For the commander of the British fleet, John. For his part, Jervis had to be obsessed with sending fast warships to seize the T position.

Because now, the form on the sea surface is more flexible, and the main fleet of the Chinese fleet is arranged in columns, which unfold around the main forces of the British fleet.

On the other hand, Britain's main fleet is a composite battle formation composed of horizontal columns, and this complex formation has to constantly turn on the sea surface, but it is a great test of the ability to operate ships and coordinate and organize.

The Beiyang Navy of later generations will definitely not be able to play with this complex formation.

But the current British Navy can.

But

John. Jervis is also well aware.

If the Chinese fleet were allowed to keep turning around their main fleet, he could not guarantee how long the British fleet that formed such a complex battle formation would be able to maintain the formation - maybe it would be chaotic after a circle or two.

Therefore.

He had to rush for time - first to crush the Chinese cruiser detachment, and then use his own cruisers to harass the Chinese's main fleet, prevent their movements on the sea, and limit their space for maneuver.

18 cruisers in the face of the British.

Zhang Bao also had to send all the frigates in his hands - he had to ensure the firepower of the main fleet.

But actually, but when both sides are increasing the size of the cruiser.

The two sides were almost divided into a duel of fleets of comparable size.

On the side of the Ming Navy, there is the main fleet composed of eight Zhen-class battleships and four Hong-class cruisers.

On the side of the British, there were three Giant-class battleships, three Warrior-class battleships, eight ravage-class battleships, and some ironclad frigates, but the core was obviously the fourteen battleships.

Eight battleships and four cruisers against a battleship whose total tonnage was much larger than his own, it was necessary to get a good enough position.

Now on the sea, the confrontation between the capital ships of the two sides is not the key, but the confrontation between the fast ships on both sides has become the focus.

"The Chinese sent another 10 Wei-class frigates!"

Get the news of John. Jervis frowned.

He was originally dismissive of the Wei class frigate, which was the most widely equipped frigate of the Ming Navy, a small ship with a displacement of only 1,500 tons.

Think that this is some kind of short-sightedness of the Ming Empire, which is a land country - it is useless to build so many small ironclad ships.

On the sea.

It was the era of the reign of the giant ships.

But now he didn't dare to think so.

Because the artillery power of these Wei-class frigates is still very impressive, they are equipped with 90 mm rapid-fire guns (30 inches), although this kind of artillery cannot fire armor-piercing shells, but the explosive power of the 90 mm caliber blasting shells they throw has been shown in the short exchange of fire between the two sides before.

According to intelligence.

The Indian Ocean Fleet of the Ming Empire was incorporated into twenty Wei-class frigates this time, except for four frigates to protect the retreat of the transport ships in the direction of India, the rest of the frigates were incorporated into the cruiser.

And so it goes.

Now the other side has 16 Wei-class frigates on hand, plus 4 Hong-class cruisers, a total of twenty warships to form a fast fleet.

On his side were eighteen cruisers—several of which were very old and old, hauled out of the dockyard for repairs and brought to battle in antiquity.

There are twelve capital ships, and the remaining six are first-generation ironclad products, and the guns are not rotating turrets, almost just like goods, just pulled out to support the scene - so when calculating the main fleet, these six first-generation ironclads were not counted at all, but the British Navy believes that this first-generation ironclad is not worthless - at least they can be used as meat shields and ramming forces, so in the context of this Armageddon, they are still dragged out of the military port.

But now both sides are in the condition that the columns form parallel lines.

If it is artillery fire from both sides

John. Jervis was surprised to find.

It was with four cruisers and 16 frigates that the firepower of the Chinese fleet opposite was suddenly not inferior to that of the British fleet with eighteen large ships.

Now John. Jervis suddenly finds himself in a dilemma.

If he wants to continue to increase the speed of the fleet, he has no ships to send

Because all the cruisers in his hands were sent out.

Do you want to send a few small patrol ships over?

What's the use of that?

"Why don't you intercept it with a giant?"

Will. Smith came up with a Jean John. At first glance, Jervis sounds absurd, but when he thinks about it, he thinks it makes sense.

Let a super battleship like the Giants carry out the tasks of a cruiser.

Isn't that ridiculous?

But think about it.

The Giant class can reach a top speed of 17 knots, which is faster than most cruisers.

And the firepower is very powerful.

But

The Giant-class is the absolute capital ship of the British Empire.

The main battleship, which is specially designed to fight horizontal shocks, has a uniform diagonal turret layout, and is also equipped with a ramming school.

If you go to the sideways to fight the flank to meet the enemy.

So what do you need a diagonal turret for?

Isn't this a waste of half of the firepower?

Could it be said.

Is it wrong to meet the enemy in the bow?!

If that's true.

That would be too unfriendly to the British Empire.

Because the British Empire can lose the Indian Ocean, but it must not lose the Atlantic Ocean – otherwise, Canada will not be able to keep it.

Therefore.

These three Giant-class ships are just the first products.

There are also 8 Giant-class ships still outfitting at the military port in Portsmouth.

They were the key to maintaining the British Empire's maritime supremacy in the Atlantic.

If the design of such a battleship was wrong from the very beginning, then .

"Let the two giant-class ships with 10 fast patrol ships go aboard!"

John Jervis took a deep breath.

This battle is really unexpected everywhere.

The horizontal team can't be sustained.

Only columns can be hit.

Then the only way to do this is to exchange fire with the enemy's column and then pursue it with a horizontal column.

fortunately

The three new Giant-class ships are fast enough.

Otherwise, the British Imperial Navy would be embarrassed today.

There are more than 60 capital ships and more than 60 warships of all kinds.

The Ming Navy had only sixteen capital ships plus twenty frigates - four of which were out of the battlefield.

Sixty dozen thirty-two.

In this case.

In the case of an absolute disadvantage in numbers, the opponent uses simple column tactics.

He made a fuss about his well-trained horizontal team and column tactics.

If not for the three giant-class battleships that were lucky enough to catch up with this decisive battle.

This battle.

It is really possible that the Ming Navy will be in an embarrassing situation with the Indian Ocean Fleet of the British Empire without numerical superiority.

Seemingly.

Sideways tactics are indeed problematic.

(End of chapter)