Lord of Ming Dynasty

The first thousand and 680 chapters, we can continue to fight

"Could it be that our battleships are all made of mud? Or are our people a group of Irishmen, and the whole army was wiped out in less than an hour and a half?" Two hours after the battle, the British super fleet commander Lord Lyman went into a rage aboard his flagship.

It was really bullying, more than 130 warships, more than 60 ships were destroyed by the enemy, more than 40 ships were captured, and more than 30 ships were wounded and fled back to their fleet from the ports of Real and Santa Maria.

At the moment they are on the Atlantic Ocean, and Zhang Siyuan and his fleet sailing towards the coast of Portugal are chasing them.

230 warships, including 120 main battleships and 110 auxiliary warships, are gathering from all directions, turning to pursue the main fleet of the New China Kingdom led by Zhang Siyuan.

The two sides are getting closer and closer. There were still 20 nautical miles before, and when the battle was about to end, it was only [-] nautical miles. Now there are more than [-] nautical miles, and the retreating fleet of the other side can already be seen from a distance.

At this time, the fleet led by Zhang Siyuan had finished cleaning the battlefield and was turning to the coast of Portugal, taking the shortest route back to the port.

In the previous battle, ten of the thirteen transport ships and armed merchant ships were lost. After all, the warships were refitted decades ago and the merchant ships were outdated. lost hundreds of mercenary sailors and some prisoners, and the remaining three were rescued by the remaining warships of the destroyer fleet, and then the enemy steam engine warships saw that the main battlefield over there was over, and this side failed, so they immediately turned around and ran away That's right, there were a dozen ships in this run, and they hardly suffered much loss. After all, warships were killing merchant ships overwhelmingly.

The only loss is that they were led away by the enemy for more than ten nautical miles, which is also the reason why they survived.

The three somewhat wounded armed transports were packed with captured enemy wounded and overboard sailors, a battalion of mercenary marines separated to guard the captives, and the three armed transports were salvaged after being filled with their own wounded and dead. Under the escort of the five wounded destroyers, the bodies of the soldiers who came up slowly left the battlefield at a speed of eight knots, and began to retreat when the battle was over and the battlefield was cleaned.

Although they left for more than an hour earlier, they only drove about ten nautical miles, and they had just reached the edge of the battlefield. Captured warships and warships that one's own side cannot take away, and then reorganize the personnel on those battleships into other warships.

After fighting for about an hour, it took about an hour and a half to clean the battlefield, almost two hours. This time, six of the eleven destroyers were lost, and the remaining five were injured, so the destroyer fleet was considered scrapped.

The frigate fleet lost six ships, two were seriously injured, and three were slightly injured. The seriously injured were immediately abandoned, and the personnel were transferred to the remaining main battleships. Nearly a thousand sailors and personnel were also lost on the main battleships, and two frigates were added. The Han Chinese sailors on board and the wounded who were slightly injured will be fully staffed later, and the mercenary sailors will be assigned to the frigate to supplement the personnel and sailors lost by the frigate.

Afterwards, three lightly injured frigates escorted a seriously injured main battleship to chase the departing returning fleet at a speed of about eleven knots. The wounded main battleship was hit by the tail of the enemy, which paralyzed a group of boilers and steam engines. , the pipeline was broken, and after emergency repairs, the fastest speed was only thirteen knots, but he definitely couldn't sail at thirteen knots, and could only leave the battlefield at eleven knots.

The four ships took away all the remaining captives and wounded, as well as captured 33 enemy warships. Although some of those warships were seriously injured, they could also be repaired, and they could hold many wounded enemy wounded and captives. The wounded here and some unused handymen were taken away. You must know that in a sea battle, both sides must lose a lot of personnel. Some personnel had to leave their posts due to poor quality. Some were even fishermen before boarding the ship. The naval battle was so fierce, with so many dead, wounded and missing people, many people would collapse, so these people were assigned to captured enemy warships.

