In early August 1688, when King Louis XIV of France summoned the ambassador of the East Coast at the Palace of Versailles, Lin Dingzhi, a large number of warships were undergoing intensive refurbishment in the Henghai Harbor of the Cape Verde Islands.

The Portuguese task force poured out of Huaiyuan Island and traveled eastward along the ocean circulation, eventually arriving at the Cape Verde Islands in the east, where it joined the Cape Verde detachment of the First Fleet commanded by Lieutenant Commander Zhou Yu.

The Cape Verde archipelago was divided into two after the last Portuguese War, and the eastern coast occupied seven islands, including Jianchang Island (Sant Antang Island), Henghai Island (San Vicente), Nankang Island (San Nicola Island), Salt Island (Sal Island), Huangsha Island (Saint Lucia Island) and two small uninhabited islands between Huangsha Island and Nankang Island (which can only be used for salt drying), a total of seven islands, roughly located in the northwestern part of the archipelago. The Portuguese acquired the remaining eight islands, including the largest island, Santiago.

Due to the Sahara Desert climate, the Cape Verde Islands generally have little rainfall and are very arid. The cultivated land is mainly concentrated on Jianchang Island and Santiago Island, accounting for about 10% of the entire archipelago area, and Fogo Island, which has the most precipitation (495mm/year), has less arable land due to topography and soil quality, and is mostly used for grazing goats.

The capital of Cape Verde in the east is on Henghai Island, because there is a large scale of high-quality shallow coal mines on the island, the people of the east coast set up a mining bureau here, under the jurisdiction of Henghai Coal Mine (coal mining, coal washing), Henghai Honeycomb Coal Factory, Henghai Brick Kiln Factory (burning bricks with pulverized coal), the products produced are not only supplied to the island, but also exported to nearby areas in small quantities. However, due to the lack of water resources, the scale of these enterprises is not very large, but it is enough at this stage.

The eastern Cape Verde Islands have now also established a county, the name is Henghai County, under the jurisdiction of Henghai Township, Jianchang Township, Nankang Township, Yan Township, Huangsha Township five townships, the inhabitants have more than 6,000 people, more than two-thirds of the Qing immigrants from Huai'an Province who migrated over the year (the rest are non-nationals and exiled prisoners), so the Huai'an dialect is the common language of the whole island.

The economy of Henghai County is mainly based on coal mining, salt drying, agriculture and fishery, and the coal mining industry is mainly concentrated on Henghai Island, while Jianchang Island is mainly based on grain cultivation, mainly wheat, sorghum, peanuts and other dry farming to save precious water resources. The salt industry is another major industry in the Cape Verde archipelago, which occupies a large share of the domestic market share of Lake Patagonia's salt, due to the perception that Cape Verdean salt tastes better and has a longer shelf life when used to marinate fish, so sales are very good.

In addition, the eastern Cape Verde archipelago has a number of mountain livestock and fishing industries, which provide valuable fresh meat for the islanders and passing ships, but they are not very large. There are no major fishing grounds nearby, and the vegetation on the island is relatively dry, so it is normal that fishing and animal husbandry cannot develop.

All in all, if it weren't for the extremely important geographical location here, I believe that the people on the east coast would not have the slightest interest in this kind of colony, and the conditions are really too poor! This is only after years of investment in the construction of water storage facilities, and if conditions are to be further improved, the central government will have to invest at least 300,000 yuan in infrastructure construction, so that the population and productivity of the entire archipelago can be raised to a new level.

Of course, then again, the Cape Verde Islands are really well located. Ships returning to Europe from the Caribbean Sea pass by, merchant ships returning from the East will also dock here, and it will also be a key node for the construction of submarine cables in the future, so the people of the East Coast will not abandon it in any way.

And not only will they not be discarded, but now the people of the east coast have also set their sights on the other eight islands, large and small, that is, they have also developed a strong interest in the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands, and want to swallow them whole. In particular, Santiago Island has a large area, a lot of arable land, relatively more water sources, wheat and various fruits on the island, and a large number of cattle, sheep, horses and donkeys, which is a very important agricultural base.

It has been learned that the Admiralty is currently actively engaged in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to negotiate with the Kingdom of Portugal on the purchase of the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands. In order to alleviate the resistance to this land acquisition, they also suggested that the ports of Playa and Henghai on the island of Santiago could be permanently allowed to port and replenish Portuguese merchant ships freely, so as to facilitate the completion of negotiations in this regard as soon as possible.

At present, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country has preliminarily approved the idea of the Navy and made a basic negotiation outline, which has been submitted to the Executive Committee for review by the bigwigs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believed that it would be possible to pocket the remaining eight islands by paying the Portuguese about half a million yuan in cash, which of course required some small tricks on the part of the military department.

"The Cape Verde archipelago is just too dry. During their reign, the Portuguese also cut down the island's only forest, destroying it to the point where it was not presentable. Now that the forest has been cut down, we have only planted a small patch of trees after many years of restoration, and all the materials needed to repair the ships have to be imported from the North American Free State. "Because of the reason of crossing the Atlantic, the East Coast Fleet carried out repairs and maintenance in Henghai Port this time, spending more than 50,000 yuan in cash, the main reason is that the ship materials here are all imported North American oak, and the price is high, so the commander-in-chief of the fleet, Colonel Moliee, is a little dissatisfied.

