The Beiyang Navy and Army's street sweeping operation lasted vigorously for three days, and as Luang Weili said, the Beiyang Army's retaliation was only aimed at the local indigenous mob. There was no action against the foreigners and the Dutch area in Batavia, and even if some natives fled into the Dutch area, the Beiyang Lu Division did not chase them in, on the one hand, in order to limit the escalation of the conflict, and on the other hand, Xu Jie was fully sure that the Dutch would hand over the thugs themselves. The Dutch army also built layers of defenses in barracks, police stations, government offices and Dutch diaspora areas in line with the principle of "defending the territory". But for the indigenous and Chinese areas that have been beaten into a pot of porridge outside, they don't pay attention to it at all. With the help of the Chinese, Zhang Wenxuan became more and more emboldened, and even began to develop into the surrounding villages of Batavia. Start from the city to the countryside!!

But Xu Jie has always had a bottom in his heart, because the most powerful force in this region has not yet expressed his position, Britain!! If Britain decides to support the Netherlands, Beiyang will definitely not be able to eat and walk around this time! Although he had made considerable preparations in the early stage, he was still uncertain about the attitude of the British. And while Xu Jie was anxiously waiting for the British statement, the British government was also carefully weighing its pros and cons.

10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. There are three people sitting across from a table.

"I think you already know about the actions of the Qing Beiyang Fleet in Batavia, but I didn't expect our friends in the Far East to show such a strong aggression." British Prime Minister Salisbury Marquess said as he lit a cigar.

"This is normal, the Dutch actually openly slaughtered Qing nationals when the Qing fleet was patrolling the South Seas, this is a very strict provocation!! And the Dutch were not the first to massacre Qing expatriates. The overreaction of the Beiyang Fleet was also reasonable. Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of the Admiralty, said disapprovingly.

"An overly powerful Beiyang sailor is not good news for the British Empire." The Marquis of Salisbury said with a frown. "After all, Britain is too far away from the Far East."

"Who is Your Excellency the Prime Minister going to use against the Russians? Japan? Hamilton laughs.

"It's a choice. And it's a great choice. Said the Marquess of Salisbury.

"First of all, the Japanese had to defeat the huge empire in the Far East. And to defeat the Qing State, you must first defeat the Beiyang Naval Division. And at present, the Japanese simply do not have this strength. Hamilton said earnestly.

"But Japan is a new capitalist country, full of vigor and has a better future, unlike the Qing state, which is just a little bigger than India." The Marquis of Salisbury took a deep breath and said.

"At least for now, the Japanese don't have a chance. The Beiyang Fleet ordered 3 more new cruisers from Italy, which were completed by the genius designers Vittorio and Xu Jie, which, according to all, were stronger than their predecessors. The three coastal defense ships that the Japanese painstakingly constructed are simply not enough to deal with the newly purchased warships in the Beiyang, and considering the huge gap between the Japanese fleet and the Beiyang fleet, I am not optimistic about the Japanese. Moreover, there is now a quasi-alliance between the British Imperial Navy and the Qing Navy, the vice-admiral of the Beiyang Fleet is an officer of the British Royal Navy, and the Qing customs are controlled by Hurd. I really don't understand, why do we choose Japan? Lord Hamilton said with a smile.

"The Japanese have decided to order three new dome cruisers from the Armstrong shipyard, and two of them will be new ships designed by Sir Watts, which will more than offset the advantages created by the warships purchased by the Qing State from Italy. And according to intelligence, it is also possible that the Japanese will order larger warships. The Marquess of Salisbury blushed and said. …,

"Where's the money? I wonder if the Japanese will be able to afford our shipbuilding even if they spend the last gold coin in the treasury? Lord Hamilton said sarcastically.

"They will issue public bonds. This was enough to complete the armament of the Japanese Navy. Salisbury said.

"That means the Japanese plan to use the British money to win the Qing Kingdom?" William Gladstone, the leader of the Liberal Party, who had not spoken, asked suddenly.

"It's just a business operation." Salisbury's face changed slightly.

"What if you lose? Does the British Empire want to lend money to countries that are doomed to defeat? William Gladstone suddenly had a hard time. And there is no need to discuss these things now, what we have to decide is the attitude of the British government to the events in Batavia. Prime Minister, don't you think you're a little off topic? ”

"And now whether it is public opinion or legal theory, the Qing people have taken the initiative, the Dutch oppression of the Chinese and the whole thing has been published in The Times for 2 days, if we insist on taking action against the Beiyang Fleet, which occupies the moral high ground, I don't know how to explain to the British National and Parliament why the guns of the British Royal Navy will face their friends? Why would the British go to help the Dutch with Chinese blood on their hands? William Gladstone said impassionedly.

"Moreover, Minister Xue Fucheng has already submitted Beiyang's opinion, and their demands are very simple, punish the murderer, pay compensation, allow the Chinese to have weapons for self-defense, and set up an embassy. None of this is excessive. And the Beiyang Fleet will also return to the mainland after the incident, and the Prime Minister's so-called aggressiveness really has no basis for it. Lord Hamilton handed over a copy of the paper.

Moreover, Mr. Hurd mentioned in the phone call that Lord Li Hongzhang of the Qing Kingdom was interested in bringing in more machinery and skilled workers from the United Kingdom. They bought the battleships of the Italians only because of performance and price. If he could, Mr. Hurd said that he could persuade Li Hongzhang to replace the new warships with Armstrong rapid-fire guns on the existing warships in Beiyang. The import of various machinery and equipment is a big order. The Qing Dynasty never forgot the British Empire. William Gladstone said.

"Well, since both of you have this point of view, let's take the matter to the council for discussion." Salisbury said gloomily.

Two days later, in a vote in the British Parliament, the British government decided to support the Qing Dynasty's action to protect overseas Chinese, and decided to send ships to Batavia to protect the safety of British nationals and expatriates from other European countries, and to assist the Qing and Dutch governments in eradicating the soil for "riots". This seemingly ordinary resolution became the starting point of China's infiltration into the South Seas, and at the same time became the basis for the later cooperation between Britain and China against Russia. Even 10 years later, a British scholar wrote in a paper: "From the moment this resolution was signed, the outcome of the war between the Qing and the Japanese was determined." Although the Marquis of Salisbury was more inclined to Japan, he could not change the overall situation under the effect of the huge pressure and inertia around him, and after the resignation of the Earl of Salisbury in 1892, the Japanese could no longer get the support of the British Empire government in the face of the government of Prime Minister William Gladstone, who supported the Qing Dynasty. ”

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