Second, the equatorial windless zone. The calm face is like a peace. Thousands of islands dot the area, and the variety of strange animals is truly dazzling. In a bay in Tokelau, thirty cruisers were quietly moored there, and the flag and the number were none other than those of the Pacific Fleet. The Pacific Fleet was ordered to enter the Pacific region to intercept the Spanish treasure fleet, but the Dutch East India Fleet also set its sights on the Spanish treasure fleet. When Philippine Governor Fernando learned that the Dutch East India Fleet was leaving, he didn't understand what they were going to do. The Philippine fleet was immediately dispatched to follow the other side to protect the Spanish treasure fleet that was crossing the Pacific Ocean. The problem was very tricky, a simple robbery quickly turned into a contest between the three major naval fleets of the Far East. The Dutch East India Fleet sent twenty-two cruisers to search for the Spanish treasure fleet from Mexico, and the Philippine fleet sent by Governor Fernando also had eighteen cruisers, following the Dutch East India Fleet all the way. The Pacific Fleet sent by Deng Haonan has thirty cruisers. Following behind the Philippine fleet and the Dutch East India fleet, wait for the two of them to fight, and then reap the benefits. January 17th. The Dutch East India Fleet, with its advanced seafaring technology and many years of experience in raiding, searched for traces of the Spanish treasure fleet near the Marshall Islands. The Spanish treasure fleet consisted of three large Galen ships, two of which carried gold and silver, and one of which was loaded with cargo ready to be sold in the East. The treasure fleet was escorted by five cruisers of the Mexican fleet. It was two Dutch warships that discovered the Spanish treasure fleet. The two warships were going to come forward to test it, but Rear Admiral Francisco, the commander of the treasure ship escort, decisively ordered the treasure fleet to change course, and at the same time sent two warships to drive away the Dutch warship. Two Dutch warships followed the Spanish treasure fleet for some distance. Seeing that he could not take advantage, one returned to report the news, and the other continued to follow. Rear Admiral Francisco, who had been in this kind of battle for a long time, knew that the Dutch would soon send a large number of warships, so he ordered the two cruisers to surround the tracking Dutch warships with all their might, and at the same time let the remaining three cruisers escort the three treasure ships to sail in opposite directions, free from the tracking of the Dutch warships. After the commander of the Dutch East India Fleet, Rejouz, got the news. Immediately gather nearby warships to assemble at the accident site. The Philippine fleet quietly followed them, and when they began to assemble, the commander, Rear Admiral Julio, hurriedly commanded the fleet to follow. Two Spanish warships attacked a Dutch warship. Seeing this, Reyoz immediately ordered the entire fleet to attack the two Spanish warships. However, before Giulio's fleet could launch an attack formation, a large number of Spanish battleships suddenly appeared in the rear. The commander of the Philippine fleet, Julio, was afraid that something would happen to his treasure fleet, so he hurriedly ordered the whole fleet to attack the Dutch East India fleet. It was under these conditions that the Battle of West Hommshall broke out, with twenty cruisers on the Spanish side and twenty-two cruisers on the Dutch side, and the two sides were evenly matched. Fierce battle at sea. The undeclared war between the two sides is actually related to the Thirty Years' War in Europe and the Third Spanish-Dutch War, and the two countries are fighting fiercely in Europe, so there is no need to declare war again. An hour later. The Pacific Fleet appeared to the west of their warring seas, in order not to provoke the opposing side. The commander of the Pacific Fleet, Shi Jianfei, ordered the fleet to stay away. Don't let the other party find out. Just send a dinghy for surveillance. The Spanish fleet and the Dutch fleet had similar naval tactics, tending to jump, take sides, and set fires, and when the number of warships on both sides was equal, it was impossible to distinguish the winner from the loser in ten days and half a month. They fought theirs, and the Pacific Fleet bypassed the seas where they were engaged, and headed straight south to chase the fleeing Spanish treasure fleet. There are many islands in the Central Pacific, and Francisco hides in Tibet, hiding from the Pacific Fleet among thousands of islands. On 3 March, two cruisers of the Pacific Fleet finally spotted the Spanish treasure fleet near Tokelau. Shi Jianfei hurriedly ordered the Pacific Fleet to assemble. March 5th. The Pacific Fleet ran into Francisco's fleet. Because the Pacific Fleet was worried that the treasure ship would be sunk, it was very cautious and did not open fire.