"Commander, this is also something that cannot be helped. The Cape Verde archipelago is so short of water that the only forests on the island are so important that they can be touched to conserve water and soil and improve the climate. There is no timber suitable for shipbuilding on the very coast nearby, not to mention that there is also a local policy to import more products from the Free States, isn't there no way? Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Yu, who has served in the Cape Verde Islands for many years, said.

"The economy of this island is okay, and the living standards of the residents are generally higher than those on Huaiyuan Island, and the incidence of various infectious diseases is also lower, which is really good. Except for the lack of water, which is more troublesome, I think everything is fine, there is no problem. With such a large archipelago, I don't think it's a big problem to feed the more than 6,000 people now, and even more than 10,000 people can afford to support it. Lieutenant Colonel Ding Zhen, commander of the Caribbean Fleet, also stood beside him, shaking a pu fan, and said with a smile.

"It's so strong that it's limited, and the upper limit of the future is probably not as good as Huaiyuan Island. The hard wound of water shortage will only become more and more serious and fatal in the future. At present, domestic industry and agriculture are developing rapidly, and everyone can see that only by relying on industry can we get rich, and industry actually needs a lot of water. In this regard, Huaiyuan Island has a huge advantage – well, maybe there is a bit too much water, but that doesn't matter – the Cape Verde Islands are not good, so the future development model is destined to be mainly commercial. Fortunately, the geographical location here is very good, and the people on the island are more than enough, and they can always get by. Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Yu spread his hands and said helplessly: "Moreover, half of the Cape Verde Islands is still in the hands of the Portuguese." Only by getting this part into our hands can the Cape Verde Islands really talk about development. I don't know if the people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are strong enough to snatch this part from the Portuguese. ”

It is said that the current reigning king of the Kingdom of Portugal is Pedro II, that is, Prince Pedro, who originally dealt with the people on the east coast, and the younger brother of King Alfonso, who has been on the throne for only five years. Of course, before he ascended the throne, Prince Pedro had already taken control of the kingdom of Portugal, and King Alfonso VI was imprisoned by him until his death.

The fundamental reason why Pedro is so "perverse" is that his brother is a disabled person because of his consanguineous marriage, and he is unable to do the things of husband and wife and have offspring, which is destined to the crown of Portugal sooner or later on the head of Prince Pedro. What's more, he also seduced his sister-in-law, Maria from the French Bourbon family (who married him after ascending the throne), and got the support of a number of nobles, so it was normal for him to imprison the king many years in advance, and it was normal for him to be regent himself.

Pedro II's policy was to make peace with both England and the East Coast. The reason for the alliance with England was for the security of the homeland and a small part of the commercial interests, and the reason for the alliance with the East Coast was for the survival and trade of the overseas colonies. The people of the East Coast appreciated Pedro II's candor in consolidating relations between the two countries, and the presence of the Viana do Bravo base gave the East Coasters a foothold on the continent, allowing them to exert a certain degree of influence over the continent, although the base is not very large at the moment.

Therefore, considering the current situation between the two countries, the people on the east coast still have some confidence in taking the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands through negotiation and pressure. Isn't it just money, just give it! What the? Portugal doesn't want to sell? Inexistent! The friendship between the two countries is so "strong" and how closely their interests are combined, it only takes a little "work" to negotiate this land sale!

"Okay, don't talk about what you don't have, let's think about what to do next. You all talk about your thoughts, and I'll listen. Seeing that the two subordinates were talking about the Cape Verde Islands, Colonel Moree hurriedly interrupted.

"This additional special military expenditure on the mainland, allowing us to send the Grand Fleet to Europe, is actually a two-pronged mission. The first is to visit a number of sister cities to promote national prestige and influence and provide a basis for diplomats' future activities in Europe. This task is actually easier to accomplish and more necessary. The main fleet of our country has not appeared in Europe for a long time, and its influence has somewhat faded, and people born in the last thirty years have no emotional awareness of this. If this visit to promote national prestige is carried out relatively successfully, it will not surprisingly greatly increase the influence of our country, and the benefits of diplomacy and commerce will be incomparably greater, especially for those countries with developed maritime trade. Lieutenant Commander Zhou Yu, commander of the Cape Verde Squadron of the First Fleet, said: "The second task is more difficult and very sensitive, and if it is not good, it will lead to armed conflicts and even wars between countries, which puts forward higher requirements for how we operate." ”

