Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 673 The Far East Naval Battle (Part 1)

Russia gained no advantage on either land or sea, and St. Petersburg kept pressing Paris for money, demanding 1.55 million rubles. The McMahon government simply told the Russian ambassador to wait for news, actually trying to stall for time.

Firstly, the Balkans were entering their rainy season, with continuous rain since May 28th causing the Danube River to rise, making any major moves by either side unlikely in the short term. McMahon knew that if no progress was made by then, Russia might have to make peace with the Ottomans.

Secondly, the French expeditionary fleet had already reached Pondicherry, and to avoid detection by the Iranian navy, they had avoided Iranian colonies along the way. Then, in order to bypass Sumatra and Cinnestan again, the fleet decided to pass through the central Dutch East Indies, reach Manila, and then advance into the Far East.

However, the French underestimated Iran's intelligence network and naval vigilance. The headquarters of the Iranian Far East Fleet was located in Saigon, commanded by Rear Admiral Reza Tabari. He had already received warnings from Tehran and Constantinople about a potential long-range French naval raid. Despite the French fleet's covert operations, its massive presence in Manila, and sporadic intelligence gathered during its transit through the Dutch East Indies, were detected by Iranian spies and friendly local forces and quickly passed to Rear Admiral Tabari.

“The French are coming, and their target is our fleet.” Tabari pondered before the map. His forces included his flagship, the large ironclad Carré, the protected cruisers Persian Lion and Shiraz, and several smaller gunboats and torpedo boats. Their total tonnage and number of ships were slightly inferior to the French, especially given the presence of two powerful ironclads.

“We need to invite them in!” Tabari said.

On June 10, the French cruiser Admiral Duperé was the first to spot the patrolling Iranian cruiser.

The Iranian cruisers Persian Lion and Shiraz, like startled seabirds, weaved through the archipelago, pursued relentlessly by the massive steel behemoth, the French Far East Fleet. Thick plumes of smoke billowed from the French ships' funnels, leaving ominous black trails across the sea.

On the bridge of the French flagship, the ironclad HMS Hero, Vice Admiral Courbet held up his binoculars, his eyes fixed on the two Iranian cruisers that were faintly visible ahead. A confident, cold smile played on his lips.

"General," the adjutant beside him reported with a hint of excitement, "the enemy ships seem to be slower than ours, and we are steadily closing the distance. They can't escape!"

Courbet nodded slightly. He could almost see the scene of sinking those two Iranian warships to the bottom of the sea, then finding and annihilating their main force, sending the news of victory back to Paris, and silencing all those who doubted him. "Order the fleet to maintain battle formation and accelerate the pursuit! Tell all captains that whoever hits the enemy ship first will be the hero of France!"

However, he failed to notice, or rather, in the frenzy of the pursuit, that the complex hydrological environment of this sea area—with its scattered islands, hidden sandbars, and mangrove-lined waterways—provided an excellent place for an ambush.

Meanwhile, on the Iranian flagship, the ironclad "Khalai," lurking in a narrow mangrove waterway, the atmosphere was heavy and tense. Rear Admiral Reza Tabari stood as still as a stone statue on the open bridge, his binoculars fixed on the French fleet that was entering the pre-arranged ambush zone through the gaps in the foliage.

“Distance 4000 yards…3800 yards…” the observation officer reported the data in a low but clear voice.

At all the main gun positions, the well-trained Iranian sailors had completed the final loading and aiming. The gunners' hands hung in mid-air, awaiting the command. The air seemed to freeze, with only the sound of waves lapping against the hull and the distant roar of the French ship's engines growing ever closer.

"3500 yards!" The observation officer's voice suddenly rose. A glint flashed in Major General Tabari's eyes. Without hesitation, he spoke into the intercom in a chillingly calm voice, issuing the decisive order: "Target, enemy lead ironclad! All main guns, one salvo! Open fire!"

"Fire!"

The command, like a thunderclap, resounded at every gun position on the "Carly".

boom--! ! !
The massive hull of the Carré shuddered violently, and several large-caliber Armstrong cannons on its sides simultaneously spewed out enormous orange-red flames and thick white smoke! Shells weighing several tons tore through the air with a chilling whistle as they hurtled toward the French flagship, the Hero!

This sudden attack, like a bolt from the blue, struck the French fleet hard!

Almost simultaneously, massive columns of water shot skyward from the bow, midships, and stern of the Hero! Icy seawater mixed with shrapnel splashed onto the deck, clanging against the steel plates. The first salvo was a perfect strafing attack; the shells completely surrounded the Hero, meaning the target was firmly locked, and the next salvo was highly likely to hit it directly!
"Damn it! We've been ambushed!" Courbet's confidence was instantly replaced by shock and rage. He grabbed the railing to steady himself and roared, "Hard starboard! Evade! All warships, fire on the enemy ship on your right! Now!"

The French fleet was thrown into brief chaos. The massive ships were difficult to maneuver in the narrow waters, and the captains reacted differently; some hurriedly followed the flagship's turn, while others tried to find firing angles.

At that moment, the Persian Lion and Shiraz, which had previously "fled," also suddenly turned their bows around, aiming their main guns at the flanks of the French fleet in the midst of chaos, and joined the barrage!
"Boom! Boom!"

Iranian shells began to hit the French ships sporadically. A shell from the "Carle" struck a secondary gun emplacement on the aft deck of the "Hero," causing a small explosion and fire, with thick smoke billowing out.

"Aim at that ironclad ship that's popping out! Concentrate your fire!" Courbet pointed at the massive HMS Calais, which was slowly emerging from the waterway, his eyes practically spitting fire. He was, after all, an experienced naval commander, and quickly recovered from his initial shock, attempting to organize a counterattack.

The French ships began to return fire, shells whistling towards the Carré and the other two Iranian cruisers. Columns of water rose continuously around the Iranian warships, and shrapnel struck the armor with a piercing sound.

"Report damage!" Rear Admiral Tabari's voice remained steady on the bridge of the HMS Calais.

"Minor scrape on the port side, no structural damage!" the soldier responded quickly.

"Very good. Maintain distance, use the island for cover, and concentrate firepower to strike the enemy flagship!"
The artillery battle intensified. Smoke billowed, obscuring the sky, and deafening cannon fire echoed across the islands. The two most powerful ironclad warships on both sides, the Carra and the Hero, became the main players in the battle, bombarding each other with heavy artillery. Meanwhile, other light ships lingered on the periphery of the battlefield, seeking opportunities to engage the enemy.

(End of this chapter)