"Your Majesty, the Dutch did not make a detour to the New World earlier, and they have also reached the Southern Continent, so we may be able to look for it first, and then find the best route when we find a suitable colony."

Zheng Jiangong also participated in the preparations for the exploration of the Southern Continent, he is now the Navy Commander, equivalent to the Chief of Staff of the Navy, and he has a part in the affairs of the Navy, so he knows that he can reach the Southern Continent through the equatorial windless belt. Because as early as 1605 the Dutch navigator Wilhelm. From the island of Java, Janes sailed along the southern coast of New Guinea before crossing the Torres Strait and landing in the northern part of the southern continent, which he named New Holland.

Between 1642 and 1644, the captain of the Dutch East India Company, Abel. YANG Song. Tasman was ordered to investigate the southern continent. However, he did not take the equator to the north of the southern continent without wind, but circled the Indian Ocean to find the westerly drifting belt, and then went all the way east. Three months after leaving Java, he stumbled upon Tasmania and later discovered the islands of New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji to escape the cold snap. But he didn't discover the real southern continent, which was Australia.

Because the islands discovered by Tasman were difficult to reach and did not look like any special products, the Dutch East India Company did not occupy and develop them.

The Tasman, who is now in Shanghai, retired from the East India Company in 1653 and later accepted Zheng Jiangong's invitation to become the deputy director of the Shanghai Sailor School, a position he still holds today.

Due to the East India Company's control of Tasmania (then called Van Van. Dimendi), New Zealand, Tonga and other places were not interested, so Tasman did not hide his discoveries between 1642 and 1644. And he also participated in the Ming Dynasty's Southern Continent exploration program.

In the original plan, it was preferred to take the Indian Ocean and then find a westerly drift to sail eastward for some time and then go north, i.e. to replicate the route taken by the Tasman between 1642 and 1644. However, this plan was rejected by Zhu Cihong, for the simple reason that it had to pass between the sea and the islands firmly controlled by the Dutch.

Unless the Ming can take the island of Java and Malacca, it will not be implemented at all.

After this, Tasman proposed a plan to sail south through the equatorial windless belt from the Portuguese-controlled island of Timor in search of the southern continent. That is, copy William. Janes' route.

But this plan was also rejected by Emperor Zhu. Because the windless zone is too slow and the currents in this area are westward, the exploration boat must take the route of light breeze and countercurrent, although there are many islands along the way for convenient supplies, but the speed is still too slow to reach the rich east coast of Australia through this route.

Even if they arrive forcibly, it is difficult for subsequent migrants to follow up. Because the route passed under the noses of the Dutch, and it also passed through the Spice Islands, which were used as cash cows by the Dutch East India Company...... Of course, the main difficulty is that the speed is too slow!

The exploration ship is not afraid of slowness, because there are fewer people on board, there are more supplies than it, and it can hold out for a long time. Migrant ships or merchant ships are not good, with more crews and cargo, and fewer supplies, so they can be maintained at sea for a shorter time.

If you want to load more supplies, bring fewer people and pull less goods, then the cost of immigration is too high - Australia's good is the 20th and 21st centuries, and now it is only the 17th century, where can you invest anything for the benefit of 300 years? So colonizing Australia also had to consider the cost.

And once the Ming exploration ship arrives on the east coast of Australia and begins to colonize there, the Europeans may follow!

Since the Europeans controlled the Indian Ocean-Westerly Drift Belt route and could send migrants to the east coast of Australia at a lower cost, the Ming Dynasty's high-cost colonization of Australia was likely to make wedding dresses for others.

Therefore, although Zhu Cihong has long wanted to get Australia, he is not in a hurry to invest, but is patiently waiting for the opportunity to open up the Pacific shipping lane.

Because he knows that only the Pacific route is likely to be mastered by the Ming in the next one or two decades. At present, it is only Spain that has fallen that controls the Pacific route, and it is still possible for the Ming to defeat the Spanish Navy in the Pacific.

