Chapter 5: Who is the Monkey and Who is the Chicken?

Macartney and Bourblon looked at each other.

Macartney spread his hands and said: "To be honest, the Dutch have a great advantage in the South Seas, and the Dutch East India Company has more than sixty warships, and such a naval force should not be underestimated even in Europe, so.... I think you should be at peace with the Dutch. ”

"You can even sign a treaty if necessary, I think... The Dutch are interested in supporting you in going north to find trouble with the Qing Empire. Bourblon took over.

Zhu Daohua was noncommittal.

Although both Macartney and Bourblon seem to have shown a certain fear of the Dutch's naval prowess in the South Seas.

But for Zhu Daohua....

He was not afraid of the navy of the Dutch.

Because.....

He was a seafarer himself.

I know too much about the warships of the Age of Sail.

More than sixty battleships?

For Zhu Daohua, it is just more than 60 wooden boats.

If it was a decisive battle between the two sides, he couldn't ask for it.

"The interests of the Dutch are in the South Seas, so ... As long as you don't show interest in Nanyang, I believe they won't offend you rashly. ”

Macartney said.

"What if I occupy the Straits of Malacca?"

"The Dutch will fight with you!"

"Desperate?"

Zhu Daohua didn't have any expression on his face, but he had already calculated it in his heart.

Will it really be desperate?

"His Royal Highness!"

Macartney's face was serious.

"This is no joke, you wouldn't want to rely on those sloops you built in the shipyard in Calcutta to deal with the Dutch's third class battleships, would you?"

"I admit that the ship you designed is indeed quite fast, and the twelve long-barreled six-pounder guns equipped with it have a long enough range - perhaps the longest-range naval guns of this era, but the power of the six-pounder is limited, and I don't even think it is enough to shoot through the planks of a third-class battleship!"

Macartney said, shaking his head.

In fact.

Zhu Daohua should have arrived in Nanyang three months ago.

But he stayed for three months while passing through India.

In the past three months, he bought a large number of artillery and flintlock pistols at the arsenal in Calcutta - the arms industry of this era mostly relied on handicrafts, so India at this time could be regarded as the world's arms center.

This is very different from the influence that people have on the Indian army's nation-made weapons.

And in addition to the arsenal, Kolkata also has the largest shipyard in the world.

The "industrial prowess" of British India in this era was not to be underestimated.

In addition to buying weapons.

Zhu Daohua stayed in Calcutta for three months, mainly to build a warship suitable for the South Seas.

Sloops.

This type of ship is fast and requires very few operators.

Armed with twelve long-barreled six-pounder guns.

The barrel of this gun was lengthened, and the firing range was comparable to that of an ordinary twenty-four-pounder naval gun.

This is a ship with not many guns, but extremely fast.

Zhu Daohua purchased a total of 12 ships in Calcutta.

It also hired quite a few Indian sailors.

So in Macartney's opinion.

Zhu Daohua's kind of ship can only be used to deal with the slow speed and small tonnage of the hard sail ship.

As well as being used as a fast communication ship.

Used against the main battleships of the Dutch East India Company?

It's just a joke.

............

Leave Zhu Daohua's ship.

Two British and French ministers stood on the deck of another warship belonging to the British Royal Navy.

Britain and France are old rivals in Europe.

However, they are united in their interests toward China.

Historically.

These two have been sworn enemies in Europe for more than a hundred years.

It is also often co-op in the East to rob it.

"Zhu Daohua doesn't seem to care much about the Dutch.... Could he have been sure that he would be able to deal with the fleet of the Dutch East India Company? ”

Bourblon said with a frown.

"It can't be! The Dutch East India Company's capital ships were not something he could handle. Macartney said, shaking his head.

"The twelve clippers he bought in Calcutta...."

"Maybe it's just for reconnaissance communications," Macartney said, spreading his hands.

Anyone who knows a little about the rules of naval warfare in this era knows it.

This is the era of cannon giants.

Big ships, big guns.

That's the way to go.

The boat could not carry the cannon.

Not to mention a six-pounder gun.

Even if it's a twelve-pound cannon.

It may not be able to easily penetrate the thick planks of a third-class battleship.

So naval battles in this era are usually fought for a long time.

After all, rely on solid shells to smash.

It's hard to sink a wooden ship.....

"Zhu Daohua is a scholar, he doesn't know how to fight at all.... And I think it's better to let his ship lose here.... It is better for the Orientals not to develop what the navy is. ”

Macartney said with a smile.

There were also some things he didn't say.

That is.... If Zhu Daohua is defeated by the Dutch.

So.

The United Kingdom, which occupies most of India.

will become the only foreign aid that Zhu Daohua can invoke.

The only reliance!

The two ministers looked at each other and smiled.

Each has a plan.

...........

"My lord, are you really planning to go against the Dutch?"

In the early morning of the third day.

The fleet could already faintly see the outline of the land.

Just go through the Straits of Malacca.

Zhu Daohua has officially returned to the Eastern World.

He heard Gu Song's doubts and worries.

After all.

The Dutch are now the largest force in the South Seas.

provoked them, in case of failure .... It is impossible to gain a foothold in the South Seas.

"Isn't this something that has been planned a long time ago..."Zhu Daohua said with his left index finger lightly tapping the side of the ship.

"Strategist, don't worry.... I am completely sure that I will sink the Dutch fleet, and my only fear is.... They ran away. ”

If the Dutch do not seek a decisive battle.

Zhu Daohua really can't do anything about them, and there will be a lot of trouble in the future.

After all, the sea is so big, Zhu Daohua can't fortify everywhere.

"So... What we need to think about now is how to convince the Dutch that they need to send all their ships out to fight in order to defeat us. ”

When Gu Song heard this, he suppressed the worries in his heart, thought about it for a while, and then said, "Lord, I have a three-step strategy!" ”

Zhu Daohua smiled when he heard this: "I thought you would have three strategies." ”

Gu Song couldn't cry or laugh: "Don't joke, the lord has the best strategy, why bother with the middle strategy and the next strategy..."

"That's right."

Zhu Daohua nodded.

"Strategist, your three steps.... How do you go about it? ”

Gu Song took a deep breath.

These three steps are: show the enemy to be strong! About the war in Malacca! Kill the monkey and make an example of the chicken! ”

"The first two steps I understand... But this is a monkey and a chicken? Who is the monkey and who is the chicken? ”

"The Dutch are monkeys, and the Chinese in Nanyang are chickens!"

Gu Song said.

When Zhu Daohua heard this, he was thoughtful.