However, Francisco did not hesitate, and the three battleships suddenly opened fire on the Pacific Fleet, covering the escape of the three treasure ships. Tokelau has more than 300 large and small islands. The waterways between the islands are crooked and narrow, and the reefs are dotted with reefs. Under the encirclement and interception of more than 30 warships of the Pacific Fleet, although Francisco successfully jumped out of the encirclement with the treasure fleet, a Galen ship loaded with cargo ran aground on the reef and was captured by the Pacific Fleet. The cargo on the cargo ship is initially estimated to be worth about 800,000 taels of silver, but compared to the silver dollars on the other two treasure ships. But it's a big deal. March 8. A cruiser of the Pacific Fleet is located in one southwest of Tokelau. Francisco's treasure fleet was once again spotted next to the island. However. Just as the Pacific Fleet was once again assembled to capture the enemy ships in one fell swoop, the Tokelau Islands in the Central Pacific entered a windless period, and thirty frigates were forced to gather in a bay and wait for the wind to rise. The days passed. It was sunny every day, and there was not a trace of wind. "It's been half a month! When the hell is the wind going to blow in this damn weather! Shi Jianfei and Shen Yangwei came to the deck together, the sun was scorching. Under the blue sea and blue sky, I only heard the officers and soldiers "standard wipe? The roar of the board. Without the wind, the sail warship cannot move. This "ghost" is extremely boring. If it weren't for the fact that the officers and men of the Pacific Fleet had the habit of scrubbing the deck, the naval sailors of other countries would not have been able to stand it. Yao is like this, for the officers, the boredom is still very strong. In particular, more than half of the fresh water stored on the battleship was consumed by scrubbing the battleship every day. "We're at home this time!" Shen Yangwei sighed and said, "This boiled duck flew away from his mouth, and he also threw himself into this place where birds don't!" Shi Jianfei smiled bitterly and asked, "How much more do we have?" Not much! Shen Yangwei replied: "The food can last for a month and a half, but the fresh water can last for three days at most!" "Shi Jianfei's expression is solemn, you can endure it with less food, but you can't stand it if there is less fresh water." Either don't wash the deck. Save some fresh water! Shen Yangwei shook his head. Said: "Now that we are trapped here, the officers and soldiers have more or less some ideas, if they don't find work for them, it will breed trouble!" Shi Jianfei thought about it, so he said: "Then we have to find some fresh water!" The sergeant has already sent someone to search for fresh water on a nearby island! Did you find it? If I find it, I won't have to worry about it! Shen Yangwei smiled bitterly and said: "There are many islands near here, but no fresh water has been found yet, I asked the shipkeeper to send someone to search far away, we must find a water source, without water, we will be wiped out!" Shi Jianfei was gloomy for a while, praying in his heart that it would be okay to find a water source or a wind. It's almost April! Shen Yangwei nodded, knowing what he was thinking, so he said: "Calculate the days, the first test ship of the Beiyun-class battleship should be tested at sea, and I don't know how the performance is!" "It should be good!" Shi Jianfei said: "The Beiyun class is designed and built on the basis of the Dolphin class we are using now, and it has not undergone much improvement, except for the addition of sixteen artillery pieces. No more improvements! "The addition of sixteen guns brings the number of guns of the fourth-class battleship of the Beiyun class to fifty-six, which is the combined firepower of a Dolphin-class cruiser and a Exocet-class frigate, which is certainly expected." Count the days, we can't see the sea trial of the Beiyun, and we can return to the base before her official service and burn high incense! Shi Jianfei raised his eyes to look at the sky, it was still cloudless. Wiping the sweat from his sideburns, when will this damn weather end. Previously when sailing at sea. Always curse the stormy weather. Looking forward to sunny days. Nowadays, on the contrary, such sunny days are annoying. Dengdenden! A rush of footsteps sounded, Shi Jianfei and Shen Yangwei turned around to