Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 276 Battle Alert

  This is an ordinary night, but also an extraordinary night.

  Shangri-La Island, off the coast of Moresby

Tonight’s moonlight is particularly bright. Geng Baogui led all three Seagull-I high-speed frigates in the Moresby Coastal Police District. With an average speed of 13 knots and a distance of two nautical miles apart, he rigorously searched the fan-shaped area in the northwest. His goal was A small Dutch reinforcement fleet.

  Two days ago, the Queensland United Fleet at the Port of Samarinda sent an emergency war report;

  A mixed formation of no more than 10 ships, led by the 1,150-ton steam ironclad ship "Lupperf" and the 1,600-ton second-class sailing battleship "Netherlands Giant", tried to sneak ashore and order your camera to intercept it.

  The commander of the Queensland Joint Fleet in Samarinda Port, He Fang, has led the main formation to hunt all the way, and is expected to arrive in the waters near Lucky Bay at dawn.

But after all, it was more than two days behind. Considering that the cunning Dutch might let the slow-cargoing three-masted sailboat take the lead, the **** warships later caught up to join together. Calculating the voyage and time, today is the most dangerous moment. .

  Because the emergency notification has been issued for two and a half days, then the Dutch mixed formation has departed for at least four and a half to five days, and it is likely to arrive at dawn.

  This is because the smuggling fleet is close to Lucky Bay in the dark, and it is the best time to break through the barriers at the darkest hour before dawn. Once discovered, how can the Dutch **** ship support a period of time.

  After daybreak, the shore artillery will be able to show off its ferocity and cover the cargo-carrying sailing warship into the 8km absolute artillery threat zone...

  The Dutch have been a veteran sailing bird that has crossed the ocean for more than 300 years. This quality is still there. Since Queensland can think of it, there is no reason why these experienced Dutch seabirds can't think of it.

  Everyone has thought about it together, is it not feasible?

  The answer is; no.

The visibility of the night-shrouded sea is very low. In the era of underdeveloped technology, the search for the enemy depends on eagle-eyed sailors (observers) specially trained on the masthead. Even if these eagle-eyed sailors have strong eyesight, they are basically 5-6 nautical miles away. It is the blind spot, which basically reaches the limit of the line of sight.

  So night is the best cover. With a total of three frigates in the Moresby area, it is impossible to closely monitor the entire sea area.

   Taking an average of 60 kilometers as the extension of the fan-shaped search range, that is more than 3,000 square kilometers of sea area, how can three frigates take care of it?

   "What time is it? Report the current position and speed."

"Report to the captain, it is now 2:50 at night, sailing to the north-northwest at a speed of 13.5 knots, about 48 kilometers northwest of Lucky Bay, according to the established search plan, we will change course at a distance of about 65 kilometers and turn to the east. Perform a zigzag alert search."

   "Well, if the order is passed down, the surface of the sea is heavy at night, and the ships are ordered to arrange supper and hot soup for the soldiers who stay in the battle position, so that the brothers can eat and warm up."

   "Follow the order, and deliver the order immediately."

   "Order the eagle eyes on the masthead and keep the highest alert. I can feel the Dutch smuggling formations nearby. The smell of these **** can be smelled tens of nautical miles away."

   "Observe, keep the highest alert."

  "The formation will be disbanded in 20 minutes. The Seahawk will search southeast, and the Cuckoo will search southwest. Our ship will search 12 degrees west of due south. All ships are ordered to maintain high alert. Once the enemy is found, they will fire the flare."

   "Observe, and relay the order immediately."

"Um!"

   Geng stood calmly in the bridge cabin, and his figure was outlined by the flickering light on the instrument panel, like a calm rock, which made the officers and soldiers feel relieved when they saw it.

   20 minutes later

  The fleet of ships shrouded by night is divided into three, heading towards the dark and endless waters, further expanding the search range.

  On the dark sea, even if we know that there is a smuggling formation, there is no accurate direction and route information, it is not easy to catch the enemy, we must have some luck.

  More than an hour has passed

On the flagship "Haiyan" where Geng Baobao was located, many people were already extremely tired and couldn't help but yawn secretly.

   "Captain Navigator, ask the kitchen to prepare hot coffee for the brothers. The coffee can be filled with milk but sugar is not allowed. Let the brothers cheer up."

   "Yes, Captain."

  The captain of the voyage immediately conveyed the order. Geng Baogui nodded slightly to express his satisfaction. He searched the boring sea under the night for several hours. Now he himself felt a surge of sleepiness, and he had to refresh himself with bitter coffee.

The fleet belongs to the Queensland Coast Guard in name, but in essence it is the private maritime armed forces of the Earl of Queensland, because Queensland’s finances simply cannot support such a powerful maritime armed force, and even the high salaries of officers and soldiers cannot be issued. rise.

  According to the Queensland state financial allocation, a senior commander like Geng Baogui who has the right to command a fleet of ships has a monthly salary of only 22 pounds, and an annual salary plus bonus will not exceed 300 pounds.

