Chapter 1257
Solutions
Chapter 1257 Solutions
Letting Haihan warships escort them is probably the dream treatment for merchant ships from various countries in the South China Sea. After all, Haihan Navy is known as the strongest army in the South China Sea. It has never been defeated in naval battles in the past. very afraid of it.When the combat plan for attacking Xingdao was drawn up, the British did not directly attack Xingdao in order to avoid fighting with Haihan at sea. powerful.
If such a powerful maritime armed force can act as an escort, then naturally there will be no need to worry about the safety of navigation in the South China Sea.However, this high-level service will obviously not be provided to foreign ships for free. Roger has made it very clear that the related costs will be relatively high.Moreover, warship escort does not provide an on-call service if you have money. You must arrange the sailing schedule according to the deployment of the Haihan military. If you are not lucky, you will have to wait for several months before the warship can be transferred across the defense zone. .This solution is safe enough, but the efficiency is extremely low, and it cannot be said to be an ideal solution.
Hogg was originally from the military, so he was quite clear about the pros and cons of this plan. After thinking about it for a while, he had already figured out the key points, so he continued to ask noncommittally: "Another method that General Na Luo said What's the easy way?"
Roger responded: "Give up your original identity in the South China Sea, hang the flag of our country and Han on the ship, and only call at ports belonging to our country, and we will also inform other countries about this. This plan is simple to implement, the cost is relatively low, and the time schedule is relatively fast. Freedom, you can think about it. By the way, I think you have done similar things a long time ago, and you should be familiar with this method."
A ship of a certain country flies the flag of another country. This kind of ship is called a flag of convenience ship in terms of terminology, which is a move made to facilitate international trade.This kind of measure can be traced back to the 16th century. In order to be able to trade in the West Indies under Spanish control, British shipowners often sailed at sea under the Spanish flag.And this kind of practice is not uncommon in the Far East. In order to successfully enter the South China Sea to trade with local aborigines, British merchant ships occasionally fly the flag of Portugal or the Netherlands on board to pass the customs.If it weren't for the big difference in shape from the Haihan sailing ship, it would be difficult to fool the discerning people just by flying the flag. It is estimated that the British have already started flying the Haihan flag on the ship.
However, the previous actions of the British were not approved by the country concerned, and were purely sneaky tricks. Roger obviously wanted to formalize and institutionalize this unscrupulous practice, and bring it into Haihan's management. among.Of course, this will definitely not be a free plan. Roger has already mentioned the standard of "relatively low cost", but after dealing with him several times, Hogg has realized that Haihan people have different standards for money. Too much, what he said is relatively low may only be relative to the previous plan, and does not mean that Haihan will only charge a symbolic fee.
If you do as Roger said, the security will be much better than doing it secretly. After all, Haihan promised to report the matter to other countries, and then you will have trouble with the British ships flying the Haihan double-color flag in the South China Sea. It just doesn't give Haihan any face.It’s just that the disadvantages of this plan are also obvious. The routes and destinations of British ships in the region will be greatly restricted, and they will be subject to stricter supervision. That's not good news.
Hogg didn't ignore the risks Roger had mentioned before, so he asked him about it again.Roger replied solemnly: "Flying the national flag of Haihan not only enjoys the right to asylum of Haihan, but also has the responsibility to bear it. We will stipulate that ships flying the flag of Haihan must set aside a certain percentage of space on board for For the transportation of the materials and personnel designated by us, when necessary, we must obey the temporary call of the Haihan government. Of course, if it is an official call, we will give the ship owner a certain amount of economic compensation."
Hogg thought to himself as he listened, only if the whole ship is conscripted will there be compensation, that is to say, no money will be paid for the space requisitioned at ordinary times. Double standards!
Flying the Haihan flag on the ship is undoubtedly a very practical solution to solve the maritime security problems that plagued the British East India Company, and the cost will indeed be much lower than that of warship escort.But this plan has two very obvious disadvantages. One is that British merchant ships will be placed under strict supervision, and they will not have much freedom of movement in the South China Sea and other sea areas controlled by Haihan; It may be officially requisitioned by Haihan, and the duration is uncertain. This will be a business risk that the ship owners cannot ignore. If Haihan requisitions these sailboats to accompany the army during wartime, it will be a great joy.
Hogg sighed: "Your Excellency, with all due respect, these conditions...are a bit harsh, and there will be many specific difficulties in implementing them. I think the company's senior management may need a long time to discuss and examine these plans. , and may not be able to pass.”
