Chapter 1638
The Fateful Reconnaissance Ship
Chapter 1638 The Fateful Reconnaissance Ship
Juan Luis has always felt that something is wrong in the past two days. Although the scout ships cruising out to sea did not find any traces of the Haihan fleet, Juan has already faintly smelled the smell of danger.He could feel that the Haihan people might have reached a place not far from Manila, but he still had no clue.After all, there are only five or six scout ships he sent to patrol Manila Bay. In order to report news in time, the scope of activities is also relatively limited. The area that can be monitored in the vast sea is indeed extremely limited.Even Juan himself thinks that the maritime monitoring he deployed may not be able to serve as a warning until the Haihan fleet approaches Manila Bay.
Although the Manila Fleet under Juan's jurisdiction currently has more than 20 ships that can perform combat missions, if you look at the status of these ships a little seriously, you will find that the actual combat effectiveness of this fleet is actually not optimistic. Of the more than 20 ships, only five are serious warships, and the rest are armed merchant ships or ordinary merchant ships temporarily equipped with a few guns to serve as warships, and most of the sailors on board have not received formal military training. , Even the commander sent to the ship by Juan did not understand the formal combat instructions given to them.
As a last resort, Juan could only let the boatswain and the captain of the ship jointly control the command, otherwise it would be really hard to say how much combat power these ships could exert during wartime.Juan can only pray that these civilian ships don't run away when the battle starts. Even if they can't beat the Haihan fleet, they have to try to slow down the enemy's attack.But thinking about the scene when he fought against the Haihan Fleet off the coast of Sanya last year, he really didn't dare to have too much expectations for this fleet composed of motley troops, but he had already promised Governor Aragones that he would do his best Holding back the Haihan army to prevent him from landing smoothly, although the South China Sea is huge, he has no way to retreat, so he can only desperately guard Manila Bay.
On January [-], a Spanish sailing ship "Martin" patrolling off the coast of Manila Bay approached the Bataan Peninsula between Manila Bay and Subic Bay to replenish fresh water. The lookout post found an unidentified sailboat on the sea.After being confirmed by the officers on the ship using binoculars, it can be basically determined that the sailboat that is operating a few nautical miles offshore belongs to Haihan.
It's not that the officers on the ship are familiar with the appearance of the Haihan warship, it's that the red and blue flags hung on the mast of the ship are very conspicuous, and the Haihan people don't seem to intend to keep a low profile, just hanging their flags like this The national flag is waving in the sea, and it is hard not to recognize it.However, this ship was alone, and looked like a reconnaissance ship similar to the "Martin".
However, the "Martin" is only a civilian ship temporarily charged into the Manila fleet. Apart from its high speed, the firepower configuration on the ship is really lacklustre. Charged by the sailors on board.Such a ship naturally does not have much combat power at all. Of course, when Juan assigned the task, he also specifically told the captain of the "Martin" that if he really encountered the Haihan fleet, the first priority is to Send enemy information back to Manila instead of fighting the enemy at sea.
The "Martin" was moored at the mouth of a small river, and most of the hull was covered by seaside forests, so it was really difficult to find its existence from the sea.And the Haihan sailing ship passing here seemed to have not noticed its existence. The fearful Spaniards waited for a long time before finally watching the ship disappear on the northwest sea.And the people on the "Martin" are very clear that there is a natural deep-water bay in that direction, and there are even a small number of Spanish immigrants settled there, but if there are Haihan sailing ships operating in that area, what does this mean? It goes without saying.
There are two options in front of the "Martin". One is to turn around and return to Manila Port, and report this discovery to General Juan, who will make a follow-up decision; Is it true that there is a Haihan fleet lurking in Ke Bay?Of course, the risk of the latter option is quite high. Once the Haihan people find out, they may not even have the chance to withdraw to Manila.
The captain and the officer on board were also a little uncertain about this, but in the end the officer made a decision and decided to follow up to see if the ship really sailed into Subic Bay.As long as this is confirmed, immediately turn around and return to Manila instead of venturing into Subic Bay to check the specific situation.
But it's a pity that they still thought things too simply. When they re-heaved the anchor and raised their sails to catch up to the northwest, there was no trace of the Haihan sailboat on the sea. After chasing the "Martin" for half a day, the narrow entrance of Subic Bay was faintly visible in front of it, but there was still no sign of the Haihan sailboat, which was a bit troublesome.
It was agreed in advance that we would withdraw when we saw the ship entering Subic Bay, but we didn’t see the target at all after chasing it all the way here, so should we go in or not?If you just go back home like this, how do you report this to General Juan? Could it be that you told him that you lost your target, and then slipped back because you were worried that the Haihan Fleet was hidden in Subic Bay?