And if you want to go through the Indian Ocean and the westerly drifting belt, you will have to challenge the powerful Dutch and British navies, which have no chance of winning!

"Don't follow the path taken by the Dutch," Zhu Cihong once again vetoed Zheng Jiangong's proposal, "The Spanish charts have already indicated the eastbound equatorial countercurrent and the westward south equatorial current, which should be feasible." Once we have established ourselves on the west coast of the New World, let's try to explore it. If Captain Jane's discovery in 1606 is true, we will certainly find something. If that doesn't work, go and look for New Zealand, which Captain Tasman discovered in 1645. Since there are many strong natives on that island, there may be some value, and it is possible to take it. ”

Emperor Zhu smiled again and said to Wei Zaode, who had a melancholy face: "Marquis of Tongzhou, don't worry, I won't let you stay in the New World for a long time. If you are really afraid, stay in the Japanese port of Uraga and make contact with the Japanese side in the name of the Minister of the Imperial Mission, and take charge of the supply of the expedition to the east. Once the expedition carried by the Henan has gained a foothold in the New World, you will follow the second colonization fleet into the New World and establish the Protectorate of the Americas. After the completion of the American Protectorate, it will be succeeded by Ling Lang Zhongcheng, and then in the name of the envoy of the Ming Dynasty, you will visit Europe through New Spain, and finally return to the Ming Dynasty...... It's a globetrotting!

If the Marquis of Tongzhou can accomplish such a feat, who cares how the hundreds of thousands of two families came from? When the time comes, I can reuse you and let you be the first assistant again! ”

Can you be the first assistant again?

When Wei Zaode heard Zhu Cihong's promise, his eyes lit up, and the whole person looked a lot more energetic, and immediately got up and bowed to Emperor Zhu, "Your Majesty's great grace, the minister will never forget, and the minister will live up to his mission in this trip!" ”

"Sit, sit!" Zhu Cihong beckoned to him, "With the words of the Marquis of Tongzhou, I am relieved...... I have always done what I say, and I will definitely let you be the first assistant when the time comes! ”

Lu Zhenfei, who replaced Wei Zaode as the first assistant, is too old, he is sixty-six, his health is not good, and he is not as well-behaved as Wei Zaode, so Emperor Zhu is very uncomfortable to use, and he already misses "Sai Zhuge " Wei Zaode a little.

"Your Majesty," Zheng Jiangong was already a little worried when he spoke again, "The Spaniards have always regarded the west coast of the New World as their own forbidden territory, and if we really set up a capital protectorate in the northwest of the New World, I am afraid that it will cause a big war between the two countries!"

The current confrontation between the Spaniards and us around the Japanese archipelago is, in the final analysis, to prevent us from crossing the Pacific Ocean eastward.

If we really go to the New World, then a big war is inevitable! ”

"Can you win?" Zhu Cihong asked.

"This ......," Zheng Jiangong said in a deep voice, "the land ministers dare not say it, but at sea, the advantage is still on the side of Spain!" They have a lot of 1,000-ton big galen, and our 800-ton warships can't beat them! Moreover, our naval officers and men are still a little worse. ”

"Can't you win?" Zhu Cihong frowned.

After receiving the charts of the Spaniards sent by Aobai, Zhu already knew that the Spaniards' American Empire was missing a large chunk in the northwest corner. New Spain's northern border was roughly the border between California and Oregon in what would become the United States. North of New Spain is now borderlands!

It is estimated that the Ming army went up and built castles, ports, and farms, and the Spanish king may not know!

Moreover, the Ming army, tempered by more than ten years of war in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is now very good at stacking fortresses, artillery technology has also advanced by leaps and bounds, and there are quite reliable flowering shells, which should be able to hold the base in northwestern North America with a small number of troops.

So Emperor Zhu didn't want to delay any longer, but wanted to make a nail in the northwest of North America as soon as possible!

As long as the nail is driven in, he believes that the Spaniards will not be able to pull it out. If this matter drags on, I am afraid that the Spaniards will strike first and plug the gap in the northwestern part of the Americas......