The expression on Roger's face did not change because of this: "I can understand the concerns of the East India Company. If you are unwilling to cooperate with our country in the end, there is nothing you can do. But I must remind you that if the relationship between the two countries If there is no improvement, then the current state of hostility will continue, and you and your subordinates will continue to serve hard labor on this island as prisoners of war. If your company does not pay the ransom and compensation, then British ships entering the South China Sea will also be in danger. Listed as the target of the Haihan Navy's hunting and killing."
Speaking of this, Roger pointed to Ricardo and Philip who were not far away and said: "You have also seen that the Portuguese and the Dutch are eager to get rid of you. If they know what we are talking about now, they will definitely Desperately trying to prevent such an agreement from being reached. Perhaps the top of your company will have something in common with them at this point."
Roger's words are somewhat ironic. The UK and these two countries are rivals to each other, but in this key decision-making, it is possible to make a choice that makes the opponent comfortable. This is a very delicate decision. situation.But Hogg's mind is not confused, he knows the reasons why competitors guard against cooperation with Haihan, and the company's senior management's concerns about cooperation are not the same thing.
What Portugal and the Netherlands want to prevent is the situation of British ships entering the South China Sea. As for whether the British obtained the access permit from Haihan or other places, that is not the point of conflict.They will desperately oppose the cooperation between Britain and Haihan, and it is only out of fear of Haihan. If the partner of Britain is other countries, such as Johor, then Portugal and the Netherlands will definitely not jump out to oppose it. It may be possible to wait for a suitable time to include Johor as a target to reap greater benefits.
What the East India Company executives may worry about is that the cooperation with Haihan will greatly damage the company's own interests, so that the move to enter the South China Sea and Northeast Asia has become a burden that hinders the company's development.Although Haihan can provide effective shelter for British ships to enter the South China Sea, if the price to be paid for this is too high, it is likely that the gain will outweigh the loss.
Besides, Hogg still had a question in his mind, and finally couldn't help asking Roger: "With all due respect, I'm just a prisoner now, why do you want to repeatedly instill this information into me? Even if I have any ideas, I can’t influence the decisions of those high-level people in companies thousands of miles away, and it’s meaningless for you to spend your time doing so.”
Roger sneered slightly, and said unhurriedly: "Mr. Hogg, although we have only recently started dealing with each other, we are not completely ignorant of your personal information. As far as we know Information, your cousin John Hogg is one of the major shareholders of the East India Company, and has a very large influence on the company's board of directors, if he can express his position, maybe the direction of development of the matter will be different."
Hogg really couldn't hide the surprised expression on his face. He thought he hid this kinship relationship very well. Several subordinates who knew about this matter had already greeted him, but the Haihan people still found out the inside story.For a while, it was also difficult for him to judge whether someone had betrayed him, or whether the Haihan people had other information channels.But in any case, this is not a good thing for him. After the Haihan people learned of this information, they can naturally use his identity to blackmail his cousin John Hogg, and even affect the decision-making of the East India Company.
Hogg was worried about this, so he didn't mention his family background at all, but it was still missing.And looking back on the process of dealing with Roger, the other party didn't seem to have just learned of this information, and it seemed that all the cover-up work done before was in vain.
In fact, it was still the Dutch who provided Haihan with this key information. After Roger learned of the background of the British military officer, he decided to try to capture him alive and use it as a bridge to communicate with the East India Company's senior management.Of course, this is not a simple matter. During this process, Roger must also slowly figure out Hogg's attitude and thoughts, and then operate accordingly.However, he calculated with his heart but didn't mean it, and the situation of the two sides after the war was too different, it would be difficult for Hogg even if he couldn't get on this ship.
At this time, Hogg also realized that the high compensation and ransom demanded by the Haihan lion earlier must have been sure that his identity would make the East India Company compromise, so he was so confident.But in his current situation, it seems that he can't make any useful struggles. If he doesn't want to live too miserable in the next day, he still has to continue to follow Roger's wishes.
"Tomorrow there will be a Persian merchant ship sailing from Xinggang to the East India Company's stronghold in the Mughal Kingdom. I hope that they can bring your personal letter with them when they set off. If the East India Company can receive this letter It would be best to make a wise choice as soon as possible after the letter." After Roger finished speaking, he raised his hand and patted Hogg on the shoulder, turned and left without saying anything more.He didn't leave any options for Hogg. After showing the cards in his hand, the only choice for Hogg was to obey.
"Do you two have any opinions on our prisoner-of-war camp?" After Roger returned to Ricardo and Philip, he immediately rescued Tan Juren, who was about to run out of words, from the stuttering English chat.