look, only to see the sergeant running over sweating profusely. "Report the report! Pay attention to your image! Be! The sergeant hurriedly straightened his outfit and straightened up. Found a water source? Report to the Commander, Chief of Staff! The sergeant replied excitedly, "We have found the water source!" Shi Jianfei and Shen Yang glanced at each other, and they were both overjoyed. Allocate more people to stock up on fresh water! Got it! I've already arranged it! The sergeant added: "We found some abandoned water intake equipment near the water source, which was determined to be a tool of foreigners after analysis!" Shen Yangwei asked, "Could it be left by the foreign ships that passed through there before?" No! The sergeant replied with certainty: "These water intake equipment have not been used for long, no more than two days!" "No more than two days? Shi Jianfei and Shen Yang glanced at each other, and they both felt excited. At this time, the only one who searched for water was basically the escaped treasure fleet. "It's Spain's treasure fleet!" The two shouted almost at the same time. "So the Spaniards' treasure fleet is not far away, and like us, they are trapped in a windless period!" It took no more than a month and a half to cross the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to the Philippines. Now, almost three months later, and with the capture of the Pacific Fleet by their cargo ships, the Spanish treasure fleet is also starved of water and food. "Good chance!" Shi Jianfei said excitedly: "I thought they ran away!" We didn't say anything about the harm we ran away in vain, and we still suffered from it! Shen Yangwei ordered the sergeant: "Pass the order, find them immediately!" The sergeant was ordered to leave. A day later, the sergeant sent men found a target in a bay seventeen nautical miles from the Pacific Fleet's cobalt fields. However, to their surprise, there were indeed two large Spanish Galen ships in the bay, which were the same two armed merchant ships loaded with treasure that had escaped a few days earlier.

But instead of the three Spanish ships guarding them, they were Dutch ships flying the tricolor, and there were five of them. After learning of the situation, Shi Jianfei felt a big headache. "Are you sure those two cargo ships are the treasure ships of the Spaniards? That's right! The sergeant nodded affirmatively. Said: "When we attacked them, you deliberately told us not to hurt those two treasure ships, so we all looked carefully. Those two treasure ships are moored in the bay! The treasure fleet looks like it's been gotten by the Dutch! So what do we do? Shen Yangwei asked, "Do you want to watch those 20 million silver dollars fall into the hands of the Dutch?" How will we explain when we go back! "When they came out, they all played a package ticket, if they went back empty-handed, Shi Liu... Xun confessed, and the navy's face was also lost. No, the five Dutch Zhan Kanyue Ding Shi Jianfei snorted coldly and said, "If you do it, you won't have it!" Shen Yangwei asked with some concern: "The Dutch East India Fleet sent twenty-two warships this time, why are only five there?" The other warships are nearby! Shi Jianfei thought about this and said: "Some time ago, near the Marshall Islands, wasn't the Dutch East India Fleet at war with the Philippine fleet? It's been a month now, and I think it's time for them to finish fighting. It's no wonder that these five Dutch battleships escaped from the battlefield and happened to meet the Spanish treasure fleet running around, so they picked up the bargain! In fact, the Battle of West Homarshall lasted only three days, and neither side had any intention of stumbling. The Dutch fleet wanted to rob the treasure ships. And the Philippine fleet wants to protect the treasure fleet. After several days of fighting, the captains of the Dutch fleet had no time to entangle with the Spaniards, all trying to find the treasure ship. Because in the European Navy during this period, only some of the officers and men of the navy ate the national salary. Most sailors were unpaid. In order to survive, these sailors had to fend for themselves and make their own fortune. As a result, European navies often have warships break away from their fleets during battles. Pursuing the enemy ship alone and capturing the supplies on the enemy ship as military pay. This was the case in the Anglo-Spanish naval battle, when many warships disobeyed the orders of the fleet