"Shameless!" This was the assessment of the actions of the Germans by Garcia, Minister Plenipotentiary of Spain to Germany.

At the same time that Tirpitz gambled on the Spanish Far East Fleet's doorstep, the German government also sent a note to the Spanish government, informing them of the movements of the Asian Detachment of the US Navy, and informing them that the German Far East Fleet would protect the Spanish Far East Fleet because of the friendly relations between the two countries, both European countries.

The Spanish minister blew up on the spot, and the scene a year ago was staged in front of German Foreign Minister Marshall, but Marchar, who was still drinking coffee calmly, was still the same angry Spanish minister, so the result would definitely be the same as the Spanish concession, Marchar thought with a smile in his heart.

"Your Excellency, how can you say that? How can Your Excellency use words that hurt the feelings of our two countries in such a way that it is entirely well-intentioned to protect your fleet and your overseas territories? Marcal retorted with a pretended sense of righteousness.

"Blockade of Manila Bay and restrictions on the movement of our Far East Fleet, which you also call well-intentioned? You're taking advantage of the fire! Collude with those damn cowboys! Garcia roared angrily.

When the Germans entered the Philippines last year under the pretext of seeking justice for the murdered citizens and resolving the humanitarian disaster, and Spain was forced to cede an island and lease a port, Garcia knew that the Germans would never have only a little ambition for the Philippines.

It's just that the Spaniards thought that they could quell the Cuban violence*, and then they could continue to strengthen their forces in the Philippines, so as to curb the appetite of the Germans to some extent.

To make matters worse, the Germans sent two divisions to the Philippines, one stationed on Palawan Island, while the other division was stationed in Subic Harbor to clear the surrounding Philippine resistance.

Although Catipunan, the most violent force in the Philippines had been suppressed at this time, sporadic resistance continued to break out in various areas, involving too much energy from the Spanish colonial army, and if the Germans were ready to seize it by force, it would not be possible to hold it at all.

Therefore, Garcia's only hope is that the Germans have not yet been forced to fight with open fire, and it is estimated that they are still afraid of public opinion, and do not want to bear the bad reputation of colluding with the vulgar American cowboy to deal with their white European brothers.

"Your Excellency, it hurts you to say that. How could we collude with the cowboys to persecute Spain, which is also a European country? Machar replied with a straight face: "Your Excellency, you must know that it is the cowboys who want to seize your country's overseas territory by force, their fleet has been assembled in Hong Kong, and they are also transporting ammunition from Honolulu to Hong Kong, which is preparing for a war.

Where do you think the Americans are preparing for war? And in the Far East, we are the only ones who can protect your fleet and your overseas territories, and the British have already shown their attitude by allowing the Americans to assemble in Hong Kong and by detaining your mine carriers passing through Singapore. Who can your country rely on but us? ”

"Does that have anything to do with your fleet's blockade of Manila Bay?" Garcia's attitude is not as resolute as before, and he himself knows that the Americans will rob it, Spain will not be able to stop it, the Germans will come to rob it, Spain will not be able to stop it either, and the British will not be on his side, so he can only choose the lesser of two evils and see what the Germans have planned.

Seeing Garcia's attitude softened, Machar smiled with satisfaction: "Your Excellency, if the Americans completely defeat your Far Eastern Fleet in Manila Bay, please don't be angry, this is just an assessment report of the strength of our naval forces, and I believe that your fleet will definitely fight bravely in the face of the Americans." Suppose, just assuming that your fleet is defeated, the Americans can justifiably land in the Philippines, and our country has no reason to interfere.

But if your country hands over the Philippines and your fleet to our protection, the United States fleet cannot attack your fleet unless the United States declares war on our country. Therefore, you only need to agree to hand over the Philippines to our trusteeship, and in the event of war, we can guarantee the safety of the Philippines and your fleet, and we will have the defenders of Palawan Island also help your country to put down the rebellion in the Philippines. This is definitely beneficial and harmless to your country. ”

Trusteeship? Nominally still belonging to Spain? Presumably, after the Germans cleared the Philippine resistance, the trusteeship would become a takeover, right? When the time comes, Spain still wants to take it back? That's simply not possible.

Garcia understands this well, but what will happen if the demands of the Germans are rejected? Spain did not have the ability to go to war in the Philippines and Germany farther afield while Cuba was at war with the Americans. Once again, Spain was faced with the question of choosing between the Philippines and Cuba.

No, there is no need to choose at all, Cuba, which has concentrated almost all of Spain's support forces, now has close to 200,000 troops, a large number of materials, as the only remaining fertile land in Spain that can bring a lot of economic profits to the country, and has the advantage of distance, the Spaniards have no choice at all.