Philip said first: "Seeing the results of Haihan's army, I am really happy. The information I provided to the general at the beginning has come in handy. I hope there will be more opportunities for such cooperation in the future. I am also very happy." Willing to serve Haihan Kingdom."
Hearing his performance, Ricardo realized that it was no coincidence that the Dutch appeared in Xingdao at this juncture, and Roger and Tan Juren did not refute or defend, and it seemed that they also tacitly agreed to the other party's statement.If the Dutch participated in Haihan's battle in Xingdao, it would be very difficult for Portugal to get a share of it.
However, as Portugal's special envoy, Ricardo would not admit defeat, and immediately continued: "The most important factor in winning this battle is of course General Roger's ability to command. Some people should not add drama to themselves. Right. Next, to deal with Johor and the British, it is most appropriate for our country to cooperate with Haihan to send troops. We only need three days to prepare. I think this time may not be enough for Mr. Philip to bring the news back to Batavia, soldier Your god is fast, so you don’t have to worry about the next thing.”
How could Philip be willing to show weakness, and immediately answered with staring eyes: "Johor is going to send troops to attack Xingdao, you are very close to Johor, but you didn't even notice the slightest rumor beforehand, you still have the face to ask for a joint army with Haihan? Do you feel that the Haihan army is too powerful, and you need to act as a drag?"
The two envoys used their own skills, and they launched a verbal sword in front of Luo Jie and Tan Juren, mocking them unceremoniously, as if Lao Tzu was the official designated partner of Haihan.However, the English they use to communicate is not their native language, and their vocabulary is relatively limited. Later, when they got into a fight, they each cursed in their native language, but this kind of playing the piano with cattle obviously won't have any effect on stimulating the opponent.
Luo Jie was secretly amused when he saw it. These foreigners have worked so hard to make Hai Han continue to send troops.It's just that Roger had planned this matter long ago, so he would not be easily agitated by them. This kind of quarrel can only expose his shortcomings, which shows that their diplomatic professionalism is not enough.
"Both of you, you don't have to argue anymore, let me say something fair!" Roger saw that the two had started talking to themselves, and there was no point in arguing like this, so he stood up and ended the fight immediately. debate.
(End of this chapter)
Letting Haihan warships escort them is probably the dream treatment for merchant ships from various countries in the South China Sea. After all, Haihan Navy is known as the strongest army in the South China Sea. It has never been defeated in naval battles in the past. very afraid of it.When the combat plan for attacking Xingdao was drawn up, the British did not directly attack Xingdao in order to avoid fighting with Haihan at sea. powerful.
If such a powerful maritime armed force can act as an escort, then naturally there will be no need to worry about the safety of navigation in the South China Sea.However, this high-level service will obviously not be provided to foreign ships for free. Roger has made it very clear that the related costs will be relatively high.Moreover, warship escort does not provide an on-call service if you have money. You must arrange the sailing schedule according to the deployment of the Haihan military. If you are not lucky, you will have to wait for several months before the warship can be transferred across the defense zone. .This solution is safe enough, but the efficiency is extremely low, and it cannot be said to be an ideal solution.
Hogg was originally from the military, so he was quite clear about the pros and cons of this plan. After thinking about it for a while, he had already figured out the key points, so he continued to ask noncommittally: "Another method that General Na Luo said What's the easy way?"
Roger responded: "Give up your original identity in the South China Sea, hang the flag of our country and Han on the ship, and only call at ports belonging to our country, and we will also inform other countries about this. This plan is simple to implement, the cost is relatively low, and the time schedule is relatively fast. Freedom, you can think about it. By the way, I think you have done similar things a long time ago, and you should be familiar with this method."
A ship of a certain country flies the flag of another country. This kind of ship is called a flag of convenience ship in terms of terminology, which is a move made to facilitate international trade.This kind of measure can be traced back to the 16th century. In order to be able to trade in the West Indies under Spanish control, British shipowners often sailed at sea under the Spanish flag.And this kind of practice is not uncommon in the Far East. In order to successfully enter the South China Sea to trade with local aborigines, British merchant ships occasionally fly the flag of Portugal or the Netherlands on board to pass the customs.If it weren't for the big difference in shape from the Haihan sailing ship, it would be difficult to fool the discerning people just by flying the flag. It is estimated that the British have already started flying the Haihan flag on the ship.