The dignity of the Spanish Empire did not allow them to give up. After a brief hesitation, the people on the "Martin" quickly unified their opinions and decided to enter Subic Bay to find out.At the same time, they decided that if they found traces of Haihan sailing ships in the bay, even if they only saw one, they would turn around and leave immediately, and they would never delay inside.They still have some understanding of the terrifying speed of the Haihan battleship. If they are spotted by the opponent and pursued by the tail, the chance of escape will be greatly reduced.
The entrance channel of Subic Bay is about 5000 meters wide, and there is a small island called Grande in the middle of the channel, which divides the entrance channel into two.This small island with an area of less than one square kilometer is covered by dense forests and looks no different from the uninhabited islands common in the Philippine Islands.But in fact, Yan Chujie's department, who had already arrived here, deployed a reconnaissance squad on the island, and brought a portable radio to the island to conduct 24-hour uninterrupted monitoring of the channel entrance and exit.Although the commanding height on the island is less than [-] meters above sea level, with the aid of military telescopes, it is enough to monitor the range of about ten to fifteen nautical miles outside the bay even on cloudy days.
The arrival of the "Martin" will naturally not escape the eyes of these monitors on the island. It was discovered more than ten nautical miles away from the island, and it was soon set up at the temporary headquarters in the bay. Just got the alert.
"Now we can catch people alive." Yan Chujie was very relaxed when he heard the news. Since Haihan set up the frontline base so close to Manila Bay and sent a scout ship out for activities, of course he did. Well get ready to be discovered.But since the other party took the initiative to touch the door, there is no reason for the Haihan army to let them go.
Yan Chujie ordered two "expedition"-class warships equipped with steam power systems to prepare for battle. If the opponent turned around and left without entering Subic Bay, they would catch up and sink them.
However, the Portuguese officer who came here with the Haihan Army said that the Spaniards will definitely not turn around and leave, and the ship will definitely sail into Subic Port next.
"They claim to be the overlords of the sea, how could they leave quietly? Please rest assured, General Yan, this ship will definitely come in, and it will be easier to deal with them at that time. If possible, I would like to personally participate in the next operation , my people are ready to fight!"
The name of the middle-aged officer sent by Portugal this time is Simao, and it is said that he was also a real soldier who fought on the European battlefield before.But later it seemed that he offended the Spanish nobles because of some private matters, and couldn't stay in the army any longer, so he went to the Far East to make a living.Now that he has the opportunity to fight the Spaniards, this Simao is very excited all the way, wishing to fight the Spaniards as soon as possible, in order to avenge the old grievances of being humiliated by the Spaniards in Europe.
Yan Chujie was not surprised by Xi Mang's initiative to fight. Since he set off from Sanya, he could of course feel this person's eagerness to fight.However, this was exactly what Yan Chujie was worried about. Simao's eagerness to fight the Spaniards might affect his judgment during the command process. This was not what Yan Chujie wanted to see.But right now, the target is only an armed merchant ship, and Haihan Navy is working together. It can indeed be handed over to the Portuguese to practice warming up their lower body, lest they may not be able to enter the state when they enter Manila Bay and start fighting directly.
"Well, call your people to prepare for the battle, but you must accept our army's command during the operation. Do you have any questions?" Yan Chujie quickly made up his mind and asked Simao for advice.
Of course, Simao would not have any objections. The division of labor between the two parties in this cooperative operation had been determined long ago. Haihan was the leader, while the Portuguese combatants had to obey the command.If he refused Yan Chujie's request, then of course the opponent would have a reason not to arrange for him to play.
After waiting for half an hour, the news sent back from Grand Island confirmed that Simao's judgment was correct. The Spanish sailboat slowed down and approached Manila Bay quietly along the coastline. I really intend to come in and find out the truth.
The ships of the Haihan Fleet are all docked in a bay on the east side of Subic Bay. The existence of these ships cannot be found from the incoming channel. They can only be seen after entering a certain depth in Subic Bay. the truth.
The "Martin" entered Subic Bay tremblingly, and after driving north for a certain distance, it finally saw four sailing ships rushing out of the harbor on the east side. Portuguese sailboat.And on the coast behind these four boats, you can vaguely see dozens of boats docked on the shore densely.
"Raise the sails! Turn around!"
The captain of the "Martin" immediately took the initiative to exercise command authority without waiting for the officer on board to give an order.If you don't run away quickly at this time, I'm afraid you won't be able to get out of Subic Bay.As for his move, the officer on board the ship did not express any objection. Seeing the Haihan fleet hidden in the harbor, he lost the slightest thought of fighting.The most important thing now is to send this information back to Manila, so that the defenders on the shore can be prepared. As for the dignity of the Spanish Empire, it can be put aside temporarily before the big picture.
