Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 809 Gunboat Diplomacy ([-])

And when the East Coast Navy Privateer Fleet was helping the Spaniards fight smuggling in the Caribbean Sea, thousands of miles away in the North Indian Ocean, the East Coast Navy formation composed of a battleship, an armed transport ship and two expedition ships , was cruising boredly in the Persian Gulf.This small fleet, led by Lieutenant Commander Guo Zili, went to Persia on a mission of so-called "gunboat diplomacy" - in fact, to gain commercial privileges in Persia, just as the British had.

Their fleet set off from Xinhua Port to the North Indian Ocean in mid-November 1649. Unfortunately, the year was unfavorable. Not long after they set off, they encountered bad weather, and the whole fleet had to return to Xinhua Bay to take shelter from the wind.To make matters worse, one of the masts of the battleship "Free Trade" was broken by the strong wind and could only be repaired in the Xinhua Shipyard, which undoubtedly greatly delayed their trip.In this way, when we set off again, it was already December.

Maybe the bad luck has already left. This time their trip was very smooth. The four ships overcame the unfavorable factors such as countercurrent and changeable wind direction, crossed the equator smoothly, entered the North Indian Ocean, and then followed the North Indian Ocean circulation that flows counterclockwise. , sailed on the vast sea for more than half a month, and finally drifted to a strange sea area suspected to be near the west coast of India.What's even more amazing is that they even found a European-style castle by the sea, with some cannons mounted on it, but it was completely ignored by the people on the east coast.Of those small-caliber bronze cannons, the largest caliber is about the same as the smallest caliber (12 pounds) on the east coast ship.

The Europeans stationed at the castle quickly came out in a small sailboat to negotiate with the people on the east coast. Major Guo Zili, who led the team, realized that these Europeans turned out to be Portuguese, and this place turned out to be off the coast of Cochin, India.As for the "legendary" city of Cochin, Guo Zili has long admired his name.Because just over 100 years ago, a great battle broke out under this castle that shocked the world. The princes of Calicut, India, gathered at least 6 people, carrying trebuchets and small-caliber artillery (perhaps it is more appropriate to call it muskets) ), with the support of more than 200 Arab galleons, besieged a castle defended by only 140 Portuguese soldiers (while the Portuguese also had several galleons).The results of the battle were jaw-dropping. The Indians besieged for several months, and finally gave up the attack at the cost of nearly 2 deaths (more than 5000 of them died in the battle, and the rest died of illness). No one died in such a battle, almost like a myth.

However, the Portuguese are still quite frightened at the bottom of their hearts by the East Coasters who are better equipped than them, have a more aggressive fighting style than them, and also come from the "civilized world".In particular, the densely packed gun ports on the side of the battleship "Free Trade" made the scalp of the Portuguese defenders on the shore tingle. This is almost one of the most powerful warships in the Indian Ocean.

Fortunately, the people on the east bank had no interest in attacking their fortress. After explaining that they were not hostile, the Portuguese sent some supplies to the people on the east bank in small boats, and then asked the people on the east bank to leave as soon as possible.Guo Zili considered that now was not the time to fall out with the Portuguese, so he exchanged gifts with the opposing commander, then fired salutes and left the sea area, adjusted his course and headed straight for Persia.

On the way to Persia, they also encountered a Portuguese fleet, which shows the prosperity of the Portuguese on the west coast of India.This seafaring country has been operating in the East for more than 100 years. Although it seems a bit out of control now, the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse. In this rich land of India, whether it is the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, its influence Their strength is far inferior to them, which can be seen from their fleet cruising the coastline and the dotted fortresses.

On February 1650, 2, this small east coast fleet appeared near the mouth of the Indus River. After anchoring in the open sea, Guo Zili personally led some sailors to board the coast in small boats.This is the second time that the fleet of the East Coasters has appeared near the mouth of the Indus River after many years after Wang Tiehammer's "Common Market".

Guo Zili and others took some fresh water from the shore, and then asked the other party in a friendly gesture to buy some melons, fruits, vegetables, live cattle and sheep.The local natives did not show too much hostility towards the people on the east coast, nor did the people on the east coast bully the weak. In short, the two sides completed the trade in a friendly atmosphere.