However, the previous actions of the British were not approved by the country concerned, and were purely sneaky tricks. Roger obviously wanted to formalize and institutionalize this unscrupulous practice, and bring it into Haihan's management. among.Of course, this will definitely not be a free plan. Roger has already mentioned the standard of "relatively low cost", but after dealing with him several times, Hogg has realized that Haihan people have different standards for money. Too much, what he said is relatively low may only be relative to the previous plan, and does not mean that Haihan will only charge a symbolic fee.
If you do as Roger said, the security will be much better than doing it secretly. After all, Haihan promised to report the matter to other countries, and then you will have trouble with the British ships flying the Haihan double-color flag in the South China Sea. It just doesn't give Haihan any face.It’s just that the disadvantages of this plan are also obvious. The routes and destinations of British ships in the region will be greatly restricted, and they will be subject to stricter supervision. That's not good news.
Hogg didn't ignore the risks Roger had mentioned before, so he asked him about it again.Roger replied solemnly: "Flying the national flag of Haihan not only enjoys the right to asylum of Haihan, but also has the responsibility to bear it. We will stipulate that ships flying the flag of Haihan must set aside a certain percentage of space on board for For the transportation of the materials and personnel designated by us, when necessary, we must obey the temporary call of the Haihan government. Of course, if it is an official call, we will give the ship owner a certain amount of economic compensation."
Hogg thought to himself as he listened, only if the whole ship is conscripted will there be compensation, that is to say, no money will be paid for the space requisitioned at ordinary times. Double standards!
Flying the Haihan flag on the ship is undoubtedly a very practical solution to solve the maritime security problems that plagued the British East India Company, and the cost will indeed be much lower than that of warship escort.But this plan has two very obvious disadvantages. One is that British merchant ships will be placed under strict supervision, and they will not have much freedom of movement in the South China Sea and other sea areas controlled by Haihan; It may be officially requisitioned by Haihan, and the duration is uncertain. This will be a business risk that the ship owners cannot ignore. If Haihan requisitions these sailboats to accompany the army during wartime, it will be a great joy.
Hogg sighed: "Your Excellency, with all due respect, these conditions...are a bit harsh, and there will be many specific difficulties in implementing them. I think the company's senior management may need a long time to discuss and examine these plans. , and may not be able to pass.”
The expression on Roger's face did not change because of this: "I can understand the concerns of the East India Company. If you are unwilling to cooperate with our country in the end, there is nothing you can do. But I must remind you that if the relationship between the two countries If there is no improvement, then the current state of hostility will continue, and you and your subordinates will continue to serve hard labor on this island as prisoners of war. If your company does not pay the ransom and compensation, then British ships entering the South China Sea will also be in danger. Listed as the target of the Haihan Navy's hunting and killing."
Speaking of this, Roger pointed to Ricardo and Philip who were not far away and said: "You have also seen that the Portuguese and the Dutch are eager to get rid of you. If they know what we are talking about now, they will definitely Desperately trying to prevent such an agreement from being reached. Perhaps the top of your company will have something in common with them at this point."
Roger's words are somewhat ironic. The UK and these two countries are rivals to each other, but in this key decision-making, it is possible to make a choice that makes the opponent comfortable. This is a very delicate decision. situation.But Hogg's mind is not confused, he knows the reasons why competitors guard against cooperation with Haihan, and the company's senior management's concerns about cooperation are not the same thing.
What Portugal and the Netherlands want to prevent is the situation of British ships entering the South China Sea. As for whether the British obtained the access permit from Haihan or other places, that is not the point of conflict.They will desperately oppose the cooperation between Britain and Haihan, and it is only out of fear of Haihan. If the partner of Britain is other countries, such as Johor, then Portugal and the Netherlands will definitely not jump out to oppose it. It may be possible to wait for a suitable time to include Johor as a target to reap greater benefits.
What the East India Company executives may worry about is that the cooperation with Haihan will greatly damage the company's own interests, so that the move to enter the South China Sea and Northeast Asia has become a burden that hinders the company's development.Although Haihan can provide effective shelter for British ships to enter the South China Sea, if the price to be paid for this is too high, it is likely that the gain will outweigh the loss.
Besides, Hogg still had a question in his mind, and finally couldn't help asking Roger: "With all due respect, I'm just a prisoner now, why do you want to repeatedly instill this information into me? Even if I have any ideas, I can’t influence the decisions of those high-level people in companies thousands of miles away, and it’s meaningless for you to spend your time doing so.”
