otherwise, if they leave, the St. George Redoubt will be undefendable. After all, the Chinese Empire is a civilized country, and being captured by them won't be too much of a pain."

Baron Woodhall waved his hand firmly to refuse. Of course, he did not say that if the people who captured Madras Governor John Whitehill were Mysoreans, they would probably not be very civilized.

Governor Hastings also agreed. He looked at Baron Woodhall and said, "Baron, I want you to go to Chittagong in person.

We still need to use the navy. Let Vice Admiral Hughes restore the fleet's combat effectiveness as quickly as possible, and then leave Chittagong to become a standing fleet, exerting all possible pressure on the Chinese fleet.

At the same time, you will be personally responsible for the defense of Chittagong. You must ensure that it is firmly in our hands."

The existence of a fleet is still a bit of a deterrent, because you don't know where it will be or whether it will appear in your weak spot.

"Okay, I'll leave immediately. Let's work together to defend Fort William and Chittagong and wait for support from the mainland."

With morale at this point, Baron Woodhall did not dare to continue to act willfully and immediately took on the job.

. . . .

However, these British people still don’t quite understand the East, because Chen Lian simply doesn’t have the international vision and strategic planning capabilities.

After all, before he rose to prominence with Taksin and Mo Chit Poh, Chen Lian was just the son of a Siamese peddler and a third-generation Nazhen.

He started out by relying on his bravery and superb swordsmanship. Now he can stand on his own and barely understands the navy. This shows that he is very talented and willing to learn.

You also want him to have an international perspective and understand strategic planning, which would be too difficult for this Chaoshan boss who only started reading and writing at the age of 23.

As for Lieutenant General Sufran, he actually saw something, but he wouldn't say it.

Because if the Chinese Empire really occupied Lower Burma, Arakan and Chittagong as the British analyzed, would France still have a share in India in the future?
The French would even prefer the English to occupy India rather than the Chinese Empire to occupy India.

Because the Chinese Empire occupied India, they couldn't join forces with the English to rob it.

If the English occupied India, France could join forces with the Chinese Empire to seize it, and then take a big piece of the cake by virtue of its status as an ally.

At the very least, before France and China reached an agreement on the division of spoils on the Indian issue, France was absolutely unwilling to let China swallow India alone.

So, Suffren did not mention it, and Chen Lian did not think of going here. After a month of rest, the joint fleet set off for Madras as planned to assist the Mysore people in regaining France's colonial outpost in southeastern India.

(End of this chapter)