The remaining eight main battleships captured by the enemy were assigned to the escort fleet. The eighteen battleships in the escort fleet were left with three lightly injured, six lost, and two seriously injured. There were only eight battleships, plus Although the number of the eight captured warships seems to be only two less, the actual combat power has actually been reduced by at least half.

They followed the returning fleet about five or six miles away, and the returning captured fleet began to chase the two fleets ahead at a speed of eleven knots. An hour later, when the British fleet approached At that time, the three fleets converged and began to return at a speed of nine knots, while Zhang Siyuan and his fleet were about ten behind and returned, preparing to block the enemy's fleet, sailing at a speed of about eight or nine knots.

It is now two o'clock in the afternoon, and after a toss, almost eight or nine hours have passed. The British have chased them to [-] nautical miles away, and the returning fleet that met in front has sailed about [-] nautical miles away, and has approached the coast of Portugal. About twenty nautical miles, then turn to sail along the coast of Portugal, and after about sixty nautical miles, you can return to port.

Zhang Siyuan and the others also arrived at the turning point an hour later, and the British had already caught up. Because they were too slow, at a speed of eight or nine knots, any enemy warship could run at a speed of thirteen or four knots. The fastest can run 22 knots, which is two and a half times faster.

Seeing that the battleship ahead has sailed about fifteen nautical miles, it means that they must stop the enemy here for about four hours, or retreat while fighting, and stop the enemy for five hours.

Because the damaged battleship is too slow.

Zhang Siyuan was not prepared to fight hard with the enemy, the main fleet retreated, and let the sixteen frigates spread out to hold the enemy back. They needed to protect the returning fleet and return to the port.

Before the retreat, he ordered the transfer of some elite or important Han officers on the frigates, and sent some mercenaries and prisoners there. He was ready to sacrifice sixteen frigates.

After making the arrangement, his main fleet speeded up, leaving the escort fleet at a knot speed, and began to chase the escort fleet. He was afraid that the enemy fleet would send fast warships to overtake the escort fleet to intercept the returning fleet.

Half an hour later, they were less than five nautical miles away, and the enemy caught up with the escort fleet. The escort fleet was not waiting for the enemy, but was still sailing at a speed of eight knots.

The two sides collided at eighteen nautical miles off the coast of Portugal. There were more than 20 enemy warships rushing over, but they were all auxiliary warships, some improved British first-generation warships.

Zhang Siyuan's order to Zhang Yuan was to retreat while fighting.

Several enemy fleets over there have already sped up to catch up, and they also sped up to leave, trying not to get involved in this battle. He doesn't want to be held back by the enemy, only they hold the enemy.

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The first thousand 680 chapters lead the wolf to the door

The 35 warships of the main fleet quickly retreated while the escort fleet was entangled with the enemy. The transport fleet and captive formation in front were too slow, with a speed of eight or nine knots. When will it be possible to move back to the port? .

Soon the fleet led by Zhang Siyuan caught up with the fleet in front, and then continued to deploy guards around at a speed of six knots. They had retreated for three hours, and it was already five o'clock in the afternoon, but the sun was still high above the sea, and there was no It looks like it's about to fall, and even if it falls, there is such a short distance and the closest route back to the port. Everyone knows that the British will not be unaware, so it has no effect. When the pursuing fleet entangled the escort fleet eight nautical miles away, the enemy's main fleet appeared majestic on the sea level, and the enemy was only twenty nautical miles away.

In one hour, the enemy only needs to speed up for one hour to reach them, but it takes them three to four hours to return to the port. There is still nearly 40 miles away from the port. Three to four hours is that To say the least, five or six hours is about the same.

The escort fleet retreated while fighting, because their combat effectiveness is not bad. The warships pursued by the enemy are not as good as theirs, and the number of warships is only about twice that of theirs, so they can retreat while fighting back. Nine nautical miles away, there are still eight or nine nautical miles away from here, and the returning fleet only traveled such a small distance in an hour.