But escaping from this place is by no means an easy task. Those two Portuguese sailboats are nothing more than that. What is really scary is that the two Haihan battleships that are emitting thick smoke are almost getting closer to the "Haihan" at a speed visible to the naked eye. Martin's distance.
"God! What kind of monster is that!" Facing the Haihan battleship chasing from behind, the Spanish captain could only wail helplessly. He really didn't understand why the other party could have such a speed. Comparing the Clippers with the opponent, it feels like an old cow pulling a broken cart.
Chasing and escaping at this speed, the "Martin" can escape for half a day at most before being overtaken by the other party. In order to pursue a high speed, the "Martin" intentionally weakened the hull's protection during construction to reduce the weight of the ship. When the opponent catches up with it, the thin-skinned "Martin" may not be able to withstand a round. The approaching shelling.
However, what really made the Spaniards on the "Martin" feel desperate was not the two Haihan battleships chasing after them, but someone else.Looking at the sea in front of the ship, the officer on board saw through the binoculars that a black sailboat flying the double-color flag of Haihan suddenly appeared on the channel that just passed into Subic Bay, and its speed was even faster than that of the chasing one. The two ships were much faster, and they were rushing towards the "Martin".
"What is this?"
Although the situation on the ship could not be seen clearly through the telescope, the dangerous aura emanating from the ship was very obvious.But in this situation, if you adjust the direction to avoid the opponent in a circle, the two chasing ships will definitely take advantage of it, and they will simply rush over, anyway, the opponent will definitely not collide.
Of course they would not collide, but when the distance between the two ships was still hundreds of meters, the artillery on the other ship fired first.Long-distance firing is a kind of demonstration in naval battles of this era, because after all, the range and accuracy of naval guns are very limited, and there is no real threat at all if the combat distance is longer, so the people on the "Martin" did not Didn't feel flustered by it.
However, this first shell accurately hit the starboard side of the "Martin", and opened a hole the size of a washbasin in the hull.After the shell pierced through the entire hull horizontally, another large hole with a diameter of more than one meter was smashed on the port side.The only good thing is that these two holes are above the waterline, and there is no danger of the "Martin" entering the water for the time being.
(End of this chapter)
Juan Luis has always felt that something is wrong in the past two days. Although the scout ships cruising out to sea did not find any traces of the Haihan fleet, Juan has already faintly smelled the smell of danger.He could feel that the Haihan people might have reached a place not far from Manila, but he still had no clue.After all, there are only five or six scout ships he sent to patrol Manila Bay. In order to report news in time, the scope of activities is also relatively limited. The area that can be monitored in the vast sea is indeed extremely limited.Even Juan himself thinks that the maritime monitoring he deployed may not be able to serve as a warning until the Haihan fleet approaches Manila Bay.
Although the Manila Fleet under Juan's jurisdiction currently has more than 20 ships that can perform combat missions, if you look at the status of these ships a little seriously, you will find that the actual combat effectiveness of this fleet is actually not optimistic. Of the more than 20 ships, only five are serious warships, and the rest are armed merchant ships or ordinary merchant ships temporarily equipped with a few guns to serve as warships, and most of the sailors on board have not received formal military training. , Even the commander sent to the ship by Juan did not understand the formal combat instructions given to them.
As a last resort, Juan could only let the boatswain and the captain of the ship jointly control the command, otherwise it would be really hard to say how much combat power these ships could exert during wartime.Juan can only pray that these civilian ships don't run away when the battle starts. Even if they can't beat the Haihan fleet, they have to try to slow down the enemy's attack.But thinking about the scene when he fought against the Haihan Fleet off the coast of Sanya last year, he really didn't dare to have too much expectations for this fleet composed of motley troops, but he had already promised Governor Aragones that he would do his best Holding back the Haihan army to prevent him from landing smoothly, although the South China Sea is huge, he has no way to retreat, so he can only desperately guard Manila Bay.
On January [-], a Spanish sailing ship "Martin" patrolling off the coast of Manila Bay approached the Bataan Peninsula between Manila Bay and Subic Bay to replenish fresh water. The lookout post found an unidentified sailboat on the sea.After being confirmed by the officers on the ship using binoculars, it can be basically determined that the sailboat that is operating a few nautical miles offshore belongs to Haihan.
