On the sea, the two large fleets gradually approached, and the two sides did not at first form a battle line, but marched in unison.

Densely stacked together, people with dense phobias will definitely not be able to see it, thinking that it is better to finish off both sides.

This side of the Southeast Province.

The third-class battleship Nanhai No. 1 (70 guns) was commanded by Yan Changwu, Nanhai No. 2 was commanded by the Black Samurai Ceresma, and the Southeast-class battleships (Nannan and Taiwan, each with 50 guns), of which the Southeast was commanded by Vice Admiral Li Ying, and the Taiwan was commanded by Yan Donglai.

There are eight more Beigang-class fifth-class cruisers and twenty-seven Kaohsiung-class sixth-class cruisers (one less Kaohsiung-class cruiser, and five Yaksha-class supply ships twenty miles away)

Every day, the morale of the officers and men on the battleship was high, and it was determined that with the blessing of Mazu and the leadership of the overseer, everyone's usual training and the strong ships and guns under the seats would not be a problem for victory.

The Dutch fleet on the other side is also arrogant, just like an old driver, grasping the steering wheel is a natural instinct for them, the previous failure to attack Taiwan has no effect on them at all, just like the old driver wants to have a beautiful drift failure, but the old driver is still the old driver, for the Dutch who are coachmen at sea, sailing and cannons are simply pediatrics, they are born a sea nation, how can they be compared with those Ming people who are nests!

Compared with before, their confidence was bursting, because their governor Speke had made more preparations, and there were more ships and artillery, because of the busy business, it was easy to get money, the Dutch were racing against time, and they were unwilling to fight, and armed merchant ships were running everywhere, and it was difficult to assemble, so that the number was too small and often there were things that could not defeat the backward ships of the Ming Kingdom.

Speke's large number of armed merchant ships reached fifty-two, which was more powerful than the forty warships from the other side, so he was more confident.

On the 46-gun flagship "Drenthe", Governor Speke stood with several richly dressed Dutch uppermen, all looking with binoculars in their hands.

Zooming out a little further, the Drenthe is a double-deck gunboat that is more streamlined than other Dutch ships, with low bulges in the stern and bow!

War was the best catalyst, and from the information received, Governor Speke also brought his own ships on a par with those of the Southeastern Province, and urged Dutch ships to make similar modifications (but with little success), and he also sent back the drawings of such ships to the Dutch mainland!

Not only the Dutch, but also the British learned a lot when they jointly built ships with the southeastern province, and the shipbuilding master Phineas Pate unceremoniously said that he would build ships like this when he went back.

Most likely, battleships and battle lines will appear in advance at the European Sea Championship! (Both of these are Yan Dashao's initiatives)

The fact is that Phineas Pate returned to England and immediately set about building a battleship identical to that of the Southeastern Province (both the stern and bow towers were greatly reduced in height) and had 74 guns, four more than the 3rd class battleships built in large quantities by Yan Dashao!

You are progressing, others are also improving, so Yan Dashao, who has a lot of black technology, has no overwhelming advantage, and he has not advanced many technologies, such as nailing metal plates to the hull as armored ships, nailing copper plates to the bottom of the ship to prevent corrosion and sea, and not having Mini bullets.

Governor Speke looked at Akito's fleet and asked the young adjutant beside him, "Where is their admiral (admiral, the title given to the commander of the Grand Fleet)!" ”

The adjutant glanced at it and pointed his finger: "It's the battleship with a golden flag!" ”

Following his gesture, Governor Speke found the largest warship with a golden flag in the middle of the two battleships. It was a bit of a crosswind, and in front of Governor Speke was a dense array of cannon holes.

"70 guns!" The adjutant said with good eyesight.

Look at other Ming ships, professional warships in the water, the hull is clean and neat, and regardless of the quality of the crew, it is really enviable (the Dutch ship is an armed merchant ship, military and commercial dual-use).

Hearing that the admiral on the other side was a young man, with a means inappropriate for his age, and a strong will, Governor Speke couldn't help but think that he was still an ignorant boy at that age

Facing him is indeed a great trouble for the Netherlands.

Governor Speke suppressed the anxiety in his heart, and seeing that he did not speak, DeWitt, the senior administrator who was in the same column as him, laughed and said: "Their number is less than ours, it is unbelievable that they dare to challenge us!" ”

Another administrator, Moore, excitedly said, "Let's teach those wise people a good lesson, and let them know that they are only suitable for holding hoes and brick knives!" ”

His words sparked a burst of laughter, and in Batavia, the Chinese were known for their honesty and hard work, but they were not respected by the Dutch.

There were only a few people who didn't laugh, and that was the Dutch who had participated in the battle of Taiwan......

Governor Speke, on the other hand, made a smile on his face, but instead of laughing freely, he became a skin laugher and not a smile......

……

When the Dutch high-level officials were looking at the telescope and pointing, the senior officers on Yan Changwu's flagship were also looking at the enemy's warship, Yan Changwu measured the distance between the two sides, and said confidently: "Forward, drive downwind, put out a battle line!" ”

"Raise the flag, all the way to the battle line!" The officer repeated, and the non-commissioned officer supervised, took out a red flag from the signal flag box and handed it to the sailors to raise.

The red flag rose to the top and spread on the flagship, like a fire that was extremely enchanting.

Ten seconds later, the pilot ship, Xiao Changrong on the Beigang No. 3, heard the information said by the non-commissioned officer, and immediately ordered: "Left full rudder!" ”

The navigator repeated the command: "Full rudder left!" ”

"Accelerate!"

"Raise the back sail and raise the mast!" The navigator shouted, and the sailors immediately pulled the sail cables.

The speed of Beigang No. 3 first accelerated, guiding the battleships behind to turn, and the ships followed one after another, and the battle line gradually formed.

……

"They're in the battle line!" The adjutant said.

"I make ten guilders (bets), do you say a single column or a double column?" Moore was lively and asked DeWitt.

"The opponent has few ships, a single formation, you will definitely lose!" DeWitt shrugged.

"Then don't gamble!" Moore immediately retracted.

Governor Speke ignored them and ordered the fleet to enter the battle line as well, and the same way.

Unlike the Ming people, they had only conducted one large-scale exercise, and only thirty-three ships participated in that time, but now they laid out a battle line, and everyone was in no hurry, and the battle line was also laid out.

At the same time, the Dutch people are against the wind, they walk in a zigzag shape, and a line is also formed, showing a very high level of ship control!

At this time, although the Ming man Xiao Changrong was a left full rudder, under the impetus of the wind, it was a diagonal cut to the Dutch.

Both sides are approaching, and the atmosphere is getting tense.

"Get into combat position!" The commanders on both sides were giving orders, and the officers and soldiers on both sides were moving almost identically: swallow saliva, pray!

Ask Mazu (God) to bless herself, and the murmurs of different languages echoed in the sky above the two fleets.