The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 469: China's Maritime Territory is Ten Thousand Miles Long (Two in One)

The battleships had already joined the battle on the line, but the chase between the sailing cruisers and the armed merchant ships was not over yet.

Everyone has to rush forward and try to intercept the other party and occupy the T-shaped position.

To put it simply and crudely, the so-called seizing of the T-head means that you have to run in front of the enemy, then turn the ship sideways and intercept it at the bow of the enemy.

If you do, you are the T - and the enemy ship is the I.

In this case, you can use dozens of guns on the side, or more precisely, dozens of large-caliber naval guns, to bombard the enemy ship's few six-pound and eight-pound small guns on the forecastle.

With such a huge gap, victory is basically achieved as long as the T-head is seized.

But in fact, unless the wind conditions are particularly good, battleships above level three rarely participate in the T-head seizure.

The tonnage is too heavy, the turning radius is too large, and it runs slowly. If you use such a large ship as the lead, others can easily use small boats such as cruisers to occupy the T-head first.

As for the cruiser, it only has a maximum gun of twelve to sixteen pounds. Can it cause damage to the battleship if it seizes the T-head?
Yes, because the T-shaped bow is hitting the bow from the side. Even for battleships, the bow is equipped with small cannons. The cruiser can use its cannons to directly wash the battleship's deck vertically.

Therefore, the navy's conventional fighting style is for the battleships to move in a straight line as much as possible, with both sides forming a ‖ shape, engaging in direct close combat and attacking each other side by side.

This is also the origin of the word battleship, because a battle line that looks like a line of soldiers being shot is called a battle line.

Also, since warships with less than fifty guns did not dare to enter the battle line to engage in bombardment, those that could enter the battle line were called battleships, and the others could only be called cruisers, three-masted fast frigates, etc.

This is also the reason why Edward Hughes placed his only three battleships at the end and was willing to slow down.

He thought that Vice Admiral Suffren would let the cruisers go ahead to grab the T-head, so that the cruisers in front would be bombarded by the British battleships.

As a result, Vice Admiral Suffren deployed two columns, three level three battleships and two level four battleships, which entered the battle line directly in the shape of a |.

Five chains, or half a nautical mile, away from the five battleships, the remaining level five cruisers and armed merchant ships formed another column, attempting to overtake from a distance and seize the T-head.

So, these light warships would sometimes form a () formation to try to outflank each other, and sometimes form a ‖ formation but at a slightly longer distance and speed up, hoping to get ahead of the others.

As for some people thinking that the British ships could do this before the arrival of the Combined Fleet - turn sideways and occupy the T-head first.

Well, you're overthinking it. You moved sideways too early. The combined fleet could turn and move diagonally in a | posture, eventually forming a T-shape tilted to the left, causing you to lose your advantage directly.

Therefore, in order to compete for the T-head, you need to get close to each other, constantly test and entangle to succeed.

During this process, the two sides would continue to fire at each other from a distance of three or four hundred meters, which was completely a gamble on luck.

If you were lucky you could get a hit, most of the bullets fell into the sea. The exchange of fire looked fierce, but the casualties were not great.

As the two light fleets scrambled to seize the T-head, the fighting on the battle line reached its most brutal stage.

The sails of all battleships were lowered to the lowest level, and the speed was also reduced to the lowest level. The distance between the warships of both sides was getting closer and closer.

At this time, the speed of Prince of Yanping was slightly faster and was about to miss the Hero, but this was exactly the most tragic moment.

Because the Prince of Yanping was at the stern, it had gathered two hundred musketeers and four stern cannons loaded with buckshot.

The two ships passed each other, and the shotgunners and musketeers on the poop of the Prince of Yanping fired at the deck of the Hero from a high position.

In an instant, the deck of the Hero seemed to be hit by hailstones falling from the sky. All the officers and soldiers hid themselves. Anyone who ran a step slower would be shot into a sieve by the dense musketry and buckshot.

Of course, the deck of the Prince of Yanping had also been washed by the stern tower of the Hero.