"In view of the fact that the violence in the Philippines* is difficult to quell, my country requests your country for help in suppressing the violence*, and in the meantime, China will hand over the Philippines to your country for temporary trusteeship, and your country can exercise the right to administer it in the Philippines." Gritting his teeth, the more detrimental it would be to his country to drag it out any longer, Garcia agreed to the Germans' request.

It's just that the reason for avoiding being seized by the Americans was changed to asking the Germans to help suppress the violence*, after all, the Germans also came to the Philippines under this banner in the first place, and now even if this "help" is further deepened, in order to put the last fig leaf on the powerless Spanish government.

Mashal didn't correct it when he heard this, after all, he wanted to save face for the Spaniards. Then he stretched out his hand with a smile on his face: "Your country, please rest assured, our country will help your country to quell the rebellion and ensure the personal and property safety of your citizens in the Philippines." ”

Garcia smiled and shook Mashal's hand, and said with difficulty: "Then please Your Excellency." ”

Just as Garcia left Mashal's office, he hurried to the telegraph station, ready to report the matter to his country immediately, and the two sides would sign an agreement later, and the sooner the better, so as not to cause trouble.

At this time, in Mirs Bay outside Hong Kong, George Dewey, commander of the US Navy's Asian Squadron, was also as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, and the US Navy had not set foot in Philippine waters for 22 years, and it lacked intelligence.

In desperation, he could only obtain information from the consul in Manila and some captains of merchant ships, and also sent Captain Upham on the flagship Olympia out to wander around the bars of Hong Kong in disguise, mingle with sailors from various countries, and collect every bit of useful information from them.

In this way, I will not be ignorant of the situation in the Philippines. But there is another problem in front of them, and that is that there is not enough ammunition for their own fleet.

At this time, the fleet's existing ammunition was not enough for the normal base of ammunition needed for peacetime training and target shooting, and although he ordered the gunboat Concord to replace the cruiser Charleston, which was still under repair, the first batch of ammunition was still far from enough. The second shipment was transported to Honolulu by the sloop Mohicans and then relayed back by the cruiser Baltimore, which is still on its way and is expected to arrive tomorrow.

After that, it was estimated that another whole day would be wasted by distributing ammunition, and even so, the ammunition depots of each ship were estimated to be nearly 40 empty, which gave George Dewey a headache and had no choice but to order the ships to conserve ammunition in the engagement.

George Dewey received news from home before leaving that the Germans had shipped more than 100,000 Manlisca M1886 rifles and a large amount of ammunition to New York before the war, and were all bought by the U.S. government for $80 a day before the war was declared.

Therefore, the U.S. government interpreted it as a goodwill on the part of the Germans, demanding that George Dewey prohibit friction with the German Far East Fleet.

The question is how the Germans could not have friction with the Germans if they wanted to seize the Philippines at this opportunity? Now we can only hope that Germany has not declared war with Spain and has not made a move, so that we still have a chance.

As long as the Spanish Far East Fleet is defeated, it will naturally land in the Philippines in the name of justice, and the government will immediately send more than 10,000 troops to the Philippines, then it will be too late for the Germans to oppose it. Everyone can only take care of their own affairs, and then it will depend on who occupies the territory quickly.

With this in mind, the next day, after being busy late at night and distributing ammunition, the US Asian Squadron set out from Mirs Bay in the early morning of 27 April and headed straight for Manila Bay.

Since Subic Bay was already a chassis for the Germans, the Spaniards could only be in Manila Bay as well.

On the afternoon of 30 April, George and his crew arrived in the Luzon Sea, where the ships began to remove flammable materials and spread sand on the decks, and various decorative panels, seats, and even paintings and books floated all the way behind the fleet. George Dewey also constantly exhorted all ships to aim carefully and save shells.

However, just as the U.S. fleet was preparing for battle, several plumes of smoke suddenly appeared in front of them, and the U.S. warships, which quickly sounded the battle alarm, began to adjust their course and pointed their guns in the direction in which the plumes of smoke appeared.

After a while, the shadow of the ship in the distance became larger and larger, and the huge hull of the ship at the beginning knew at a glance that it was not a Spanish warship, and as the distance between the two fleets got closer and closer, George Dewey saw the flag on the warship and sent a greeting: "This is the German Far East Fleet, welcome to Manila." ”

At this time, George Dewey's little hope was extinguished, and so many preparations had been made before, and those objects thrown into the sea seemed to be a great irony at this time.

A thousand words came out of George Dewey's mouth in one word: "F-u-c-k!" R1152