It's not that the officers on the ship are familiar with the appearance of the Haihan warship, it's that the red and blue flags hung on the mast of the ship are very conspicuous, and the Haihan people don't seem to intend to keep a low profile, just hanging their flags like this The national flag is waving in the sea, and it is hard not to recognize it.However, this ship was alone, and looked like a reconnaissance ship similar to the "Martin".
However, the "Martin" is only a civilian ship temporarily charged into the Manila fleet. Apart from its high speed, the firepower configuration on the ship is really lacklustre. Charged by the sailors on board.Such a ship naturally does not have much combat power at all. Of course, when Juan assigned the task, he also specifically told the captain of the "Martin" that if he really encountered the Haihan fleet, the first priority is to Send enemy information back to Manila instead of fighting the enemy at sea.
The "Martin" was moored at the mouth of a small river, and most of the hull was covered by seaside forests, so it was really difficult to find its existence from the sea.And the Haihan sailing ship passing here seemed to have not noticed its existence. The fearful Spaniards waited for a long time before finally watching the ship disappear on the northwest sea.And the people on the "Martin" are very clear that there is a natural deep-water bay in that direction, and there are even a small number of Spanish immigrants settled there, but if there are Haihan sailing ships operating in that area, what does this mean? It goes without saying.
There are two options in front of the "Martin". One is to turn around and return to Manila Port, and report this discovery to General Juan, who will make a follow-up decision; Is it true that there is a Haihan fleet lurking in Ke Bay?Of course, the risk of the latter option is quite high. Once the Haihan people find out, they may not even have the chance to withdraw to Manila.
The captain and the officer on board were also a little uncertain about this, but in the end the officer made a decision and decided to follow up to see if the ship really sailed into Subic Bay.As long as this is confirmed, immediately turn around and return to Manila instead of venturing into Subic Bay to check the specific situation.
But it's a pity that they still thought things too simply. When they re-heaved the anchor and raised their sails to catch up to the northwest, there was no trace of the Haihan sailboat on the sea. After chasing the "Martin" for half a day, the narrow entrance of Subic Bay was faintly visible in front of it, but there was still no sign of the Haihan sailboat, which was a bit troublesome.
It was agreed in advance that we would withdraw when we saw the ship entering Subic Bay, but we didn’t see the target at all after chasing it all the way here, so should we go in or not?If you just go back home like this, how do you report this to General Juan? Could it be that you told him that you lost your target, and then slipped back because you were worried that the Haihan Fleet was hidden in Subic Bay?
The dignity of the Spanish Empire did not allow them to give up. After a brief hesitation, the people on the "Martin" quickly unified their opinions and decided to enter Subic Bay to find out.At the same time, they decided that if they found traces of Haihan sailing ships in the bay, even if they only saw one, they would turn around and leave immediately, and they would never delay inside.They still have some understanding of the terrifying speed of the Haihan battleship. If they are spotted by the opponent and pursued by the tail, the chance of escape will be greatly reduced.
The entrance channel of Subic Bay is about 5000 meters wide, and there is a small island called Grande in the middle of the channel, which divides the entrance channel into two.This small island with an area of less than one square kilometer is covered by dense forests and looks no different from the uninhabited islands common in the Philippine Islands.But in fact, Yan Chujie's department, who had already arrived here, deployed a reconnaissance squad on the island, and brought a portable radio to the island to conduct 24-hour uninterrupted monitoring of the channel entrance and exit.Although the commanding height on the island is less than [-] meters above sea level, with the aid of military telescopes, it is enough to monitor the range of about ten to fifteen nautical miles outside the bay even on cloudy days.
The arrival of the "Martin" will naturally not escape the eyes of these monitors on the island. It was discovered more than ten nautical miles away from the island, and it was soon set up at the temporary headquarters in the bay. Just got the alert.
"Now we can catch people alive." Yan Chujie was very relaxed when he heard the news. Since Haihan set up the frontline base so close to Manila Bay and sent a scout ship out for activities, of course he did. Well get ready to be discovered.But since the other party took the initiative to touch the door, there is no reason for the Haihan army to let them go.
Yan Chujie ordered two "expedition"-class warships equipped with steam power systems to prepare for battle. If the opponent turned around and left without entering Subic Bay, they would catch up and sink them.
However, the Portuguese officer who came here with the Haihan Army said that the Spaniards will definitely not turn around and leave, and the ship will definitely sail into Subic Port next.
"They claim to be the overlords of the sea, how could they leave quietly? Please rest assured, General Yan, this ship will definitely come in, and it will be easier to deal with them at that time. If possible, I would like to personally participate in the next operation , my people are ready to fight!"