"Stop shooting, stop shooting, everyone reload, reload!" Cai Qian ran from the bow to the stern of the ship. He was responsible for organizing this salvo.

Because soon, the stern of the Prince of Yanping and the bow of the Hero will be shot in a naval battle.

Gunpowder blackened the faces of most officers and soldiers. More than 200 people were crowded in the stern tower, and everyone's rifles were loaded.

At this time, the poop was in an extremely strange silence, and the four aft deck guns were loaded with buckshot. The gunners stared at the opposite side with cold sweat, and fear appeared on their faces.

The sea water was constantly surging, and the northeast wind was blowing in gusts, slowly blowing away the smoke lingering around the warship.

Suddenly, a cloud of black powder smoke was blown away by the wind, and the forecastle of the British ship HMS Hero suddenly appeared in Cai Qian's sight.

Cai Qian's heart was in his throat, but he held it back because at this moment, the waves were lifting the Prince of Yanping high up, making it difficult to aim.

The stern tower of the Prince of Yanping was silent, because only the highest-ranking officer was allowed to speak now, and no matter what he said, it was a signal to open fire.

Cai Qian held back, but the lieutenant colonel of the British ship HMS Hero couldn't help it. This guy was a petty noble who bought his position with money. He had experience, but he couldn't compare with other experienced officers.

His opponent was a legendary pirate who dominated the southeast during the Qing Dynasty. He was the only one since Zheng Zhilong and his son Guoxing Chenggong to blockade the shipping lanes in the Taiwan Strait and collect taxes on overseas voyages. Even merchant ships of the East India Company had to pay taxes.

Since the death of Cai Qian, there has never been another sea hero among the Minnan people who can lead a group of pirates.

So you can't underestimate Cai Qian just because he is young and has a low military rank. The strength of a hero will often be revealed at the most critical moment.

"Fire off!" With the British officer's roar, all the salvos from the Hero fell into thin air, because the waves had lifted the Prince of Yanping high up, and the British's shotguns and muskets all hit the side of the ship.

"Kill the bandits!" Cai Qian was waiting for this moment. After the British ship opened fire, he roared, and when the Prince of Yanping was lifted to its highest point by the waves, he ordered to open fire.

In an instant, more than five hundred shotgun shells and two hundred lead bullets poured down onto the Hero from great heights like a violent storm.

More than two hundred British Marines and sailors screamed miserably. They had no way to escape and were hit hard.

After a puff of green smoke, the entire stern deck of the Hero was dark red, and countless broken corpses formed a thick layer on the sand and gravel.

Uh, it looks a lot like thick layers of charcoal grilled meat.

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

Everyone shouted excitedly. Not only did they successfully kill at least half of the opposing Marines, but they also barely sustained any injuries. It was simply a miracle.

Soon, cheers of victory filled the entire Prince of Yanping ship.

"There is another battleship ahead, we still have to make great achievements!" Cai Qian was so excited that he was sweating all over.

He lost his father when he was young and had been wandering between Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in southern Fujian since he was ten years old. He suffered the most miserable life in the world. Only after he went to the Naval Academy did he have enough food to eat and see the future.

Therefore, for the navy and the emperor, he could give up his own life.

The decisive battle on the stern deck was over, but the artillery bombardment was about to begin. This time it was the turn of the Prince of Yanping against the Leiming.

Prior to this, the Prince of Yanping had been fighting with the Hero for nearly forty minutes and was severely damaged everywhere, but the Thunder was ready to go.

Therefore, as soon as the war started, the Prince of Yanping was severely damaged.

The forecastle was riddled with holes, and the first mast was broken. If it weren't for the intercepting net, the broken mast would have smashed directly onto the deck, causing heavy casualties.

The command system in the forecastle was basically paralyzed. Five officers around Vice Admiral Suffren were killed, and even the Vice Admiral himself was hit in the thigh by wood chips, and his uniform was soaked with blood.

Of course, the most tragic event happened on the lower deck. A 36-pound shell finally penetrated the lower deck of the Prince of Yanping.