Zhang Siyuan has already gone to urge, but there are too many seriously injured warships in the fleet, and too many captured prisoners and his own wounded. Some unnecessary materials were discarded. After half an hour, the speed of the battleship was raised. During this time, two battleships that were seriously injured and unable to run were abandoned and sank. At the same time, some important personnel were arranged, such as Han Chinese officers and wounded soldiers. Prioritize the battleships that can leave quickly and leave first, take some important officers and prisoners of the enemy, and some well-preserved wounded warships here, leave the formation and go first.

The three transport ships ran away first, and the entire return formation left first. This was an order that Zhang Siyuan had to order to execute. What remained were some warships that could not run and were reluctant to discard them, and some important ships. For personnel and supplies, how many ships can be run counts as many ships.

After such a toss, more than 20 warships accelerated at the moment. The fastest speed of 35 knots has already run fifteen to six nautical miles. The main fleet of [-] warships.

On the sea, on the coast of Africa, on the sea surface fifteen or six nautical miles near the Portuguese coastline in the Atlantic Ocean, under the high setting sun, a formation of wounded warships returning from the fled New China Kingdom pulled out twenty nautical miles away.

At six o'clock, the enemy had already approached the escort fleet ten nautical miles away, the main fleet was five or six nautical miles away from the frigate fleet, and ten nautical miles behind, the last few warships that were injured staggered forward and continued to move towards the port of Tangier.

At 15:06, the main fleet stopped the enemy's second fast formation fleet that was trying to cross. The two sides fought in the same sea area for 30 minutes, and successfully forced the enemy back for the second time. At 50:[-], the first battleship that ran back Sending a signal to return from the port, more than [-] main battleships from the enemy arrived at seven o'clock. Zhang Siyuan ordered the frigate to throw away a seriously injured battleship and retreat to join the main battleship. At this time, the main battleship was still within five or six sea miles of them. Engage the enemy's growing number of auxiliary ships and several capital ships.

The main fleet pulled out five main battleships and returned to rescue fifteen frigates, then increased the speed and led the fleet to run backwards.

At this time, they were only 35 nautical miles away from the port of Tangier, and the slowly crawling warship behind finally left the sight, about [-] nautical miles away, and only ten nautical miles away from the port. They are now at the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar.

However, as the enemy's main fleet arrived, there were more and more enemy ships around them. The main fleet and the escort fleet could not stop so many enemy warships. One or two enemy fleets passed them and chased after them. Go, after Zhang Siyuan and the others retreated another five nautical miles, the battle had already begun over there. Several destroyers reflexively escorted the most difficult wounded warships to retreat.

After a while, the main formation was surrounded by the enemy, and they just retreated to more than 20 nautical miles from the port, only twelve or thirty nautical miles away from the last few wounded warships that were towed.

At 08:30, the sky was already dark, and I could only see the surrounding flames, and the burning enemy warships sunk by the main fleet covered the Strait of Gibraltar. The only firepower to fight back, but still unable to resist more and more enemy attacks, soon several warships were sunk, along with several destroyers protecting them, but five or six nautical miles behind were still Some warships are slowly retreating, still fighting with the enemy's warships.

At nine o'clock, the enemy has stacked almost all the warships that can be dispatched in the Strait of Gibraltar. The nearest enemy has already exchanged fire with the shore artillery defense force in the port. The retreating fleet outside the port still insists on retreating inward. The destroyer squadron and the disbanded warships of the Third Coast Guard, they propped up a passage five or six nautical miles from the port to cover the return of the retreating formation.

At 09:30, all the battleships that could retreat retreated. They began to retreat, but there were too many enemies, and they were also blocked outside the port. Zhang Siyuan had ordered the battleships of the escort fleet to speed up to leave to support the destroyer squadron in the port. They have retreated to ten nautical miles from the port, and the main fleet is still surrounded by dozens of enemy main battleships at twenty nautical miles, fighting hard.