"Interfering in the Anglo-Dutch merger is indeed more troublesome, but it is also really important." Lieutenant Colonel Ding Zhen, commander of the Caribbean Squadron, also interjected at this time: "The combination of industrial capital and commercial capital, and the immigration of a large number of Protestant craftsmen and scholars, is a great tonic for the Kingdom of England, and it is also very unfavorable to our future plans to influence and control England, so it must be interfered with." But how to do it, I think we still have to think about it in the long run. But the Commander, is it imperative that we find a way to secure a port near both England and the United Provinces? The port would also have to be large enough to provide daily supplies for more than 10,000 naval officers and men, as well as enough to repair ships, artillery and other equipment. Well, there must also be a certain base for the manufacture of ammunition, and battles at sea are very consuming of ammunition, which should also be taken into account. In this case, in fact, the choice is relatively narrow, the South Netherlands does not have such a large-scale arms manufacturing capacity, and Calais and Dunkirk in northern France are suitable, but I just don't know if they will agree. If not, then the only way to do this is to import ammunition from Lisbon and ship it to the Grand Fleet's anchorage, which adds a lot of variables. ”

Lieutenant Colonel Ding Zhen's words are also true. War is not a game, and the Grand Fleet is not something that can be received by any port, and it must not only have a certain degree of protection (coastal defense fortresses and batteries are necessary), but also have sufficient maintenance and supply capabilities (it must be a densely populated area with a very developed agriculture and related shipbuilding industry), and it must also be able to provide weapons and ammunition (it must have a certain scale of military manufacturing), and the conditions are relatively harsh. Otherwise, why do you think that when the French were vigorously developing their navy, they spent so much money on building the naval fortress of Dunkirk to make it the home port of the Western fleet? Why is their Eastern Fleet still stationed in the Toulon military port today? There's a reason for that.

If the fleet of the people on the east coast wants to find a suitable foothold, in fact, the most important aspect is undoubtedly Lisbon, and Viana Fort can barely do it, but the ability to repair ships and provide supplies is certainly not as good as Lisbon, because it is still in large-scale expansion, has not yet been completed, and the related industrial chain has not been expanded to the point where it can receive the large fleet.

But the problem with Lisbon is that it is too far from the possible place of the incident. If something happens, the people on the east coast may not be able to arrive in time, which will be very embarrassing! Therefore, it would be ideal to have a foothold in the South Netherlands or France. The people of France may not be impossible, but they are more sensitive, and the people on the east coast do not want people to put themselves in the camp on the French side for the time being, so count and count, and when is the South Netherlands, and the place is basically unable to run out of Bruges and Antwerp, because only these two are large ports, and have a certain maintenance and supply capacity, and the disadvantage is that there is no relevant military manufacturing industry.

But this does not seem to be impossible to make amends, and the people on the east coast can stock up on a large number of weapons and ammunition there in advance for consumption in case of war. Or simply, as Ding Zhen said just now, Lisbon's military manufacturing industry is quite good, and it can be purchased there and then transported to the South Netherlands with a fleet to replenish consumption.

As for the fact that the Spaniards did not agree with the arrival of the fleet of the East Coasters in the South Netherlands, it was indeed a problem, but it should not be too difficult. In this country, the influence of the East Coast is still relatively deep, and their money bags are under the noses of the East Coasters, and they can send troops to attack their colonial ports and cities at any time, so that the Spanish royal finances of the Iliban Peninsula will collapse. Therefore, as long as the demands of the people on the east coast are not particularly excessive, the Spaniards generally do not refuse and do not dare to refuse. Therefore, when the East Coast Fleet asked to be stationed in Antwerp or Bruges, it was difficult for the Spanish royal family to really refuse, and in the end they had to obediently agree, although this must be contrary to their original intentions, but so what?

"Don't worry about that much just yet." Mo Lie eel waved his hand and said, "Let's hurry up and finish the fleet first, bring enough water and ammunition, and then find a good weather and set off for Portugal." We have already lost a draft supply ship, a liaison ship and a light cruiser on our way across the Atlantic, and I don't want any more non-combat losses. As soon as you arrive in Portugal, find a way to hire a merchant ship from the locals in case you need it. Well, if you have any financial difficulties, you can first ask the embassy in Lisbon to borrow it, this is a state matter, and I am sure they will understand the general situation. ”

As the commander of the task force, Colonel Mo Lie's eel said so, and Ding Zhen and Zhou Yu naturally had no opinions. Therefore, after discussing the issue of sea navigation again, the two left the dock and went separately to prepare the fleet and purchase supplies, and they were busy for a while.

On 12 August 1688, the Portuguese task force had completed all preparations for its voyage and began to depart from the port one after another, assembling on the sea off the island. 4 battleships, 22 frigates, 30 light cruisers, 3 ammunition supply ships, 2 fresh water supply ships, 1 quick liaison ship, 1 coal carrier, 1 hospital ship, 1 troop transport ship, 1 engineering ship, a total of 56 combat ships, 10 auxiliary ships formed a large group, which followed the current north, all the way to Portugal.

Undoubtedly, this is a large fleet, and it is also the most powerful fleet sent overseas in the history of the Eastern Coast Republic, and almost all of the best of the country's navy is here. It is conceivable what kind of sensation this unexpected naval fleet will cause when it arrives in Europe, and what kind of panic will it cause the countries of the European continent to experience! England and the United Provinces will bear the brunt, the impact of the Kingdom of France will not be small, Spain, Portugal, and northern Italy will also be more determined in the policy of cooperation with the East Coast, and the influence of the East Coast Republic of China will also reach a historical peak at this moment.