Huge bullets swept everywhere, leaving a mess of blood and flesh. Several sailors threw the corpses into the sea under the loud roars of the officers.

Boom! Another shell hit. It flew in by brushing against the breach in the Prince of Yanping, and then flew away with a boom.

Everyone was rejoicing, but the lieutenant colonel who had been commanding on the lower deck looked at his chest and abdomen with a pale face.

A flat piece of wood was stabbed into his abdomen, and with every breath, dark blue semi-feces was pouring out from the hole created by the wood.

Everyone was looking at him, this naval lieutenant colonel from Mingxiang who came from the Chen family of Jiading.

"Comrades, please continue to be loyal to the country!" The lieutenant colonel turned slowly, looked at the soldiers and smiled faintly. Then he walked calmly to the gun window, lowered his head, and fell into the sea.

On the upper deck, the Prince of Yanping was also hit by seven or eight shells, and the deck was full of corpses.

However, the poop tower commanded by Cai Qian was extremely powerful. At a distance of more than 100 meters, they successfully "washed" the deck of the Thunder, causing heavy casualties.

"Raise the white flag and leave the battle line. Our mission is accomplished!" Lieutenant General Suffren was covered in blood and he gave the last order.

The Prince of Yanping had few guns left, and nearly a hundred of the 730 crew members on board, including the Marines, had been killed in battle.

In front of it, there is a British fourth-tier battleship, HMS Beaver. If it continues to advance along the battle line, Prince of Yanping will be scrapped.

Of course, this white flag does not mean surrender, but rather indicates loss of combat effectiveness and withdrawal from the battle line.

Chen Lian saw the white flag of the Prince of Yanping on the Zhang Huangyan, and they had just defeated the British Hero and made him lose his combat effectiveness.

Volley fire and free fire are so domineering.

Chen Lian picked up a flintlock rifle and solemnly said to Dutch Major General Peter Melville, "Major General, whether your descendants can become nobles and have honorific titles added to their names depends on your performance."

Major General Peter Melville nodded vigorously. After both sides' flagships, the Hero and the Prince of Yanping, lost their combat effectiveness, the main showdown came between the Thunder and the Zhang Huangyan.

And he, who is in command on the lower deck, will have to bear enormous pressure.

"The vast waves stretch for thousands of miles, representing the boundaries of the country.

Exposed to frost, dew and snow, it was given to us by our ancestors.

…………

With a long rope in hand, I tie up the blue dragon.

Comrades share weal and woe, and we are in the same boat together.

Alas!

Under the whole world, could it be the king's soil, the shore of the land, could it be the king's minister!
All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the world are his subjects! "

On the Zhang Huangyan, drums beat and hundreds of officers and soldiers sang the navy song "The Chinese Sea is Ten Thousand Miles Long" together.

At the same time, on HMS Thunder, the British Navy also sang "Long Live Britain", which was designated as the naval anthem five years ago.

'When Britain first, at Heaven's command
Arose from out the azure main;

Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:

Britons never will be slaves. '

Amid the singing, the two warships almost simultaneously gave up most of their maneuvers and continued to approach each other, revealing their determination to fight to the death.

Vice Admiral Gene Burke, captain of the Thunder, put on his cocked hat.

Chen Lian also wore an indigo dragon robe and a large black hat.

"Four hundred meters!" Nautical miles and chains could be used for navigation, but meters were crucial in decisive battles, as they allowed for better calculation of artillery and musket ranges. "Three hundred meters!" First mate Mo Gongbing's face tingled as they entered range. The trainee officer beside him, assisting him with maneuvering the upper gun deck, felt his legs tremble uncontrollably.

On the stern deck, the Marine snipers holding rifles also looked nervous. Many of them kept rubbing their guns with their hands and muttering to themselves.

"Two hundred meters!" The observer at the front of the bow just shouted.

