The North American smuggling route from the Cayman Islands is no different from New Orleans, except that the distance is longer.

Although, that's not actually the most windy option.

From the point of view of navigation efficiency alone, the merchant ships of the Cayman Islands should go east along the island of Cuba, cross the Bahamas through the Windward Channel, cut directly into the Atlantic wind circle, and then use Bermuda as a relay station to finally reach the west coast of North America.

However, this was clearly a dead end for the Jackdaw.

As a smuggling ship laden with arms for the United States, the Jackdaw had no choice but to avoid Shaq's base camp and circumnavigate Florida via the Yucatan Strait, and then from the middle of the peninsula and the Bahamas to the coastline of North America.

And not too close to the coastline.

As General Clinton moved south, the British forces in the southern Thirteen States felt for the first time the Royal Navy's unsparing care. The land front is staggered, the coastal ports are rock-solid, and the sea is completely British.

The more he studied the route, the more Lorraine understood why gold flowed beneath the surface of the sea, but it could not form a stable smuggling squad anyway.

Because it's so sinister.

In order to protect his interests, the Count of Galvez passed on a great deal of secrecy to Lorraine through Carmen.

Lorraine knew that although the free friends of the French were single-handedly holding back hundreds of ships of the mighty Royal Navy in the vast expanse of the New World, they had worked extremely hard to contain them.

On the transatlantic coast, the French Navy and the nascent American Sampan Fleet teamed up to be hammered on the coast by Shaq, seemingly able to defend some strategic points, but in fact they were powerless in the vast space.

The Gulf of Mexico is barely dominated by France, and although the advantage is very limited, it can at least maintain the strategic initiative with the strong deterrent power of its ally Spain.

The strategic balance of power in the Caribbean was easily shattered by the Battle of the Windward Islands, and if it weren't for Sir Parker's concern for land support, the Gulf of Mexico would most likely become an isolated island, and the French were silent about it.

In the three sea areas, there are two losses and one profit, the profit is only slightly rippling, and the loss is extremely high.

Louis XVI was trying to persuade the First Council to send more warships to the New World, but the French government was already burdened with a heavy financial burden by the North American War of Independence, and it was not an overnight task to continue to invest more.

Obviously, as a messenger of goodwill to France, Lorraine had to fight alone once she embarked on the road of smuggling.

"I really don't know if the Count wants me to be firm in my convictions or if I will retreat in the face of difficulties......"

Putting down the information, Lorraine rubbed her brow in embarrassment.

"Carmen, who is our dealer in Baltimore?"

"Continental Congressman John Brown. Mr. Adams. "Carmen was a close friend and supporter of Mr. Washington, commander of the Continental Army, a leader of federalism, a member of the drafting committee for the Declaration of Independence, and a member of the First and Second Continental Congress." ”

"He was also a wealthy farmer, a good lawyer, a deist, and a Unitarian Christian."

"He was very loyal to his love and was very loyal to his wife, Abigail. Smith has been married for 15 years and has three sons and two daughters. ”

Politically, he advocated a reduction in the autonomy of the states, a central leadership, the abolition of the confederation, and the establishment of a federation. He was a close friend of Commander Washington, but not a political comrade. Politically, he had his allies, the most authoritative of which was Mr. Hamilton, who was also a member of the Continental Congress and served as Mr. Washington's close military attaché. He also had his enemies, such as the famous Academician Franklin and the new Governor of Virginia, Mr. Jefferson. ”

"His political opponents spoke highly of him, calling him a political tyrant, perceptive, tough, simple, irascible, pragmatic, and strict with himself."

It is also important to note that his wife, Ms. Smith, is also a politician and speculates that there is some advocacy for women's emancipation. She wrote to her husband when Mr. Adams attended the Continental Congress of Philadelphia, reminding him to pay attention to the protection of women's social status and rights and interests during the meeting, otherwise it could trigger a second revolution in the United States. You'll most likely meet her. ”

Carmen knew what Lorraine wanted, and there was more information about the trader than a deal needed.

