Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 142 Navy and Pirates ([-])

After New Year's Day, it is already 1636.

On the two huge docks in Zhenhaibao Shipyard, two large transport ships are under construction at the same time.These are two ships recently ordered by the South China Sea Transportation Company under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Communications. The two ships have a full-load displacement of 650 tons. They are technically supported by newly introduced Flemish shipbuilders in the shipyard. The ship type is a Dutch flute. Ship (flute), especially for ocean transportation.

Since this kind of transport ship does not need to undertake combat missions, there is no need to use expensive Brazilian mahogany to build it all. Many superstructures are made of domestic pine boards, and the bulkheads are not as thick as warships.As a result, the cost of each ship was maintained at around 5 yuan.

In view of the gradual prosperity of trade, the export of materials from the East China Republic is increasing day by day, and it is necessary for the East Coast to have its own transport fleet.Under the guidance of this kind of thinking, the South China Sea Transportation Company was newly released.It's just that this company still only exists on paper. The company doesn't even have many office staff, let alone sailors and ships. It can only be said that everything is still in its infancy.

Zhenhai Shipyard, after absorbing part of the technicians from Dayuhe Shipyard, and under the policy of the Government Affairs Council, after nearly two years of development, is now a large shipyard with hundreds of technicians, craftsmen and apprentices. The successful construction of the second ship of the "August [-]" class battleship, the "Common Market", has proved the technical strength of this shipyard.

Now relying on the backbone enterprise of Zhenhai Shipyard, the Zhenhaibao area has developed state-owned enterprises such as anchor chain factories and shipyards (production of rigging, net rope, canvas, etc.), as well as some private enterprises such as barrel workshops and brewing workshops. Handicraft workshop type enterprise.Without exception, all of them are supporting services for shipyards.

After a new batch of Ming Dynasty immigrants (600 people) arrived at the end of last year, the Government Affairs Council allocated half of them here, and the remaining half was allocated to Pingan Town. After the arrival of 300 new immigrants, the population of Zhenhaibao directly exceeded 1289, reaching a record high of [-], making it the fourth settlement in China with a population exceeding [-].

At the end of November, after the Pasquale family's armed sailing ship "Butterfly" came to Dongfang Port, more than 11 children and nearly 30 French immigrants arrived. The executive committee even allocated all the immigrants except children to Zhenhai Fort was built, and the population here almost caught up with that of Ping'an Town.

Most of the more than 1000 people are employees of shipyards, and other supporting manufacturers such as anchor chain factories and small private workshops are very small in scale.Women are active in many factories and workshops. If the Ministry of Education hadn't stipulated that all minors must receive compulsory primary education, it is estimated that these factories and workshops would have to recruit children. The population hunger and thirst in the East Coast Republic is not Generally deep.

In order to get rid of the constraints of the population bottleneck, these factories tried every means.For example, the ship factory introduced a "Barbarian-1" steam engine. Unlike the Changshan Iron Mine, this steam engine is used as a power output, so it has a crank flywheel device to drive a large loom. Dense sailcloth for ships; and the same as Changshan Fort, this steam engine is lying down most of the time, basically not practical.

This settlement, which was developed entirely on the basis of industry, has now become the home port of the First Fleet of the Republic of China's East Coast Navy.The First Fleet has five warships under the jurisdiction of the "August [-]th", "Eagle of the East Coast", "Beagle", "Sea Writer" and "Red Trout". Fort Port, so it is also commonly known as the Northern Fleet; while the battleship "Common Market" and the armed transport ship "Galicia Flying Fish" were organized into the Second Fleet, with the home port being Port Orient, which regularly sailed from Port Orient to the south of Rocha. Patrols in the sea between Maldonado, commonly known as the Southern Fleet.

After two consecutive years of state-organized privateering activities, the Admiralty now has a much wider range of resources. Not only has the staffing been greatly expanded, but ships have also been built one after another. After the "Common Market" entered service, the sailors and officers had not yet been fully filled. The Admiralty's plan to build the third battleship "Free Trade" was submitted again, as if they were afraid that the tens of thousands of dollars in their hands would be spent. It seems endless.

Faced with such a plan that ignores reality, the Executive Committee will naturally not allow it to pass.Not to mention, at the instigation of Minister of Communications Xiao Bailang, the executive committee also unanimously decided that the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of the Navy will jointly invest 10 yuan to build two flute-shaped ships to transport goods.The Admiralty, who had been hit by a sap, had no choice but to twist his arms and thighs, so he could only agree to the plan with "hate".Of course, the Ministry of Communications may promise that once war breaks out, the Nanhai Company's transport fleet will be requisitioned by the Navy for free, which can be regarded as a slight relief of the grievances of the Ministry of the Navy.