"Boom!" The terrifying sound seemed to come from the bottom of the sea, and the water on the sea surface was stirred!
The British ship HMS Thunder opened fire first. The black solid projectiles fired from the twenty-eight guns on the port side, especially the thirty-six-pound naval guns on the lower deck, whizzed towards them in the flashing orange-red flames.

"Boom!" A huge projectile from a 36-pound cannon slammed into the starboard side of the Zhang Huangyan.

And the position was particularly good, hitting the most vulnerable high point on the starboard side, which was the weakest part of the protective plate.

It was so outrageous that not only did it hit the target, but it also hit it so perfectly. Historically, the British Navy always seemed to have particularly good luck.

This violent force immediately destroyed a section of the starboard side of the ship, and then squeezed in rapidly. Countless debris mixed with the remains of limbs that had turned into pieces of flesh flew all over the deck.

Three gunners, including a deck bosun, disappeared in an instant. Only a few lucky ones around them, who were pierced like hedgehogs by the flying debris, could be seen crying.

The Thunder opened fire first, but Chen Lian did not give the order to fire because the British naval gunners were very experienced, and their loading speed and psychological quality were far better than those of the Chinese naval gunners.

In actual combat, British gunners could fire three shots per minute, while Chinese gunners could only barely fire two shots per minute.

Therefore, Chen Lian’s fighting style was very clear. He would move closer, get close to the enemy ship, and fire a salvo within 90 meters, trying to stun the enemy ship with one round.

But the Chinese Navy is not without advantages, that is the Flying General 1777 rifled rifle, which Mo Zibu personally participated in designing.

This is the secret weapon of the Chinese Empire. It uses the semi-epoch-making Minié bullet, which has a long range, high accuracy and great lethality.

Mo Zibu didn't even have any equipment for the army, so he used it all on the navy, and the only ship in the navy that had any was the Zhang Huangyan.

Therefore, the Zhang Huangyan also fought back, but not with naval guns, but with rifled guns loaded with Minié bullets.

At a distance of two hundred to two hundred meters, two hundred sharpshooters fired Minié bullets. Their accuracy was not bad, and with a little luck they could achieve good results.

On the Thunder, there was a gunner in charge of the upper deck who was one of those people who was particularly lucky.

He had just urged the gunner to load the upper deck with shotgun shells, but before he could give the order to fire, a lead bullet hit him in the forehead.

The cannon's main head swung violently. Because the Minié bullet's warhead was relatively soft, the conical bullet did not penetrate very deeply, but the area of destruction was quite large, and blood splattered all over his face.

This made the gunner beside the artillery commander think that there was still hope. He took two steps forward and was about to drag the artillery commander's body to the back, when a flower of blood suddenly appeared on his neck.

Then, more Minié bullets came like a storm, and they were very accurate.

The upper deck of the Thunder had just been bombarded by Cai Qian and others from the Prince of Yanping, and now it was hit by a precise barrage of Minié shells from the Zhang Huangyan, which immediately reduced its firepower.

Of the fourteen eighteen-pound cannons on one side, only eight could fire in the second round.

It was a brutal and bizarre duel. The sharpshooter on the Zhang Huangyan caused heavy casualties on the upper deck and poop deck of the Leiming, and crew members kept falling to the ground.

The shotgun shells fired from the 18-pound gun on the upper deck of the Thunder also dealt a heavy blow to the Zhang Huangyan.

A storm of steel and wood fragments swept across the entire deck, leaving broken bodies and overturned guns scattered everywhere.

And this has not yet entered the most deadly range of 90 meters. If it enters 90 meters, it will be hell on earth.

Just as the most brutal battleship duel was about to begin, the light battleships chasing each other in front finally came to the moment of the final showdown.

After repeated struggles, no one was able to seize the advantageous T-shaped position, and the more than 20 cruisers and armed merchant ships on both sides roughly formed a shape like this).

They also unintentionally formed a battle line exclusively for light warships.

However, since the cruisers and armed merchant ships were running very fast, this battle line was crooked and could not be compared with a real battle line.

