While Isabel's mind wandered away from the "battleline battleship tactics" or "T-shaped crossheads" tactics used in the decisive battle between the Combined Christian Fleet and the Arab Fleet in the Mediterranean, Captain Hawkins found herself distracted, seemingly not listening carefully to the new trade plan she had made after careful consideration.

Luckily, Isabel was quick to come out of her mind and concentrate quickly. With a charming smile on his face, he looked up slightly at Captain Hawkins standing at the top of the table. The captain wondered what she was thinking about, and nodded gently, "Miss, do you have any ideas for my new trade plan?" If you will tell me. ”

"Thoughts? Of course. Isabel Walton muttered to herself and nodded at the captain, "Yes, Captain." However, I am not going to reject your plan, but rather to strengthen it. ”

"Oh...? Miss, can you tell us? Captain Hawkins' eyes lit up, and he was eager to hear what astonishing words this noble lady who had never been engaged in overseas trade could say. Immediately, he nodded at the other party gentlemanly and sat down again.

Isabel stood up, glanced at the members of the Hawkins family in the room, and said aloud, "Gentlemen, if we find the Portuguese and Spanish slave ships when we reach the coast of Africa, how are you going to plunder them?" ”

Richard Hawkins reclined in his chair, his right arm flat on the dining table and playing with his dinner knife, "Miss, we can first fire a cannon to warn them, if they don't surrender, use the side of the ship to get close to their side, and the sailors jump on the enemy ship and engage in white-knuckle combat to capture the enemy ship." ”

"Well, gang hopping is indeed a time-honored method of naval warfare. Sir, what are you going to do if our sailors are no match for the opposing sailors or sergeants after jumping the gang? ”

"Miss, I think it's... Impossible. Both sides are armed merchant ships, unless they have additional sergeants on board for combat. ”

"Sir, I hope this is not going to happen. However, this is at sea, and you can't think that there is no such possibility. ”

Several captains of armed merchant ships in the audience nodded their heads, and Captain Hawkins, who was holding a wine glass, glanced at his brother, "Richard, if our sailors suffer too many casualties, it will be our turn to be captured by the enemy next." ”

Richard thought to himself for a moment, then raised his chin to look at Isabel, "Miss, what about your opinion?" ”

Isabel gradually cleared her mind, pondered for a moment, and then said calmly, "Let our artillery take the place of the sailors' gang fighting." I mean, before the enemy is ready to surrender, we have to beat them with the ship's heavy artillery to surrender. ”

Forced the enemy to surrender with artillery, and the tactics of Henry VIII's royal fleet were applied to armed merchant ships? The family members present had never heard such a statement, and most of them looked at Isabel with amazement. Of course, judging from her status as a noble lady, perhaps she is more familiar with His Majesty's royal fleet.

There was a brief silence in the dining room, and Captain Hawkins looked down in thought. Then, he jerked his head up and looked at her, "Miss, I know that His Majesty's naval fleet has a very powerful Clark ship, the Mary Rose. Now, she's docked in the royal dockyard in Plymouth. ”

Isabel picked up her glass and took a sip of wine, looking at the captain as she put it down, "Captain, what do you think of the Mary Rose's heavy artillery fire?" ”

"Well, very powerful. There were bronze front-loading guns and wrought-iron rear-loading guns, and the various guns on this battleship combined were about 60 guns. In addition, the ship also carried a large number of 'swarm bullet cannons' that could fire pieces of cast iron, which were specially designed to deal with enemy infantry sergeants. ”

"I'm grateful that the captain can remember it so clearly. Why, then, can't our merchant ships be loaded with bronze front-loading guns with powerful firepower? ”

At this moment, Isabel's mind suddenly flashed the scene of her young brother being killed by a bronze front-loading gun. Richard, who was sitting across from her, was the first to notice the change in her expression, and asked with concern, "Miss, you... You okay? ”

"I'm fine, go ahead." Isabel smiled lightly and looked at the crowd again, "So, I would like to say that our merchant ships must be loaded with enough bronze front-loading guns on both sides. ”

"What do you think, Captain?" With that, Isabel turned her gaze to Captain Hawkins on her right.

At this moment, Captain Hawkins' mind conjured up the image of Henry VIII's battleship, the Mary Rose, armed with heavy guns. The fingers of his left hand tapped lightly and rhythmically on the dining table, and he said slowly, "The prosperity of the Hawkins family is inseparable from maritime trade, and maritime trade is inseparable from the sailors who steer the ships forward." Well, Miss Isabel was right. ”

After speaking, he looked at the other family members, "What about you?" Is it the money that matters, or is it our sailors that matter? ”

Richard looked at his brother with a solemn gaze, "William, money and sailors are important. Well, I agree with Miss Isabel and replace the broadside guns with bronze front-loading guns. The gun emplacements in the bow and stern of the ship can still be loaded with wrought iron breech guns such as swivel guns. ”

One of the captains beside Richard leaned forward, "Captain, bronze cannons are much more expensive than wrought iron cannons, and if we replace the broadside cannons of all our merchant ships with bronze cannons, where should this money come from?" ”

Captain Hawkins raised his eyelids and glanced at the captain, snorting softly, "Let's change the broadside guns of the three merchant ships first." As for the money, you can earn it back by pretending to be a few more black slaves. ”

When everyone tacitly agreed with the patriarch of the family, Richard suddenly remembered a question that Isabel had raised. Isabel, who sat down again on her shoulder, "Miss, you said you didn't plan to let the other party know who we were this afternoon. Now, instead of using powerful firepower, you are offering to force the other side to surrender. Wouldn't it be easier for the other party to see that we were English? ”

Isabel smiled lightly, flicking a delicate dinner knife back and forth in her hand, "Sir, the merchant ships of the Hawkins family are probably a small dual-purpose sailing ship invented by the Spaniards." ”

"Yes, their Clark ships are too large to be suitable for smaller commercial trade. In addition, the cost and construction of dual-purpose sailboats will be much lower than that of Clark ships. ”

"Good. Sir, are there any Spanish-speaking members or sailors in your family? ”

"Yes. However, they will only have some very simple conversations. ”

"Good." Isabel nodded, turning her head to look at Captain Hawkins, "Captain, my plan is that I will handle all the foreign affairs, and you and your sailors will all pretend to be French or Spanish. ”