and left the fleet in search of prey. The naval battle between the British and Western countries was fought into a pot of porridge. In this battle of West Homamarshalles, many warships of the Dutch fleet slipped away on the night of the second and third days and searched for the Spanish treasure fleet alone. In this way, after three days there was not much left of Rejoz's fleet. Unable to engage the Philippine fleet any longer, he had to evacuate. And sneaked away to fight the autumn wind in the battleship. A group of five Dutch warships spotted the Spanish treasure fleet near Tokelau and managed to sink a frigate, forcing Francisco to abandon the two treasure ships and flee with the two ships. And just as the Dutch were dividing up the money, the windbreak period also affected them, forcing them to stay in Tokelau. "Shall we send muskets to attack them, or will we wait for the wind to rise before we besiege them? Then we have to wait until the Year of the Monkey? Shi Jianfei waved his hand and said, "Five Dutch warships, the number of people is no more than a thousand. After removing gunners, sailors, orderlies. There were no more than 200 soldiers capable of fighting with guns. And if we can draw fifteen hundred musketeers and attack them at night, the odds are very good. Shen Yangwei nodded and added, "The mouth of the bay is not big. It only takes five battleships to be able to block them off. The water in the bay is not deep, even if they sink their warships, our sailors can get their money out! But how did our warships get there? "Isn't it easy?" Shen Yangwei smiled and said, "Mobilize the sailors to drag the battleship in small boats, won't it just pass?" OK! Shi Jianfei thought for a while and said, "One more chance is better!" In the afternoon, it dragged by, and by dawn it was just in time to reach the mouth of the bay, just in time for us to attack! Connecting the joints, the two hurriedly made a deployment. All the officers and men of the Pacific Fleet have been idle these days. got the order, and they all geared up. In the afternoon, dozens of boats were on top. Hundreds of officers and men stripped naked, rowed bare-chested, and dragged five warships to their destination.

Fifteen hundred sailors, armed with muskets and ammunition, rested in the five ships to recuperate for the battle to come. In the second half of the night, five battleships were towed to the mouth of the bay of the anchorage where the Dutch fleet was located, and lined up to block the enemy's escape route. Shi Jianfei stayed on the ship to direct the artillery to prepare for battle, and Shen Yangwei personally led the team and led 1,500 sailors to carry out the task of attacking and seizing the ship. The rope ladder on the battleship was quietly lowered, and Shen Yangwei arranged for a thousand soldiers to form five teams, one team of two hundred people, responsible for capturing a Dutch battleship. The remaining 500 men landed from the west side of the mouth of the bay and attacked directly the Dutch, who were camping and resting on the shore. Most of the Dutch rest in tents on the shore, and the fact that the birds don't poop is reassuring and less fearful. There were no more than twenty or thirty Dutch men left on the battleship, only one or two were on duty, and the others had long since fallen asleep. Before dawn, when people slept at their deadliest, even the soldiers who were on guard were asleep, and the enemy climbed the battleship without noticing. The sharp dagger was raised, and the sleeping sentry died in terror with a muffled grunt. Bands of soldiers quickly descended into the cabin with their bright bayonets and stabbed each of the sleeping Dutch sailors. Blood gushed out of the bayonet's bloodletting trough and spilled all over the white curtains. Occasionally, a few screams would be heard, but they were all blocked by the battleship's deck, and no sound could be heard from outside. Soon. Five Dutch battleships were captured. "Cuckoo! Cuckoo! After receiving the signal, Shen Yangwei on the shore immediately organized the remaining five hundred people to slowly approach the Dutch camp on land. However. It was these two cuckoo calls that alarmed a Dutch officer. "Damn, there's a bird calling? I won't see a bird for many days! The officer stood up suddenly. Prepare to kill this bird and fight the tooth sacrifice. However, when he came out of the tent, he was stunned. "Enemy!" An exclamation broke through the quiet night sky. D