A large piece of skin was scraped off the forehead of Mo Gongyan, the captain of the Guo Zhiqi, by a flat piece of wood that came from nowhere. If it had been a little lower, it would probably have cut off his neck.

Although he was bandaged with white cloth, blood continued to flow out, making him look as if he had a candied haws made of red hawthorn on his head.

Mo Gongyan was a member of the Mo royal family of the Dayu Dynasty, and he was not a distant relative like the Mo clan in western Guangdong, but a close branch.

He was the third son of Emperor Mo Zhao's half-brother, Duke of Cai Mo Zitang, and the emperor's nephew. Mo Gongbing, who served as the first mate on the Zhang Huangyan, was his cousin.

As the foremost fifth-level sailing cruiser, the Guo Zhiqi had just had a fierce confrontation within ninety meters with the Bombay, the best-performing cruiser in the British Indian Fleet.

The blood was still flowing, and the military judge came over to persuade Mo Gongyan to go to the captain's room for treatment as soon as possible, but Mo Gongyan pushed him away.

At this moment, looking from Mo Gongyan's eyes which were covered with blood, the whole world was blood red, and Guo Zhiqi looked like he was being hit by a giant hammer from the gods!
The upper deck was almost smashed through, and only four of the eleven nine-pound guns on the port upper deck remained.

Of the six officers and more than eighty sailors and gunners on the deck, less than half were still fighting. A large number of dying officers and soldiers were twisting and groaning on the deck.

His most important and closest comrade-in-arms, the first mate and quartermaster of the Guo Zhiqi, had been pierced in the chest by a long broken piece of wood and had already died.

However, the bombardment between the two warships continued, and everyone went crazy!

"Boom!" A violent explosion sounded, so violent that Mo Gongyan shook twice. It came from behind, and it seemed to be the Wang Xing type 5 sailing cruiser.

Wang Xing was so miserable and unlucky. His ammunition depot was hit by an enemy ship and exploded, and the warship caught fire fiercely.

The remaining officers and soldiers, illuminated by the burning fire, quickly lowered their boats and fled for their lives. Some even jumped directly into the sea without having time.

Gan Hui behind him was equally unlucky. The two cannons on their port side were shot into the air and then fell heavily onto the deck.

This would have been nothing, but just like that, the fifth son of Xin Gaobo (Gaotoulang) Zhuang Chunde, the captain of the Ganhui, Rear Admiral Zhuang Lixin, and his first mate were killed by a falling cannon.

The Gan Hui lost its command before engaging in battle.

At this critical moment, the second mate of the Gan Hui, Li Changgeng, a naval captain from Tongan, Fujian, stepped forward and shouted:

"This is the first battle for China to gain a foothold in the vast ocean. Although Zhuang Tou was unfortunately killed in the battle, we are still here.

If we retreat without taking any casualties, how can we face His Majesty and my fellow countrymen? Today I am willing to die for my country. Are you willing to join me?"

Inspired by Li Changgeng, all the soldiers were willing to fight to the death.

"Remove the protective net, raise the sail, turn the rudder to the right, and we will get into the middle of the enemy ships!" When the soldiers heard what Li Changgeng said, they were all shocked.

This is equivalent to grabbing the T in the middle of the battle and sneaking into the enemy's battle line.

It looks great, but in reality, not only will you be targeted by enemy ships, but when you turn the rudder to the fullest to adjust the direction, the enemy will take the initiative to hit you from the side. What's the difference between this and committing suicide?

Li Changgeng knew what his comrades were thinking. He shouted, "The enemy is more skilled in naval warfare than we are. If we fight them in an orderly manner, we will surely lose. Only by engaging them in a chaotic battle can we have any hope."

"Yes, we have more ships. Let's rush over and destroy their line, get close and surround them, and beat the old master to death with a flurry of punches." Someone understood Li Changgeng's meaning and echoed loudly.

"Alright, then, charge ahead and repay His Majesty for the generous reward!"

The navy's salary is three times that of the army, and is higher than that of the Beijing garrison. Naturally, at this time, they have no reason to retreat.

