1890 King of Southeast Asia

On June 26, 1897, the 60th anniversary of Victoria's accession to the throne, Britain held a grand naval review, which was also the largest naval review in the entire 19th century.

How to describe this naval review? Britain mobilized 21 battleships, 44 cruisers, and a total of 165 small ships. At the same time, a destroyer equipped with a steam turbine, the Turbinia, was unique with a speed of 345 knots (referring to making trouble in the fleet?)

At this time, the power displayed by the United Kingdom was invincible! (There are many more that have not been displayed...)

At the same time, the United States had a navy tonnage of only more than 100,000 tons, and Germany had even less. The father of the High Seas Fleet was the Minister of the Navy, and the total tonnage of the navy's large and small ships was not as much as the total tonnage of the battleships of others.

Nanhua also sent the Taishan to participate in this review, and because of its unique shape (referring to the combination of the mast and the command tower, at this time, Die Ying was just trying, and the rear mast was not abandoned.) It attracted a lot of attention.

………

"Look at what this newspaper says? Isn't this just to boost others' morale and destroy your own prestige?" As soon as Liu Yiming returned home, Liu Wanhua showed Liu Yiming a copy of the Times' description reprinted by a local newspaper in Surabaya.

"No one on this planet can touch the glory of the British Empire... Bah! Disgusting!"

Liu Yiming wiped his sweat helplessly. For various reasons, Nanhua was stepping up its preparations for war. If Liu Yiming hadn't wanted the Americans to start first and then join the war according to the mutual assistance treaty, the war would have started now.

For this reason, Zhang Wentao, who was most familiar with Borneo, returned to Borneo. Yang Tao and Wang Xu had already gone there, and new recruits were also being transported to Borneo.

Wang Yang led two divisions to build a military base in Sumatra with great fanfare.

After Zhang Wentao left, Liu Wanhua couldn't ask Zhang You about his well-being every day, because Zhang's mother was still there...These days he was a powder keg that could explode at any time, and Liu Yiming had been blown up several times.

"We are so small that we can't change anything. Don't be angry, don't be upset. We will have this day!" Liu Yiming could only comfort them perfunctorily.

Liu Wanhua was upset, but he was just complaining. It didn't involve his grandson. He was still a very rational and open-minded person.

"The newspaper said that the Japanese went south to Ryukyu?" Liu Wanhua pointed to another page.

Liu Yiming nodded: "Don't worry, Japan is a grasshopper after autumn, it won't grow. I'm just going to deal with this matter!"

After a lot of entanglement, Liu Yiming promised Liu Wanhua to give the Japanese a good look, and then he went to the Prime Minister's Office.

At the Prime Minister's Office, Xie Hui and Zhao Jiaxing were already waiting there, also because of the Japanese warships going south.

Liu Yiming walked straight towards the two of them, and his voice came before he arrived: "The Japanese side said that they were just patrolling in the territorial waters this time, which is normal and reasonable..."

"Are there any latest reports from the front line?" Liu Yiming looked at Zhao Jiaxing first.

Zhao Jiaxing shook his head: "The Japanese still confront us from time to time, but they did not return to the port, but used transport ships for supplies. It seems that they are not going to fight."

On June 20, the immigrant ship discovered the Japanese navy 50 nautical miles north of Ryukyu. With a battleship as the core, six ships sailed south at a speed of 9 knots.

The immigrant ship then raced on the sea at a speed of 22 knots, arriving more than an hour in advance and giving warnings.

Two of the six destroyers stationed in Ryukyu went out to perform patrol missions, and the remaining four left the port and contacted Surabaya at the same time.

"Don't hold such an idea. The Japanese nation is the most shameful! If you say a little bit of criticism to him, he will be eager to ride on your head." Liu Yiming's voice was heavy.

"If we hadn't discovered it in advance, and the Japanese had driven the ship into the port, would we fire? Or not?"