  The monthly salary of ordinary sailors is £1 and 3 shillings, and the annual salary is about 14-16 pounds, which is about 4 times that of ordinary Australian workers.

This level is much higher than that of the Army, but considering that the Navy is a high-tech service, the sailors must also be high school graduates or above, must undergo rigorous maritime training, and face life and death danger at all times. This salary level is just It doesn't look high anymore.

   Therefore, Lord Earl has greatly increased the income level of naval officers and soldiers through various allowances and subsidies of various names, and has become the most important source of income for officers and soldiers.

  Various allowances, including training allowance, combat readiness allowance, sailing allowance, outstanding service allowance, combat allowance, disability allowance, heatstroke allowance, night shift allowance, etc., account for the bulk of the income of officers and soldiers, and the ratio is almost 70%.

  Especially the combat allowance is terribly high. If performance is rated as excellent in a day of fierce battle, it can be worth the income in the first half of the year, which is definitely a windfall.

Therefore, the navy officers and soldiers are all high-income groups with high social status and high income. Coupled with their loyalty to Lord Earl, they are willing to fight for their lives in battle, and are very motivated to fight. They are really screaming when they encounter the excitement of fighting. , Full of blood.

  Comprehensively

  It is precious. The normal annual income of a fleet commander of this level and the reward of Lord Earl is about 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.

  In the case of frequent naval battles like this year and successive wins, coupled with an astonishing amount of battle victory allowance, the annual income must reach a high level of 4000 to 5000 pounds.

  The average annual salary of ordinary sailors is around 14-15 pounds. This year, there is almost no salary below 50 pounds, most of them are around 60-80 pounds, and even more than 100 pounds.

  Is such an annual salary income level really high?

Among other things, based on the apparent annual salary of Ding Ruchang, Admiral of the Northern Navy of the Qing Dynasty, the annual salary is 8,600 taels of silver. According to the price ratio in 1882, it is about 2,100 pounds. This is just the usual salary, not during the war. Salaries.

  The salary income of ordinary sailors in the Beiyang Navy is 50 taels of silver, which is about 12 pounds.

The income level of    belongs to the middle and lower reaches of the European powers. The income of ordinary sailors is similar to that of British sailors, about twice that of the Ottoman sailors.

However, the income gap between officers is wide. The Royal Navy of the British Empire can lead a formation of brigadier generals and above high-level naval officers, and the annual income will not be less than 12,000 pounds. The Ottoman Navy Pasha is even more powerful. If converted into pounds, the annual salary is The income is not less than 50,000 pounds, this is only the income on the surface.

  So the navy is really an aristocratic service. Not only is it expensive to buy ships, but it is also super expensive to raise a large fleet.

In the swaying cabin of the ship, there was a strong smell of tobacco, and the dim kerosene lamp hung on the bulkhead, reflecting the seven or eight sailors wrapped in woolen blankets in the cabin, all drowsy. Dozing.

  The cabin door suddenly opened, and a fat man outside shouted loudly; "Brothers don’t sleep, the captain has arranged hot coffee for each brother, drink a little refreshing."

  "Stop making trouble with Feidong brother, let's take a nap."

   "Take a nap, the Dutch devil is here as soon as it is said, guys all refresh me, come on, have coffee."

The fat man squeezed in involuntarily, took the huge iron tea cups from the help of the house behind him and threw them out, no matter where the light hits the sailor in the dark, let alone the sailor's rude yelling and scolding. I started to pour hot coffee into the iron tea mugs with a water bottle.

The fragrant coffee smell permeated the cabin immediately, and some sailors couldn’t wait to take a big sip first, and the strange screams were scalded by the bitter coffee; "Oh fuck, Brother Feidong, this coffee is so bitter that my bile comes out. ."

   "Brother Feidong, why didn't you put sugar?"

   "This coffee is too bitter, how can I drink it down!"

"Okay, okay, don't be so noisy..." The chef named Feidong shook his hand and drew a few chestnuts from the sailor, took a tea jar and continued to pour bitter coffee; Just add milk and no sugar in the coffee, just to refresh the brethren, you guys, listen to me, and drink all the coffee that you poured, so you can beat the Dutch devil with enough energy. It’s all white. The skin **** made us sleep well at night, and we couldn't have an Ann birthday. All the anger was thrown on the Dutch devil. The shells were aimed at and hit the tortoise sons bitterly."

   "Hahaha...I love to hear these words, this cup of bitter coffee is done."

   "Okay, I didn't say anything. If the Dutch devil dares to come to our artillery, teach him how to be a man, and **** him in minutes."

   "Haha...this is the reason."

   "Hey...Fei Dong brother, having said that, but your coffee is too bitter, I want to scold my mother when I drink it."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The sailors in the cabin roared with laughter, each holding the iron tea mug and drinking hot coffee with a frown, the voice of the discussion became louder, and the original sleepy atmosphere had long been swept away and became warm. .

at this time

  The ear-piercing battle alarm sounded, and the sailors jumped up immediately upon hearing the sound, threw away the iron tea mug, threw off the wool blanket on their bodies, rushed out, and ran straight to their respective battle positions.

  (End of this chapter)