The name of the middle-aged officer sent by Portugal this time is Simao, and it is said that he was also a real soldier who fought on the European battlefield before.But later it seemed that he offended the Spanish nobles because of some private matters, and couldn't stay in the army any longer, so he went to the Far East to make a living.Now that he has the opportunity to fight the Spaniards, this Simao is very excited all the way, wishing to fight the Spaniards as soon as possible, in order to avenge the old grievances of being humiliated by the Spaniards in Europe.
Yan Chujie was not surprised by Xi Mang's initiative to fight. Since he set off from Sanya, he could of course feel this person's eagerness to fight.However, this was exactly what Yan Chujie was worried about. Simao's eagerness to fight the Spaniards might affect his judgment during the command process. This was not what Yan Chujie wanted to see.But right now, the target is only an armed merchant ship, and Haihan Navy is working together. It can indeed be handed over to the Portuguese to practice warming up their lower body, lest they may not be able to enter the state when they enter Manila Bay and start fighting directly.
"Well, call your people to prepare for the battle, but you must accept our army's command during the operation. Do you have any questions?" Yan Chujie quickly made up his mind and asked Simao for advice.
Of course, Simao would not have any objections. The division of labor between the two parties in this cooperative operation had been determined long ago. Haihan was the leader, while the Portuguese combatants had to obey the command.If he refused Yan Chujie's request, then of course the opponent would have a reason not to arrange for him to play.
After waiting for half an hour, the news sent back from Grand Island confirmed that Simao's judgment was correct. The Spanish sailboat slowed down and approached Manila Bay quietly along the coastline. I really intend to come in and find out the truth.
The ships of the Haihan Fleet are all docked in a bay on the east side of Subic Bay. The existence of these ships cannot be found from the incoming channel. They can only be seen after entering a certain depth in Subic Bay. the truth.
The "Martin" entered Subic Bay tremblingly, and after driving north for a certain distance, it finally saw four sailing ships rushing out of the harbor on the east side. Portuguese sailboat.And on the coast behind these four boats, you can vaguely see dozens of boats docked on the shore densely.
"Raise the sails! Turn around!"
The captain of the "Martin" immediately took the initiative to exercise command authority without waiting for the officer on board to give an order.If you don't run away quickly at this time, I'm afraid you won't be able to get out of Subic Bay.As for his move, the officer on board the ship did not express any objection. Seeing the Haihan fleet hidden in the harbor, he lost the slightest thought of fighting.The most important thing now is to send this information back to Manila, so that the defenders on the shore can be prepared. As for the dignity of the Spanish Empire, it can be put aside temporarily before the big picture.
But escaping from this place is by no means an easy task. Those two Portuguese sailboats are nothing more than that. What is really scary is that the two Haihan battleships that are emitting thick smoke are almost getting closer to the "Haihan" at a speed visible to the naked eye. Martin's distance.
"God! What kind of monster is that!" Facing the Haihan battleship chasing from behind, the Spanish captain could only wail helplessly. He really didn't understand why the other party could have such a speed. Comparing the Clippers with the opponent, it feels like an old cow pulling a broken cart.
Chasing and escaping at this speed, the "Martin" can escape for half a day at most before being overtaken by the other party. In order to pursue a high speed, the "Martin" intentionally weakened the hull's protection during construction to reduce the weight of the ship. When the opponent catches up with it, the thin-skinned "Martin" may not be able to withstand a round. The approaching shelling.
However, what really made the Spaniards on the "Martin" feel desperate was not the two Haihan battleships chasing after them, but someone else.Looking at the sea in front of the ship, the officer on board saw through the binoculars that a black sailboat flying the double-color flag of Haihan suddenly appeared on the channel that just passed into Subic Bay, and its speed was even faster than that of the chasing one. The two ships were much faster, and they were rushing towards the "Martin".
"What is this?"
Although the situation on the ship could not be seen clearly through the telescope, the dangerous aura emanating from the ship was very obvious.But in this situation, if you adjust the direction to avoid the opponent in a circle, the two chasing ships will definitely take advantage of it, and they will simply rush over, anyway, the opponent will definitely not collide.
Of course they would not collide, but when the distance between the two ships was still hundreds of meters, the artillery on the other ship fired first.Long-distance firing is a kind of demonstration in naval battles of this era, because after all, the range and accuracy of naval guns are very limited, and there is no real threat at all if the combat distance is longer, so the people on the "Martin" did not Didn't feel flustered by it.
However, this first shell accurately hit the starboard side of the "Martin", and opened a hole the size of a washbasin in the hull.After the shell pierced through the entire hull horizontally, another large hole with a diameter of more than one meter was smashed on the port side.The only good thing is that these two holes are above the waterline, and there is no danger of the "Martin" entering the water for the time being.
(End of this chapter)