Zhao Jiaxing was speechless. If we fight, Ryukyu's defense force is insufficient. If we don't fight, Ryukyu is an important immigration hub and trade transit station in South China.

Moreover, it is possible to defend for a while in a war, but it will be troublesome for the navy to come to support. It is far from the mainland, there is no supply port in the middle, and the South China Navy is weak enough at the moment.

"Next, three medium-sized cruisers will be stationed in Ryukyu, plus a destroyer formation, several torpedo boat formations, and the artillery will also be strengthened." Liu Yiming did not say much, but arranged the defense.

Zhao Jiaxing has already arranged it. Six cruisers are undergoing sea trials. They happened to be equipped with radio equipment. After receiving the order, they will assemble directly to the north.

Seeing Liu Yiming angry, Xie Hui quickly broke the good news: "Prime Minister, the results of the Luzon Islands are out."

Liu Yiming's brain hadn't reacted yet, "Who won?"

Xie Hui chuckled: "Neither won. The Spanish were not even as good as the Dutch. There were tens of thousands of people, and they were regular troops. The locals who lacked guns and artillery could not beat them. However, the locals' ability to attack the city was too weak. The two sides were deadlocked for two months and finally negotiated."

Liu Yiming nodded. It was almost the same. Although the locals had been strengthened, they still didn't win. The Spanish were more than enough to defend, and they couldn't fight a field battle, or a guerrilla war.

"What's the situation now?"

Xie Hui took out the analysis of the General Staff: "The peace talks ended last month. The locals gained certain rights and established several local governments. However, they soon could not maintain a single voice and split into three forces."

Liu Yiming didn't even need to ask, they were the centrists, the fighting faction, and the compromise faction.

If we must subdivide them, we can divide them into the militant faction - fanatical nationalists, the compromise faction - compradors with a little conscience, and the centrists - plantation owners, foremen, local leaders, etc. who have benefited from the Spanish.

"Find their neutral faction and arm them with certain weapons, requiring them to protect the lives and property of the Chinese."

How to make them fight among themselves? Support the centrists and destroy the balance. If the centrists exist, they will not have a life-and-death battle. If the centrists grow stronger, are they still centrists?

Xie Hui stood at attention: "Yes! Do we need to make arrangements with the Spanish?"

Liu Yiming waved his hand: "No, the Spanish are similar to the Dutch. They will surrender when they see that things are impossible.

The locals are the big trouble. Now that they have gathered together, don't let them disappear from sight.

The General Staff should make a plan. After taking over the Luzon Islands, start the cleanup plan immediately. Time is very urgent."

Why is it urgent? It will be the 20th century soon, and this practice will be gradually abandoned. Liu Yiming doesn't care about killing more people. In this era, doing so will not be condemned - as long as you don't fail.

………

Twenty nautical miles north of Ryukyu, not far from the territorial waters of Nanhua, on the battleship Fuji, Dongxiang looked at the rapidly advancing Nanhua destroyer with a blank expression.

"Captain, are you going to attack?" The first mate was very impatient. The Nanhua Navy was unprecedentedly weak. The headquarters asked them to make trouble. With such a good opportunity, why didn't this coward give the order to take back our Ryukyu?

Dongxiang shook his head, "Nanhua has dozens of destroyers like this, with a speed of more than 30 knots, or even 35 knots. If we really fight, with the cooperation of armored cruisers, we can't beat them..."

Dongxiang complained in his heart, why did you give me all these idiots! Now we win, then what? Go to war? Nanhua put on a posture of going to war. If you are not scared, you should leave.

"Return!"

The first mate's eyes were as big as copper bells: "But..."

"Follow the order!" Dongxiang shouted, he was tired of this stupid first mate who got in through the back door.

The first mate was very unwilling, but still bent down: "Hey..."

Nanhua's destroyer has been accompanying the Japanese fleet for hundreds of nautical miles, and finally confirmed that they were returning to Ryukyu.

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