Roger sneered slightly, and said unhurriedly: "Mr. Hogg, although we have only recently started dealing with each other, we are not completely ignorant of your personal information. As far as we know Information, your cousin John Hogg is one of the major shareholders of the East India Company, and has a very large influence on the company's board of directors, if he can express his position, maybe the direction of development of the matter will be different."
Hogg really couldn't hide the surprised expression on his face. He thought he hid this kinship relationship very well. Several subordinates who knew about this matter had already greeted him, but the Haihan people still found out the inside story.For a while, it was also difficult for him to judge whether someone had betrayed him, or whether the Haihan people had other information channels.But in any case, this is not a good thing for him. After the Haihan people learned of this information, they can naturally use his identity to blackmail his cousin John Hogg, and even affect the decision-making of the East India Company.
Hogg was worried about this, so he didn't mention his family background at all, but it was still missing.And looking back on the process of dealing with Roger, the other party didn't seem to have just learned of this information, and it seemed that all the cover-up work done before was in vain.
In fact, it was still the Dutch who provided Haihan with this key information. After Roger learned of the background of the British military officer, he decided to try to capture him alive and use it as a bridge to communicate with the East India Company's senior management.Of course, this is not a simple matter. During this process, Roger must also slowly figure out Hogg's attitude and thoughts, and then operate accordingly.However, he calculated with his heart but didn't mean it, and the situation of the two sides after the war was too different, it would be difficult for Hogg even if he couldn't get on this ship.
At this time, Hogg also realized that the high compensation and ransom demanded by the Haihan lion earlier must have been sure that his identity would make the East India Company compromise, so he was so confident.But in his current situation, it seems that he can't make any useful struggles. If he doesn't want to live too miserable in the next day, he still has to continue to follow Roger's wishes.
"Tomorrow there will be a Persian merchant ship sailing from Xinggang to the East India Company's stronghold in the Mughal Kingdom. I hope that they can bring your personal letter with them when they set off. If the East India Company can receive this letter It would be best to make a wise choice as soon as possible after the letter." After Roger finished speaking, he raised his hand and patted Hogg on the shoulder, turned and left without saying anything more.He didn't leave any options for Hogg. After showing the cards in his hand, the only choice for Hogg was to obey.
"Do you two have any opinions on our prisoner-of-war camp?" After Roger returned to Ricardo and Philip, he immediately rescued Tan Juren, who was about to run out of words, from the stuttering English chat.
Philip said first: "Seeing the results of Haihan's army, I am really happy. The information I provided to the general at the beginning has come in handy. I hope there will be more opportunities for such cooperation in the future. I am also very happy." Willing to serve Haihan Kingdom."
Hearing his performance, Ricardo realized that it was no coincidence that the Dutch appeared in Xingdao at this juncture, and Roger and Tan Juren did not refute or defend, and it seemed that they also tacitly agreed to the other party's statement.If the Dutch participated in Haihan's battle in Xingdao, it would be very difficult for Portugal to get a share of it.
However, as Portugal's special envoy, Ricardo would not admit defeat, and immediately continued: "The most important factor in winning this battle is of course General Roger's ability to command. Some people should not add drama to themselves. Right. Next, to deal with Johor and the British, it is most appropriate for our country to cooperate with Haihan to send troops. We only need three days to prepare. I think this time may not be enough for Mr. Philip to bring the news back to Batavia, soldier Your god is fast, so you don’t have to worry about the next thing.”
How could Philip be willing to show weakness, and immediately answered with staring eyes: "Johor is going to send troops to attack Xingdao, you are very close to Johor, but you didn't even notice the slightest rumor beforehand, you still have the face to ask for a joint army with Haihan? Do you feel that the Haihan army is too powerful, and you need to act as a drag?"
The two envoys used their own skills, and they launched a verbal sword in front of Luo Jie and Tan Juren, mocking them unceremoniously, as if Lao Tzu was the official designated partner of Haihan.However, the English they use to communicate is not their native language, and their vocabulary is relatively limited. Later, when they got into a fight, they each cursed in their native language, but this kind of playing the piano with cattle obviously won't have any effect on stimulating the opponent.
Luo Jie was secretly amused when he saw it. These foreigners have worked so hard to make Hai Han continue to send troops.It's just that Roger had planned this matter long ago, so he would not be easily agitated by them. This kind of quarrel can only expose his shortcomings, which shows that their diplomatic professionalism is not enough.
"Both of you, you don't have to argue anymore, let me say something fair!" Roger saw that the two had started talking to themselves, and there was no point in arguing like this, so he stood up and ended the fight immediately. debate.
(End of this chapter)