Six modified sailboats slowly sailed into the Port of Arthur and slowly moored at the wharf. These sailboats came from the Jeju Island Training Fleet, and they were also the first batch of warships of the Far East Admiralty, because these sailboats were ordinary Dutch merchant ships, and even if they were refitted, they could not meet the needs of the Far East Navy, so these sailing ships could only be used for training and some short-distance transportation.

After a month of intensive training in Shenyang, all the members of the ocean-going exploration fleet went to Port Arthur for the next stage of sea training. In fact, the main purpose is to conduct maritime adaptability training for army personnel accompanying ships.

Crossing the oceans to Europe and the Americas is no joke, and even the officers and men of the Admiralty, although they have been able to skillfully steer sailboats in recent years, have only sailed in the waters of East Asia and the South Sea.

If you sail into the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, storms alone can strike fear into the hearts of even the most experienced sailors. When a terrible storm comes, the only thing left to be left to fate is to pray to God.

Six sailing ships carrying all the officers and men of the ocean-going exploration fleet took more than a month and without any supplies to reach Vladivostok all the way to Vladivostok, the Tsushima Strait, and the Sea of Japan, and then left Vladivostok, sailed to Luzon via Ryukyu, the South China Sea, and Cam Ranh Bay, and then turned back to Port Arthur again.

At this time, it was the season of frequent storms in the South China Sea, so the six sailing ships were put to a severe test. Especially {a bunch of ruffians of the Mad Dog Brigade, who were so devastated that they even vomited bile.

However, after more than a month of sailing, most of the officers and men have also adapted to the discomfort brought about by the long voyage at sea. A small number of officers and men who are unable to adapt to the voyage in the open sea will be replaced.

Song Tao jumped off the sailboat with a stub beard, looking at the officers and soldiers on the dock with a languid expression, and he couldn't help but feel a little worried. Captain Vanbitt behind him seemed to see Song Tao's thoughts, so he smiled and said, "The general doesn't have to worry. On my first voyage, I was adrift at sea for a few months, and I encountered a few great storms, and the conditions at that time were not comparable to those we have now.

Several of our boats are over 500 tons, and the sails, tail rudders, sails, rigging have also been massively improved. Each key part is also reinforced with steel plates, and in critical moments, steam power units can also be started to increase power. If it weren't for a super storm, our boats could easily survive it. ”

Ding Xinghao, who was next to him, frowned and said with a wry smile: "I can't stand it anymore after sailing in the sea area we control for more than a month, let alone drifting at sea for a few months in the future, I'm scared when I think about it now." Lao Fan, you say so. I always thought we might have a superstorm. ”

As soon as his words fell, a middle finger suddenly stood up around him, and they all scolded him for his crow's mouth. Song Tao also glanced at him, and scolded with a smile: "Lao Ding, I can say it first, after we set off, you crow's mouth is not allowed to talk." ”

All the members of the ocean-going exploration fleet got off the ship and rested in Arthur. During this time, they will make the final preparations before the flight. Wait for the arrival of several improved sailboats at the same time. Then take advantage of the northeast monsoon of the Southeast Asian winter to travel to Europe and the New World.

They went ashore to rest for two days, Gao Jianguo and Qiao Haipeng and other high-ranking members of the Military Commission. and the main responsible persons of the Admiralty, all rushed to Lushun. Several sailing ships that are being refitted in Vladivostok have entered the final stage of drying and will arrive in Arthur in the near future, so the expeditionary exploration fleet has also increased the speed of material preparation.

Xiao Zhongliang personally brought the medical team to Lushun and conducted the last physical examination for all members of the ocean-going exploration fleet before sailing. And brought a large number of medicines and simple medical equipment.

The hospital directly under the Military Commission also sent two military doctors and several traditional Chinese medicine doctors, as well as more than a dozen professional nursing staff. Following the ocean exploration fleet, these medical staff have been training with everyone during this time.

In addition to the officers and men of the Military Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Propaganda and Education, the General Office, the Ministry of Planning and Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Science and Technology Commission of the company jointly formed a fleet of several dozen people. Responsible for the fleet's diplomatic liaison, trade, translation, logistics support, finance, clerical, repair and maintenance and other tasks.

The company's business department sent a three-person business team. Cooperate with Lucien in trading activities along the way. This time, the six seagoing ships carried a large number of goods, mainly luxury goods brought by the company from modern society, as well as a large number of low-cost goods produced in the Far East, such as sugar, refined salt, textiles, matches, soap, mosquito coils. Of course, the Ming Dynasty also brought a lot of silk fabrics and porcelain, which can be equivalent to currency all over the world.

The company's industrial department also sent a mechanical maintenance team, which included two technicians responsible for the maintenance of the steam engine, as well as more than a dozen highly skilled maintenance personnel such as ship maintenance, weapons maintenance, carpentry, ironwork, etc.