So, amid Mo Gongyan's exclamation, the Gan Hui turned halfway and was then subjected to heavy fire from the British ships. Soon, it suffered heavy casualties, but they successfully inserted themselves into the British ships' formation.

Then they seized a mad T-bow, opened fire on both sides, and shot the British ship with its bow and stern facing the Ganhui, making the whole ship feel like it was in hell.

Li Changgeng fired a shot himself, which penetrated vertically through the British ship Support, a fifth-class sailing cruiser, which was closest to him.

This shot penetrated the captain and forecastle of the Support, causing dozens of casualties and directly paralyzing the Support.

The British ships saw that the Gan Hui was so desperate and finally could not maintain the formation. Under the command of Brigadier General George Emptage, they had no choice but to break away from the formation and turn the ships around so that they could still face each other side by side.

"Come closer! Come closer!" Mo Gongyan, with a big knife in one hand and a grappling hook in the other, commanded the Guo Zhiqi, which had lost much firepower, to move towards the nearest British ship.

Since I have no more guns, I will fight a boarding battle. I must disrupt the formation of the British ships, drag them into a fight of mutual punches, and then kill them with the advantage of numbers.

. . . .

In the main battleship confrontation, the Zhang Huangyan and the British ship HMS Thunder also came within 90 meters.

"Open fire!" Just when the two ships were very close, Chen Lian finally gave the order to fire.

Instantly! Like a terrifying monster awakened, the Zhang Huangyan, with fifty-six guns still capable of firing, opened fire.

First on the lower deck, fourteen thirty-six-pounders opened fire almost simultaneously.

Major General Peter Melville, who was in charge of the command, felt the battleship shake violently, and the thunderous roar almost deafened his ears.

The warships of both sides were so close that they could hear each other's shouts. At such a close distance, the hit rate was almost 60% to 70%.

When the Zhang Huangyan opened fire, the Leiming also opened fire. The huge projectiles hit the side, making a dull and strange sound.

Especially to the officers and soldiers on the lower deck, it sounded like some devil was knocking on the door.

The upper deck also opened fire at this time, but both sides were almost exhausted, so only a small number of guns were still firing cannonballs.

The terrifying rain of bullets washed each other's decks so hard that the sand and gravel on the decks turned into pieces because they were soaked with blood.

"Free fire, don't stop, don't stop, fire all the shells in the shortest possible time!"

Major Peter Melville continued to command and also transferred additional gunners from the other side.

There was no salvo, just loading one gun at a time and firing it one at a time.

The Zhang Huangyan and Lei Ming, which were only about 70 meters apart, were like two strong men with bloodshot eyes. They were throwing huge stones at each other frantically until one of them could not hold on and fell down.

Finally, after two rounds of fierce bombardment from both sides, the Zhang Huangyan was the first to break through the side of the Thunder. The entire Thunder looked like it had been slashed from the side by a devil from hell. In some places, the holes were so big that people could jump directly into the sea.

Boom! A spinning 36-pound solid bullet passed through the gap and penetrated into the lower deck of the Thunder. Every second this huge shell flew meant a life was lost.

Then it hit a 36-pound gun, and the wheeled gun carriage began to rampage. The lower deck of the Thunder was in chaos and it was no longer able to resist.

On the upper deck, the snipers of the Zhang Huangyan, using the Flying General 1777 rifled rifle loaded with Minié bullets, were even more unstoppable at close range.

The captain of the Thunder, Vice Admiral Gene Burke, and other senior officers were killed one after another, and it completely lost its combat effectiveness.

Vice Admiral Edward Hughes saw this from a distance, closed his eyes in pain, and then ordered the flagship to raise the signal flag for retreat.

In other words, this is not a signal flag for retreat, but a signal flag for everyone to escape.

Although it had the advantage of single-ship combat power, the British Indian Fleet's tonnage was less than half that of the Combined Fleet.

They suffered heavy casualties, and became the old master who was beaten to death by the desperate punches of the newly born Chinese Navy.

(End of this chapter)