1850 American Gold Tycoon

The news that the Dutch and Indian troops on Borneo Island had been completely wiped out quickly reached the Batavia Governor's Mansion. Tevis, the Batavia Governor who learned the news immediately, was like a thunderbolt from the blue.

Tevez froze in place, with a look of astonishment on his face. He once thought there was something wrong with his hearing.

A total of more than 4,000 people, a brigade of troops, were wiped out in such a short period of time?

After he calmed down, Tevez's expression gradually became serious.

The Dutch-Indian army suffered such an ugly defeat in West Borneo, and taking the blame and resigning was already the best outcome for him.

For a moment, Tevez lost his sense of proportion.

Liang Yao was able to eat more than 4,000 Dutch and Indian troops on the island of Borneo in one bite, which showed that Tevez had to throw at least 10,000 more Dutch and Indian troops to West Borneo in order to turn the war situation around.

The total strength of the Dutch-Indian army in the entire East Indies region by the Dutch-Indian authorities is only more than 29,000.

Excluding the more than 4,000 people who were lost in West Borneo, the total strength of the Dutch and Indian troops was only more than 25,000. Of the more than 25,000 Dutch and Indian troops, more than two-thirds were in combat. Poorly educated indigenous soldiers.

Of course, it does not mean that Tevez can mobilize 25,000 people to fight in the West Borneo region if the Dutch and Indian troops have 25,000.

The Dutch and Indian authorities needed Dutch and Indian troops to maintain order in their colonies in the East Indies, and it was impossible to mobilize all the troops.

Even if Tevez breaks the sky, he can only squeeze out five to six thousand mobile troops.

In the past, the five to six thousand Dutch and Indian troops were a quite terrifying armed force in the East Indies and even in Southeast Asia as a whole.

But according to the intelligence coming from the front line, it seems that the five or six thousand Dutch and Indian troops cannot gain much advantage against Liang Yao's Western Brigade.

"Crusen, when will our fleet be able to complete its assembly?"

Tevez asked Cruson, the commander of the East Indies Fleet, in a very stern tone. He now seemed very impatient.

The navy, the maritime power of the Dutch and Indian authorities in the East Indies, now became Tevez's only hope.

Since Liang Yao intervened in the Dutch-Chinese War on the island of Borneo.

The East Indies Fleet led by Cruson was one of the few armed forces that could inflict serious damage to Liang Yao.

Although Liang Yao blindly promoted their victory in the Battle of Java, Batavia always scoffed at this matter. It is not considered that the East Indies Fleet, which was the first to withdraw from the battlefield, was the defeated party. The East Indies Fleet was just making tactical adjustments.

Even Tevez himself was convinced of this statement, believing that it was not that the East Indies Fleet did not have the ability to completely annihilate Liang Yao's patchwork sea force, but that the East Indies Fleet had not completed its mobilization.

However, Cruson, who witnessed this naval battle, did not think so. Mobilization ability was originally part of the fleet's strength.

Cruson still has a vivid memory of the big steam ships wrapped in iron sheets and with strange gun layouts that he saw in the Battle of the Java Sea.

These steamships with thick protection and sharp artillery, not to mention the East Indies Fleet, may not be able to be easily captured even if the Royal Netherlands Navy comes.

Of course, this is just a thought.

Krusen knew very well that the Royal Dutch Navy would not directly intervene in the war, if the Royal Dutch Navy did.

Naturally, the U.S. Navy also has reasons to intervene. This is a situation that the Dutch and Indian authorities do not want to see.

Although the United States is not a first-rate power, its size is still scary enough compared to the Netherlands.

It stands to reason that the battlefields are on Borneo Island and the Java Sea area, and the Dutch and Indian authorities have the advantage of fighting at home.

It’s just that during the two hundred years since the Dutch authorities colonized the East Indies, they have been keen on plundering the raw materials of the East Indies and squeezing the commercial value of the East Indies. The construction of the East Indies has been very limited.

Even in Batavia, the most developed city in the East Indies, even the handicraft industry was not very developed, let alone industry that even the Netherlands lacked.

The weak industrial base means that the war potential of the East Indies is very limited. Not only can the East Indies not produce warships, but they also rely on local supplies for guns and guns.

The flight from San Francisco to Borneo is obviously closer than the flight from Amsterdam to Batavia.

"If we don't care about the cost, our fleet can be assembled within three weeks. But as a naval commander, I don't recommend you to do this. The East India Fleet is our last barrier. If something happens to the East India Fleet, It will take us four to five months at the earliest to receive local support."

Cruson said after pondering for a moment.

"Four to five months?" Tevez shook his head, "If Batavia continues to be blocked like this, let alone four to five months, I'm worried that it may not be able to sustain it for even one month. Batavia's business and trade Routes must be restored as soon as possible."

Tevez cannot wait four to five months.

If Batavia continues to be blocked like this for four to five months, even if Liang Yao doesn't come over, there will be internal trouble.

Tevez suffered from the shortage of supplies. The gilded young men who came to Batavia from the mainland could not bear this suffering. The shopkeepers and citizens of Batavia could not endure the lack of goods flowing into Batavia for a long time. .

"But your Excellency" Cruson wanted to dissuade Tevez, hoping that Tevez would not rashly use the last card in their hand.

After the setbacks on land and sea, it was already difficult for them to endure another major defeat.

If Tevez does this, what is the difference between Andersen, who underestimates the enemy and rushes in, and becomes a prisoner?

"As long as our navy is assembled, everything will be fine. General Cruson, I will give you four weeks. After four weeks, you must regain control of the sea.

Warships sailing on the ocean are far more intimidating than those lying in the dock. Now even pirates dare to run wild in the waters near Batavia. As the highest naval commander in the East Indies, can you remain indifferent? ? "

Tevez interrupted Cruson, waved his hand towards Cruson and said.

"Execute your orders, General Cruson."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Governor!" Kruson could only agree helplessly.

The only thing he can do now is to seize the time to repair the damaged warships and let more armed merchant ships gather in Batavia, so that he will have a considerable maritime force available in four weeks.

"Your Majesty the Governor, Bonham, the British Governor of Hong Kong, would like to see you."

While the two were discussing, Tevez's assistant gently knocked on the door and asked cautiously.

"Governor? See you."

Tevis didn't know what Bonham's purpose was in coming to Batavia at this time, but it would be best to meet the British governor.

Relations with Britain were the diplomatic relations that the Governor of Batavia needed to prioritize, but Tevis had more interactions with the British Governor of the Channel, the Governor of Malacca. The relationship with the Hong Kong Governor is not very deep.

Tevez's attitude towards the British is complicated.

Britain and the Netherlands were both European partners and competitors in colonizing Southeast Asia together.

Previously, Tevez was wary and dissatisfied with the British adding the Sarawak region of Borneo into the sphere of influence of the British Empire.

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