Although the Intelligence Department was the main planner of the operation, it now has the smallest number of people in the fleet. There were only Ding Xinghao and Albert, as well as a dozen first-line and second-line intelligence officers. But the weight was heavy, because of this operation, the entire fleet had to serve the Ministry of Intelligence.

To the greatest extent possible, the Ministry of Intelligence should establish a stable trade route between the New World and Europe, and create a basis for the entry of special goods into Europe in the future. Since the Ministry of Intelligence's plan was approved, the Ministry of Commerce of the company has also come together to develop a feasibility plan.

In addition to helping the Intelligence Department with trade guidance, one of the most important tasks of the business team that came with the fleet this time was to inspect the trade environment in Europe and the New World.

The aim was to prepare for the future entry of goods produced in the Far East into Europe in large quantities. Moreover, the Ministry of Commerce has also proposed a plan for cigarettes and spirits, the main content of which is to release cigarettes and spirits in large quantities to Europe and the New World, which are the most profitable commodities and have been proven by history.

At present, the company has a cigarette factory, which is a complete set of equipment purchased from a large fake cigarette factory in modern society, and it is said that the technology of the equipment is very advanced, and it has surpassed many regular brand cigarette factories.

The filter cigarettes that the company brought from the modern society have long been exhausted, and the cigarettes that the company's employees smoke now come from this cigarette factory. It's just that there is no filter, but the company's employees are equipped with various quality cigarette holders, crystal, jade, high-grade solid wood, and some people pretend to be forced to carry a pipe every day.

The cigarette factory not only bought equipment from the fake cigarette manufacturer, but also bought various formulas of high-end fake cigarettes. They've tried to produce some, and they've been tried by the company's employees, and the response has been great. The Ministry of Commerce plans to launch a series of cigarettes in large quantities to Europe and the New World in the future.

In the early days, it can be gifted to the powerful in Europe and the New World, and then sold to them after they are addicted. This was also the despicable method used by the Western colonizers against our people in those days. After forming a trend among the aristocracy, it began to be put into the middle and lower classes in an all-round way.

As for the spirits plan, it is much simpler, and the spirits blended with a small amount of industrial alcohol and edible alcohol are now the favorite commodity of Nayan, which is not a big country in the grassland. This spirit is named Yakiniku Knife, and the degree is equivalent to 65-75 degrees, because it also adds some fusels, aromatic hydrocarbons and other additives, which not only tastes violent, but also makes people feel a mellow aroma in the mouth.

Perennial drinking is very dangerous to people's health, and those who often overeat can even cause blindness, and those who are strict can even die. However, short-term use will not find any side effects at all, so the Far East has established a trading point in the northern part of the Liaohetao, specializing in trading with various tribes in the steppe, dealing in various spirits and narcotics in the Far East, as well as various low-cost goods produced in the Far East, but the prices are often very expensive.

Now many tribes of Mongolian Nayan will use a large number of cattle, sheep and horses to trade with the Far East, the Far East's burning knife spirits have now become all the rage in the grassland, if the various tribes of Nayan do not have a few jars of Far Eastern burning knife spirits, they are embarrassed to greet people.

This ocean-going expedition fleet carried a batch of extremely beautifully packaged spirits and cigarettes, mainly as high-end gifts for arriving in various places, and the cost of packaging has far exceeded the goods themselves.

In addition to various commodities, the six sailing ships also stored a large amount of supplies, such as fresh water, food, weapons and ammunition, and various daily necessities. The shipyard redesigned the bottom silo of the sailboat, the coal storage tank, the food tank, the water storage tank, and the storage compartment of other materials, the layout is more reasonable, making full use of the space of the bottom silo, not only increasing the storage capacity of materials, but also facilitating the storage and access of various materials.

The machine plant produced metal water storage tanks with a huge capacity for the fleet, which were divided into two types: boiler water and drinking water. Compared with the water storage barrels of this era, not only the water storage capacity is larger, but also more hygienic and safe, and the layout is more reasonable, freeing up a lot of space for other materials on the ship.

The company's food factory has prepared a large amount of food for the fleet, including fresh fruits and vegetables, all kinds of canned food, fried noodles and grains, as well as all kinds of dried vegetables and dried meat and salted fish and scallops, which can fully ensure that the fleet can take in enough nutrients during the voyage and enrich the dietary structure of the officers and men.

Although a steam boiler power unit was added to the ship, the supply of the schooner was not reduced, but rather increased than before. After the shipyard has optimized the design of each cabin of the sailboat, the storage of materials has increased by more than 40 percent compared with the past, and the storage capacity of fresh water has even increased by more than 60 percent. And loading and access are also more convenient and reasonable.

Only two dozen of the ship's front-loading guns remained, but only one base of ammunition remained, which was enough for several combat uses. The space saved was all loaded with ammunition for the long-barreled 75 mm mountain gun and a spare barrel. Several Franc guns were equipped on each side of the ship's side for example, and four water-cooled heavy machine guns were reserved for installation before the battle. (To be continued......)

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