During the voyage from the silver-mining port on the west coast of South Yindi'an Chau to the mouth of the Buyi River on the east coast, the Imperial Navy's five-masted naval transports could run back and forth in three months if they did not stop along the way...... This is still at normal speed.

However, it was impossible for them not to be involved in the transportation of three important mines on the West Coast.

There were only six three-masted ships in the port of the silver mining area, and Major Xin took three with him, and the remaining three originally wanted to send two to support the development of the estuary area, but Governor Wang Zheng calculated that only one three-masted ship was left, which was not enough to maintain the connection between the three mining areas, so he could only postpone the support mission.

As a result, the arrival of the Imperial Navy was a great help...... The total amount of supplies they can send at one time can be compared to six three-masted sea ships!

Of course, the Imperial Navy is always meant to serve the needs of the Empire...... Who made this operation a voyage with no time limit?

Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Tong could only honestly stay in the port of the silver mining area and wait for his transport ship to return.

During this period, he and his subordinates could not be idle, and began to work again as a worker and farmer during their recruit training...... Just in time for the construction of the Imperial Navy's base in the silver mines.

They also took the opportunity to tann the fur seals...... Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Tong also took out the photos they had taken to show Director Zhang Hongfan and Lieutenant Colonel Jiangling, which were all taken at the mouth of the Buyi River and on Fur Dog Island.

Lieutenant Colonel Gangneung was satisfied that his beloved general's military demeanor was still in good condition, and his life seemed to be passable...... Director Zhang Hongfan quickly hit the idea of the Fur Dog Island.

The fur business is also a big business, borrowing the nitrate from the nitrate mining area to tann the skin, if you recruit a group of tanners in the silver mining area, set up a few large workshops...... No, it's called a factory, and you can make some leather goods casually, and any of them can be sold for a price!

It is said that the women of the empire bought more than a dozen bags per person...... What a big business!

Director Zhang Hongfan also went to check the skins...... He just touched it with his hand, and he knew that it was all the finest skin, better than cow and sheepskin, kangaroo skin, and whale skin, but not as good as Japanese sea otter skin.

Haha, the fur industry is a good industry!

But, as in the absence of a shipwright, he had no cobbler on his hands...... Talent, no talent!

There are also carpenters in the silver mines, but they are at best able to build dhows...... It's too much different from a three-masted seagoing boat, at most you can take a turn around the seaside and the river, and it's okay to catch fish and shrimp.

The arrival of the Imperial Navy helped them a little, and they were able to find some time to help them build a small factory that could repair and build ships while building a naval base.

However, shipbuilding is a systematic project that requires the cooperation of hundreds of industries...... You can only take your time.

The location of the naval base in the silver mining area was relatively smooth, and they sifted through several locations provided by Director Zhang Hongfan and found a more cost-effective location.

It is about ten kilometers from the port of the silver mining area, and there is a natural cove, and there is about a square kilometer of flat land in the bay...... If the wharf is built, about ten five-masted naval warships can be docked in the bay; Sufficient buildings can also be built on flat ground.

The biggest disadvantage is that there is not much room for expansion, which is not as good as one-tenth of the Nankai naval base!

Of course...... Judging from the current conditions, it would be too wasteful to put ten warships on Anzhou in Nanyindi, and one of four or five would be enough, and it may only be the parking of transport ships.

The transports of the Imperial Navy also had a certain defensive capability: six rear-loading guns of ten-centimeter caliber and 100 rear-loading lances of the navy...... There should be no opponent to find either.

Nan Yin Di Anzhou is a place where there are not even pirates......

The biggest advantage of having a base there is that the overland route between it and the silver mining area is easier to repair.

So, during this period, the Imperial Navy was busy building a shelter for itself, while supporting the silver mining area to build its own shipyard.

The Imperial Army mobilized to help the navy build the base and lead the Inca and Mayan laborers to build the land route between the base and the silver mines.

There are simply no idle people in the entire silver mining area...... Director Zhang Hongfan had to put aside his vision of the fur industry for a while.

While everyone was busy, a fleet of four five-masted seagoing vessels suddenly appeared on the sea!

The observation post in the harbor quickly sent out a message that it was not the fleet of the Federal Empire...... It turned out to be a fleet formed by the Japanese and Korean countries!

This is not the right time in the first place, it is not the time when the Imperial convoy comes; Moreover, the Imperial transport fleet is composed of seven-masted special-purpose transport ships, and five-masted transport ships are not enough.

Silver Mine Harbor immediately sent assault boats to row at the fleet...... The flotilla saw the assault boat approaching, lowered its sails with great amusement, and waited for inspection.

Seeing that the soldiers of the Imperial Army used a ladder with a hook to catch the side of the five-masted sea ship and climbed up smoothly, Director Zhang Hongfan put down his binoculars.

He saw the national flags with the words Japan and Korea on them in the binoculars.

And it's two countries.

The flag of the Federal Empire is a "Shang" character, and the flag of the Great Song Dynasty is a "Song" character...... Japan and Korea are second-class countries, so of course they have to use two-character flags.

Director Zhang Hongfan didn't think about how they came here, but he thought that these two small countries still knew etiquette...... This gave him a certain liking for the fleet.

Then, the soldiers who came on board to inspect the ship sent back the flag...... Hehe, they turned out to be a caravan, not a national-level fleet.

Well, Director Zhang Hongfan granted their request to enter the port.

Lieutenant Colonel Gangneung also received this message...... Although he was an army officer, the charts of the whole world were etched in his mind...... The fleets of Japan and Korea were able to follow the routes we had explored?!

He wanted to lament that the exploration of the Imperial Navy had taken advantage of others, and it should be completely secret...... But suddenly I changed my mind, no, this idea is not conducive to the development of the empire's commerce!

Otherwise, it would be impossible for the relevant departments of the Federal Empire to sell globes, sextants, compasses, world charts and telescopes all over the world!

There will be no news of the success of the new route exploration announced by the newspapers!!

Isn't it extremely easy to ban and block news?

Lieutenant Colonel Gangneung repeatedly reminded himself in his heart that he should not rest on his laurels and not be conservative......

He then sent a platoon of remaining soldiers to maintain order...... There is Zhang Hongfan in charge there, and the military still does not come forward.

Five-masted ships from Japan and Korea docked at the port wharf in the silver mining area...... There are no shoals and reefs here, and there is no need for pilots at all.

When the sailors of Japan and Korea and the captains of the ships disembarked, they raised their hands and cheered.

"Ah, what a rich place to be!"

Director Zhang Hongfan was quite happy to hear their cheers, they all spoke the Great Song dialect.

He immediately had their captain called and ask them how they had come here.

What he felt a little sad in his heart was that he was not a merchant of the empire, even if it was a merchant from the Great Song Dynasty who came here first......