After March, the number of ships calling at the port became scarcer. During this period, Blanco Almeida came once from San Vicente, bringing with him 500 tons of coal and some agricultural products. He told the people that the Peruvian governor had put great pressure on them, and that after March the trade between the two sides would be suspended, and that everything would be discussed after the war was over. However, he also assured that the matter of emigration from the Far East would not be affected.

In addition to the Brazilians, there are only a few Baltic people who are not well-informed. After crossing the oceans and going through a lot of hardship, they suddenly found that all trade had stopped. The traversers are working at full speed to produce cannons, armor, and muskets, and even if they have any surplus equipment, they are all in storage, and there is no intention of selling them at all. Fortunately, all the supplies they brought were sold at a good price, so they didn't have to run empty.

From late February to early April, the Crossing received more than 100 head of livestock, 500 tons of coal, 120 tons of pig iron, 850 barrels of gunpowder, 100 tons of lead and other materials, in addition to more than 500 Ukrainian and Livonian immigrants. On 15 April, Spanish warships appeared in the open sea and began to enforce a blockade policy, intercepting all kinds of ships entering and leaving the port. At this point, trade was finally cut off completely.

However, the Spanish ships had no intention of breaking into the harbor, perhaps because they were still waiting for the main fleet, or perhaps they also realized that it was a foolish thing to break into a well-fortified harbor under the watchful eye of more than 40 guns in four batteries, especially when the enemy obviously had multiple long-barreled heavy guns.

The Executive Committee was building fortifications, expanding the armed forces, and stockpiling war materials step by step, and the Spaniards were apparently doing the same, so the two sides were now at a stalemate.

There was no fighting on land, but the hunting at sea never stopped.

April 20th. Clear, westerly wind level 6.

The "East Coast Eagle" and Yunsheng No. 1 formed a two-ship formation and drifted with the waves in the southeastern waters outside the entrance to the Strait of Magellan. They had been wandering here for days, trying to capture the Spaniards' supply ships or lone warships, but the Spaniards had apparently not let them go. During this period, there was a wave of Spanish fleets passing through the Strait of Magellan, but the strength of that fleet, with eight large warships and several supply ships, should not be underestimated. Even if Yunsheng No. 1 goes up to fight with its high speed, I am afraid that it will not be pleased.

Xiao Bailang and Wang Tiehammer sat in the captain's room of Yunsheng No. 1 and chatted. The old pair sat in this room full of memories again after more than two years, and the strong sense of time and space confusion made both of them feel a little emotional.

"Lao Wang, you and Lao Han have suffered for the past two years. To be honest, I wanted to call you two when I went to Dingyuan Fort, but I really didn't worry about handing over Yunsheng No. 1 to a group of laymen to maintain it, so I let you two stay in the navy. I didn't expect this stay to delay the future of both of you, alas. Xiao Bailang took a sip of water and opened his mouth first.

"Actually, it's nothing." Wang Tiezhu smiled bitterly and said, "Isn't it just to let Wang Qinian dry for a year, who let us all have the label of the transportation department on our bodies." In fact, when the navy was first established, it was hard to hear that Wang Qinian, a member of the navy, was actually a lonely man. Therefore, he has always been wary of our group of Yunsheng No. 1 crew members, which is also human nature, we understand. Originally, I thought that he had no one at hand, and even if he didn't want to use it, he would have to use us, but he didn't expect him to start with the coastal defense artillery and navigation school, and he slowly broke through the situation. In this way, we will have to stand aside, hehe. Finally, he still has some conscience, and after he has dried us enough, he can still think of us in this outing. ”

Xiao Bailang was a little speechless, pretending not to hear the complaint in Wang Tiezhu's words, and he smiled and revealed it. Just then, the new first mate, Ruben de Mer, walked in and reported: "The lookout on the mast has spotted the signal flag raised at the signal transmission point along the coast. ”

"What?!" The two of them suddenly came to their senses, and after coming out and dangling for so many days, they finally caught a soft persimmon that could be pinched. The two of them immediately left the captain's cabin and went to the deck to observe. Halfway up the hill along the coast is a tall tree trunk, and at the top of the trunk a red pennant flutters in the wind. Sure enough, there is a situation!

"When did you find out?" Xiao Bailang asked in a slightly hurried tone.

"That's just now!" Demel said, "The lookout on the mast just noticed that the signal flag had been raised. With that, he pointed to the top of the mast. The strong sea breeze swayed the mast, and sitting inside was an intern at the Navigation School, an alternate officer from Ireland, Given.

Xiao Bailang nodded, and smiled at Wang Tiehammer: "Old Wang, business has come to the door." Now you're the captain and you're in command. ”

Wang Tiehammer was not pretentious, and began to order: "First mate Demer, lower the mainsail and foremast; Old Han, the main engine began to heat up. Everyone is in place and ready for battle. In addition, the Red Battle Flag and the Green Follower Flag were hung to remind the crew of the East Coast Eagle to keep up. ”

The Yunsheng 1 then began to sail northeast at a low speed of 3 knots, and the "East Coast Eagle" apparently also observed the situation on the shore and followed closely behind. According to the efficiency of the transmission of information from the shore, it will take about a day for the enemy's ships to reach the eastern entrance and exit of the Strait of Magellan, which is enough time for everyone to rush over and intercept it.