Lorraine frowned and thought for a long time, and said softly: "The fact that the big farmer can be evaluated as simple and strict with himself shows that this gentleman's materialistic desires are lower than ordinary people, and it is not easy for businessmen to befriend this kind of person, and it is easy to befriend this kind of person......

"An idealist with the temperament of a dictator, with justice and glory in his arms." Carmen reminded from the side.

"But such characters tend to despise women's rights, or at least not give much importance to their assistants and companions, both men and women."

"You can emphasize your conceited personality, both male and female, so that as your assistant I have the characteristics to make Madame pity."

"What if the lady's position is different from your judgment and that she is a pragmatist? Her letter to her husband can also be understood as a use of public opinion and personality to attract female supporters. After all, as a politician, she should know the power of those ladies in her boudoir, and she should know that in the environment of Philadelphia at the time, such forward-looking issues could not really attract attention and discussion. ”

Carmen smiled, "That's even better, a smart, useful, and unappreciated female assistant is the focus of her social interactions." She knows my value and will take the initiative to approach me. ”

Lorraine stretched his arm comfortably: "Since you have already thought of it, prepare a gift for Madame, there should be some ancient ...... on this ship"

"My captain, precious ancient gold is not a panacea, at least not for a politician's wife who flaunts simplicity." Carmen winked playfully, "I remember having a copy of Isaac in my hand. Newton's handwritten theological treatises, since they were believers in deism, thought it would be a good gift. ”

"More than that...... said," Lorraine said, spreading her hands, "I'm going to write to Ramos as soon as possible to urge for the first half of the dividend, at least not to leave my beautiful shopping counselor's purse empty." ”

"That's the best news, Lord."

……

The jackdaw traveled far away for several days.

She skirted Cape Sable, crossed the Florida Channel, passed the gap between West Palm Beach and Grand Bahama Island, and then left the coast and carefully headed north along the edge of the continental shelf.

Because of its geographical location, the Hamilton Naval Base has a very wide radiation range, from the Bahamas, Georgia, the two Carolinas, and the vast coastline of Virginia, the center of American independence, to its control.

Shaq had a strong army, and even leaving aside the Second Fleet, which was also part of the Continental Fleet on the island of Newfoundland, there were more than 30 warships of all classes, including the flagship Lion, the Conqueror, the Inspire, and nine fourth-class frigates.

Judging by the hard power alone, his fleet was no less than the strong forces that Sir Parker had gathered for the Battle of the Windward Isles, and even more so victorious.

He single-handedly taught the French and American navies to be human intelligence, not to mention that Lorraine also knew that what Shaq was best at was a large-scale mobile defense of multiple small teams.

With a third- or fourth-class warship as the core, two or three warships form a small formation, draw a defensive circle with complex circular movements in a huge area, coordinate with each other, do not interfere with each other, and take into account rotation, early warning, and short-range support.

Lorraine's late father, Elijah. Drake once said of his eldest son.

Shaq is good at bullying less with more and forcing the weak.

With a fleet below the size in his hands, he will not behave better than a mediocre captain.

But as the size and strength of his fleet increases, his toughness will increase exponentially, and although his talent is more defensive, he gives the enemy the impression of a giant python, and his performance on the offensive end is not weaker than that of others.

Lorraine agreed with Elia's comments.

In the last two years of the school, after completing most of the strategy and tactics courses, Lorraine and Shaq had more than one confrontation on the map.

Under the same conditions, Lorraine has an absolute victory rate within three ships, but once the number of warships exceeds six, each additional three-ship unit, the more difficult it is for Lorraine to win, and even if he wins the game, he will need to pay a huge price.

And now......

In this realistic confrontation, the Jackdaw was incapable of hardening any of Shaq's formations, and was killed head-on.

All Lorraine could rely on was prudence and luck......

"But to put it another way, although the conditions are not the same, the warships at sea are also not pawns in Shaq's hands. With such a complex circumferential defensive formation, how much can the members of the continental detachment who replaced the admiral play? ”

"And ...... of that Could there be any opportunity to take advantage of? ”