At ten o'clock, most of the destroyer and frigate units retreated into the port, and the main fleet finally broke through five or six nautical miles from the port, and continued to break through with the support of the outermost shore artillery fire.

Fifty nautical miles off the coast of Spain, deep in the Atlantic Ocean, where they fought the enemy's interception fleet, to the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, the port of Tangier, which is nearly a hundred nautical miles away, left the wreckage of nearly a hundred warships on the sea. Burning, as the port got closer and closer, more and more British corpses drifted. In the dark night, the severely wounded and wounded were unable to leave. In the flames of the battleships floating on the sea, the Kingdom of New China was faintly visible. The wreckage of the warship and the sailors and mercenaries of the New China Kingdom floating around, as well as the corpses of the prisoners who captured the enemy, and the living people are struggling with the waves and the water column splashed by the falling shells from time to time.

Lieutenant General Lehman, the commander of the British super fleet, watched the battle with a telescope in the Portuguese port not far away, and at the same time commanded the battle according to the reported news. His flagship did not participate in the battle.

The first thousand and 680 chapters are we too weak?

Zhang Siyuan, who was in the center of the battle, was directing the battle while dispatching reinforcements. After the escort fleet was replenished in the port, fourteen frigates were wounded and went into battle again, followed by seven repaired frigates that had not attacked before, and the newly repaired frigates. The six destroyers who had been fighting for two hours rushed out of the port again to engage in battle with the enemy's auxiliary fleet and main fleet.

The main fleet retreated slowly, and had moved another three nautical miles, and was already close to the port for three nautical miles. At this time, it was within the range of fire from the shore artillery. The British formed an offensive formation in an arc-shaped fan, just like they were in Spain. Like the real port of the people, Zhang Siyuan and his main fleet were constantly bombarded with firepower, and the main fleet also formed a semi-arc defensive formation, with its flanks facing the enemy, while moving slowly, while engaging in a battle with the enemy. Head-to-head artillery battles.

The two seriously injured main battleships were immediately dragged to the port by the destroyer rushing up under the enemy's gunfire, and then a frigate joined the gap, turned sideways and bombarded the enemy in the inner circle a little behind 100 meters.

The battleships on the other two sides of the main fleet immediately narrowed the circle, and one of them drove sideways to the inner circle, fighting back, and stopped at the place where the frigate arrived, turned around, and the other warships followed suit. Finally, the main fleet retreated 100 meters after an hour. The circle has shrunk by 100 meters, the firepower and formation have become denser, and the enemy has followed suit and advanced 100 meters to continue the artillery battle with this side.

While replacing the loss of the main battleship here, the frigate rushed to the port and extended to the two wings, approaching the coastline. With the support of shore artillery, they fought fierce battles with the enemy's auxiliary battleships and peripheral battleships.

There were small boats in the back that sent the replacement personnel and ammunition to the battleship. Many small boats were hit by the enemy's overshot shells without approaching the battleship, and they collapsed instantly. The personnel on the small boats became The fragments were scattered in the sea. The fish in the sea suffered disaster tonight, and they were also happy, because there was a lot of meat and blood to eat and drink, but the timid ones did not have this blessing at all, and the bold ones turned into other fish in the next moment This is because shells not only bombed the small boats of the New China Kingdom, after they exploded in the sea, more fish were blown up than human corpses.

"Lord Lehman, we can't fight anymore. We withdraw our troops and fight again at dawn tomorrow. We have already lost 35 auxiliary battleships, 2 main battleships, and even the local fleet assisted by the Spaniards lost [-] transport ships and Eleven main warships, our personnel loss has reached [-] people, the Spaniards said that they will not add sailors to us, we are in the port, and we can’t even recruit a single mercenary from the Portuguese tavern street Come to the ship to participate in the war against the New China Kingdom."

A slender British man in a wig and tuxedo, with thick face powder like aristocratic putty, begged Lyman in the uniform of a British vice-admiral.