……

Outside the entrance and exit on the eastern side of the Strait of Magellan, the wind was high and the waves were high, and two Spanish ships were sailing together. With the 400-ton armed merchant ship "Enrique the Brave" behind and the 200-ton battleship "Toledo Believer" leading the way, the two ships set sail from Lima and finally passed through the narrow and dangerous Strait of Magellan and entered the vast South Atlantic. The sea was relatively safe in the eyes of the Spaniards, for no other than the occasional Dutch, English, or French pirate dared to openly challenge the authority of the Spanish kingdom.

But they soon stopped laughing. Two unidentified ships appeared in the southeastern sea, the one in front of which looked quite tall and the amidships were inexplicably tall buildings. There is a mast on the front half of the deck of the ship, on which it looks like it should be able to hang three sails. But this is also the most strange thing for the Spaniards, there are no sails, the ship is approaching at a high cruising speed of 3-4 knots. The ship was followed by a small three-masted galleon, both of which at this time raised a flag with a red background, and in the lower part of the banner were two crossed short swords, and above the short sword was an eagle in a downward striking stance.

The two ships were clearly not prepared to come over and greet each other in a friendly manner, and the busy crowd on the other deck and the black hole of the gun muzzles said it all. The Spaniards immediately decided to turn the rudder to the north, intending to get rid of these two ill-intentioned ships, whose meagre firepower could not compete with these two seemingly formidable ships.

"Sailing the wind and getting rid of it at full speed." With a solemn face, Diego, the captain of the "Toledo Zeatic", ordered, "The envoy of the Governor must be sent safely to Buenos Aires." As for the 'Brave Enrique', we can only pray that God will bless them. ”

The Toledo Zealot is a small warship that has been in service for more than a decade and is part of the Peruvian local fleet. The sailors have been roaming the western Pacific coast with British and Dutch pirates all year round, and their training is quite good. They turned the boom at the first moment and began to sail in a zigzag pattern. However, their efforts were doomed to be in vain, and the tall ship of the opposing side rushed straight at a relative speed of 4 knots without raising any sails, and the distance between the two sides was rapidly narrowing.

"God, it must be a ship sent by the devil." Captain Diego kept crossing his chest, "Gentlemen, get ready to fight!" ”

"The Spaniards are going to run! Ha Lu Ha, don't you look at your turtle speed? Wang Tiehammer held the telescope and said with a smile, "Old Han, follow up." The gun is long, and after entering the firing range, warning fire is carried out. ”

"Boom! Rumble! "The bow guns had not yet come into range, and several gun crews on the port side had already begun shelling the slowly and clumsy armed merchant ship "Enrique the Brave" on the flank. The Spaniards also showed their stubborn will to fight, and the few 6-pounder and 8-pounder guns on the armed sailing ships launched a quick counterattack towards the Yunsheng 1, and some Spanish troops on the deck were also firing with arquebuses.

"Don't worry about this ship, you can't run away! Let Lu Ming and them clean up. Let's keep an eye on the battleship ahead and don't let her escape! Wang Iron Hammer ordered.

The two 12-pounder and two 8-pounder guns in the bow of the ship fired the first round of fire under the undulating waves, most of the shells missed, and only one chain bullet aimed at the sail mast mysteriously hit the stern of the enemy battleship, but it did not appear to cause any damage to the enemy.

"Come again!" By this time, the Yunsheng 1 had gradually become on par with the "Toledo Fanatic", and some broadside gun crews had joined in the firing. In particular, a 24-pounder cannon showed its otherworldly power as soon as it was added, and a huge iron projectile hit the side deck of the opposing team, breaking a large hole in the deck, and the broken wood chips even injured several sailors on the opposing deck.

Soon, the 18-pounder and 12-pounder guns also joined in the fire, and the heavy artillery fire almost completely destroyed the starboard side of the opponent. The few 8-pounder shells of the opponent's counterattack only knocked out some sandbags hanging on the side of the Yunsheng No. 1 ship, and before these remaining guns could be fired again, the grapeshot fired by the 24-pounder guns on the Yunsheng No. 1 smashed everyone still standing on the opponent's right deck into a sieve.

"Ha Lu Ha! Joyfully! Wang Tiehammer smiled: "Huh? Still not surrendered? Okay, tough enough! Come, fulfill them! Beat me to death, sink her! ”

The rumbling cannon rang out again.

On April 20, 1633, off the Strait of Magellan in the South Atlantic, the Spanish armed merchant ship "Enrique the Brave" and the small warship "Toledo Fanatic" were sunk, and more than 260 people, including Viscount Fernández, the envoy of the Peruvian governor, and 150 army musketeers were sunk in the icy waters of the South Atlantic.

PS: Just came back. The computer has also been repaired, and I will work overtime tomorrow, so I won't say much, let's go to the code word first.