And after seeing the natives here—I can’t tell what kind of race they are, but they should not be barbarians—the attitude towards the people on the east coast is acceptable, Guo Zili also seriously considered suggesting that the local or the New China Pioneering Team Set up a business station here.This area has close commerce and trade ties with the Punjab region in northwestern India in later generations, and wild silk can be imported from there through the hands of these natives.Although the wild silk of Punjab is thicker than that of Persia and China, it is extremely tough and has great uses in the textile industry.Besides, the commercial station of the people on the east coast can also sell some other things, such as high-quality metal utensils, medicines, steel bars, and high-end textiles.Of course, all of this would require permission from the Indian officials who rule the region - but that shouldn't be too difficult.

After avoiding the bad weather in the nearby ocean, on February 2, Major Guo Zili called Ji Wen and others to pull anchor and set sail, left the mouth of the Indus River, sailed westward along the coastline, and drew charts while sailing. At the end of the month, it again arrived at Hormuz Island off the coast of Bandar Abbas.

Outside this island that had just been taken back from Portugal by the Persians, the fleet of the East Coasters was stopped.The leader of the Persian garrison on the island was riding in a small Arabian-style sailboat. He asked the people on the east coast where they came from in a harsh tone, and asked them to leave immediately, otherwise they would launch artillery attacks.

Guo Zili looked at the seven or eight so-called "artillery cannons" on the island that were about the same thickness as moso bamboo poles. Reluctant to make trouble, he explained to the Persian officials that they were the fleet of the East Coast Republic of China. Under the leadership of Mr. Smith of the East India Company, he has come once and bought 70 tons of raw silk in Bandar Abbas.

They came with a friendly and honest attitude, without any malice, and were very eager to establish close business ties with the powerful Persian kingdom.In order to express their sincerity, they also carried a large number of army weapons with the ship this time, which can be supplied to the elite Persian "Ghuran" troops and the Turkmen cavalry of the princes at a preferential price, so that they have enough Battle against the mighty Ottomans, the brave Uzbek cavalry, and the ignorant Mughal army.

The Persian officials were skeptical after hearing this, but he decided to report the situation back and let his superiors decide.However, before the superior's order came down, he asked Guo Zili and others' ships not to try to disappoint the Persian coast, because it would cause misunderstanding.In order to appease the emotions of the people on the east coast, the official decided to provide some fresh water, vegetables and fruits for free to the people on the east coast, so as not to completely anger the group of people with powerful warships.

The caution of Persian officials was not without reason.On the surface of the Indian Ocean in this era, warships from the West demonstrated their strength time and time again: in the Battle of Hormuz in 1507, the Portuguese won the battle with only six Karak sailboats and more than 400 sailors and soldiers. Dozens of Persian warships were sunk, resulting in 3000 Persian deaths and thousands of injuries, while Portugal had no casualties; in the Malacca naval battle in 1513, the Portuguese relied on 12 ships of various sizes and 350 sailors , they wiped out about 200 ships and tens of thousands of soldiers in Malacca, and there were no casualties in themselves; there were two naval battles in Aceh, and the Portuguese only had one ship, but they sank 1 ships of the opponent and wiped out Thousands of people, another time was 40 ships, sank 7 ships of the opponent, and wiped out nearly 70 people. In these two battles, the Portuguese side only killed 5000 people and injured 8 people; In the naval battle of Barcelona, ​​the Portuguese forced the surrender of an Ottoman fleet, which was shocking.

All in all, the powerful Western galleons in the Indian Ocean in this era are simply the nightmare of various countries or forces, and they must not be easily provoked.Don’t you see, the island of Hormuz guards the exit of the Persian Gulf. The huge Persian army can recover Bandar Abbas, but it cannot recover the island of Hormuz across the ocean, so that people have occupied it for hundreds of years. The reason is nothing more than that the Portuguese warships are too powerful.Later, the reason why they were able to regain this key island was not by themselves, but by buying the British East India Company and persuading them to help deal with the Portuguese ships, so that they could land and occupy the entire island smoothly.

Although Persia is now "covered" by the British East India Company, there is no need to be too afraid of warships from the West.But you must know that the British and them are just a cooperative relationship. Once the enemy who comes is too strong, it is difficult to say whether the British armed merchant ships in Persia will help the Persian Kingdom defend against the enemy.After all, they were all businessmen, and it would be foolish to risk their own lives to help the Persians.

And the ships on the east coast moored on the outskirts of Hormuz Island in front of them undoubtedly deserve the title of "powerful".The criterion for this judgment is actually very intuitive. You just need to count the number of cannons on the opponent's ship, and then look at the thickness of the cannon tubes.The gun ports on both sides of the flagship "Free Trade" of the people on the east coast are densely packed, and the gun barrel is thick and long, which is undoubtedly extremely powerful in the perception of the Persians.

(End of this chapter)