On January 1, Zhenhaibao Wharf.The entire First Fleet of the Navy and the three-masted galleon "Butterfly" of the Pasquale family were loaded with 3 tons of potatoes, 600 pieces of cotton cloth and a batch of munitions amidst the cheerful song "Eagle on the East Coast is Marching" The materials, braved the drizzle, left the berths one by one, and sailed into the vast South Atlantic Ocean.They will sail to France along the route of San Vicente-Recife-Canary Islands-Bordeaux.

After the handover of the cargo, the First Fleet will go to the Caribbean Sea for the annual "hunting operation".When they wait until July, they will return to Bordeaux, pay for the shipment of cotton cloth and emigrate back to the country.

At the time when the First Fleet was sailing north, in Portsmouth, England, in the Old Continent, a large fleet was also making final preparations before the voyage.

Since the "disappearance" of ships that "disgraced the king and the country" occurred in the Virginia area last year, King Charles I of England once again reiterated the ordinance issued by Edward III in 1336, that is, merchant ships going to sea must be in designated places. Assemble, you can set sail only after reaching a certain number.

In this ordinance, it is stipulated that the British mainland is bounded by the Thames River, and ships to the west gather at Portsmouth; ships to the north gather near the Orwell River; ships near London gather at the mouth of the Thames.Before the ships sail, the king will send officials to carefully check the armament and supplies of each ship, and then order the captains of each ship in each fleet to elect a temporary commander. All fronts must obey the command of the interim commander.If someone disobeys the command or leaves the team without authorization, he will be severely punished after returning home.

At this time, sailing ships gathered in Portsmouth Harbor, and a large number of merchant ships, warships, and privateers moored in their respective berths in an orderly manner, demonstrating the development of the British navigation industry.And at the corner of the pier, a group of well-dressed and respectable people were forming a circle, performing the last ceremony before departure.

"Then, Mr. Hampton, Mr. Hill, Mr. Sheldon, Mr. Morris..." A fat English port official was reading the names of the owners or captains of the ships one by one. He glanced at everyone, and then said: "Are you willing to accept Mr. William Clifford as the temporary commander of the fleet for this expedition, and promise to obey the command during the voyage, and not change the course without authorization or leave the fleet?"

"Yes, we will follow Mr. William Clifford until we reach our destination, and obey any reasonable orders from him. Unless ordered by the commander, we will not change our course or call at any port without authorization."

"So, can you guarantee that you will unite, protect each other, cooperate collectively, fight tenaciously, and never run away without authorization in the event of an enemy attack?"

"Yes, we pledge to provide assistance to any ship that is with us, and to fight together as we have pledged."

"Then, are you willing to pay Mr. William Clifford a certain fee to compensate him for all his efforts?"

"Yes, we are willing to pay the Interim Commander a penny for every barrel of cargo on board, to compensate him for all his efforts during the voyage."

"Then, Mr. William Clifford..." Fatty official said finally, turned his head to look at William Clifford beside him, and asked: "Would you like to be the temporary commander of the expedition fleet, and Undertake tasks such as piloting, trading, and commanding battles?"

"Yes, I am willing to use my strength, knowledge and experience to provide shelter for any British ships traveling with me, and to command them on long voyages, trade and possible battles. I will never run away without authorization and swear to protect everyone's interests and England. glory," replied William Clifford.

"Then, the oath between the two parties is established." The fat man clapped his hands, then looked at everyone with a smile, and said, "Dear merchants, adventurers, companies, and shipowners of the East India Company, this voyage to the New World is far away, so there will be no delay." You are gone. Have a nice voyage!"

A group of people chatted politely on the pier for a while, and then they went back to their ships. Under the arrangement of the temporary commander, they sailed out of Portsmouth Harbor one by one, and then formed a team on the sea and sailed south.

The New World is not peaceful now.In the past year, several ships traveling to and from the mainland of the kingdom and Virginia have disappeared, and a large amount of tobacco and money have been lost.At first, people thought that they were unfortunately caught in a storm and sank or lost their way. It was only later that when more and more ships disappeared, people believed that these unfortunate ships might have been attacked by pirates or ships from hostile countries.

The robbery fell on the ancestors of the pirates, which is how the British can bear it.While sending warships to cruise in the waters near the New World, they ordered the strict implementation of the fleet system, that is, all ships leaving the port must sail together, and the number of ships in the fleet must not be less than 8, and those with insufficient numbers will not be allowed to leave the port.

This time, some merchant ships from the Merchant Adventurer Company and the East India Company who were going to trade in the New World gathered in Portsmouth Harbor and waited. When the last batch of ships arrived and the fleet had ten sailing ships, they were finally allowed to sail out of the port. .

And their first goal is Virginia.

(End of this chapter)