"Your Majesty, the Dutch did not detour through the New World earlier, but also reached the Southern Continent. Maybe we can search first, and then find the best route after we find a suitable colonial location."

Zheng Jiangong also participated in the preparations for exploring the Southern Continent. He is now the Navy Commander, equivalent to the Chief of Staff of the Navy. He is involved in all naval matters, so he knows that he can reach the Southern Continent through the equatorial windless zone. Because

As early as 1605, the Dutch navigator William Janes set out from Java Island, sailed along the southern coast of New Guinea, and finally crossed the Torres Strait, landed in the northern part of the southern continent, and named the southern continent New Netherlands.

Between 1642 and 1644, Abel Jansson Tasman, captain of the Dutch East India Company, was ordered to conduct an inspection of the Southern Continent. However, he did not take the equatorial windless route to the northern part of the Southern Continent, but in the Indian Ocean.

We circled around, found the westerly drifting zone, and then headed all the way east. Three months after leaving Java, when we changed our course to the north to avoid the cold wave, we accidentally discovered Tasmania, and later we visited Tasmania.

He discovered New Zealand, Tonga, and the Fiji Islands. But he did not discover the real southern continent, which is Australia.

Because the islands discovered by Tasman were difficult to reach and seemed to have no special products, the Dutch East India Company did not occupy and develop them.

Tasman himself is now in Shanghai. He retired from the East India Company in 1653, and later accepted Zheng Jiangong's invitation to serve as the deputy director of the Shanghai Naval Academy, a position he has held to this day.

Since the East India Company had no interest in Tasmania (then called Van Diemen's Land), New Zealand, Tonga and other places, Tasman did not hide his discovery between 1642 and 1644. And he also participated

The Ming Dynasty’s Southern Continent exploration plan.

In the original plan, it was the first choice to go through the Indian Ocean, then find the westerly drifting belt, sail eastward for a while and then go north, that is, to copy the route Tasman took between 1642 and 1644. However, this plan was rejected by Zhu Cihong for the reason

Quite simply, this plan must pass through the sea and islands that the Dutch firmly control.

Unless the Ming Dynasty could capture Java Island and Malacca, it would be impossible to implement it.

After that, Tasman proposed a plan to set off from the Portuguese-controlled Timor Island and sail southward through the equatorial windless zone in search of the southern continent. This was to copy the route of William Janes.

However, this plan was also rejected by Emperor Zhu. Because the sailing speed in the windless zone was too slow, and the ocean current in this area was westward, the exploration ship had to take a route with light wind and countercurrent. Although there were many islands along the way for convenient supplies,

The speed is still too slow and it is difficult to reach the rich east coast of Australia through this route.

Even if they arrived by force, it would be difficult for subsequent immigrants to follow because this route still passed under the eyes of the Dutch, and also passed through the Spice Islands, which was regarded as a cash cow by the Dutch East India Company. Of course, the main difficulty was that the speed was too high.

Slow!

Exploration ships are not afraid of being slow, because there are fewer people on board, and there are relatively more supplies, so they can persist for a long time. The same cannot be said for immigration ships or merchant ships. They have more crew members, more cargo, and relatively less supplies, so they can sustain themselves at sea.

The time will be shorter.

If we need to pack more supplies and bring less people and less goods, then the cost of immigration is too high. Australia is good in the 20th and 21st centuries. Now it is only the 17th century. Where can we invest at all costs for the benefits 300 years later? So colonize Australia.

Cost issues also have to be considered.

And once the Ming Dynasty’s exploration ships arrive on the east coast of Australia and start colonizing there, Europeans may also follow suit!

Since the Europeans controlled the westerly drift belt route in the Indian Ocean and could transport immigrants to the east coast of Australia at a relatively low cost, Ming Dynasty's high-cost colonization in Australia was likely to serve as a wedding dress for others.

Therefore, although Zhu Cixiang had long wanted to acquire Australia, he was not in a hurry to invest. Instead, he was patiently waiting for the opportunity to open up the Pacific Ocean Channel.

Because he knew that only the Pacific route was likely to be controlled by the Ming Dynasty in the next ten or twenty years. Currently, the one that controls the Pacific route is Spain, which has declined. It is still possible for the Ming Dynasty to defeat the Spanish navy in the Pacific.

If you want to go through the Indian Ocean and the westerly drifting belt, you have to challenge the powerful Dutch Navy and British Navy. There is no chance of winning!

"Don't take the path that the Dutch took," Zhu Cixi once again rejected Zheng Jiangong's suggestion. "The Spanish charts have already marked the eastbound equatorial countercurrent and the westbound south equatorial current, so it should be feasible. We are here

After establishing a foothold on the west coast of the New World, let's try to explore. If Captain Jane's discovery in 1606 is true, we will definitely find something. If not, let's look for the New Zealand Island discovered by Captain Tasman in 1645. Then

Since there are many powerful natives on this island, they might be of some value, so we can take them down if possible."

Emperor Zhu smiled again and said to Wei Zaode, who looked melancholy: "Tongzhou Marquis, don't worry, I won't let you stay in the New World for a long time. If you are really afraid, just stay in Uraga Port, Japan, in the name of the Imperial Envoy

Contact Japan and be responsible for the supplies for the eastward exploration. When the expedition team carried by the Henan has established a firm foothold in the New World, you will follow the second batch of colonial fleets into the New World and establish the American Protectorate. Wait for the American Protectorate

After it is completed, your son Zhongcheng will succeed you. In the name of the imperial envoy of the Ming Dynasty, you will visit Europe via New Spain, and finally return east to the Ming Dynasty. This is a round-the-world trip!

If the Marquis of Tongzhou can accomplish such a feat, who will care about where the hundreds of thousands of family fortunes came from? Then I can reuse you and let you serve as the chief minister again!"

Can he still be the first assistant?

Wei Zaode's eyes lit up when he heard Zhu Cihong's promise, and he became more energetic just looking at it. He immediately stood up and bowed to Emperor Zhu Da, "Your Majesty is so kind that I will never forget it. This trip will definitely fulfill my mission!"

"Sit, sit!" Zhu Cixiang waved to him, "With the words of Marquis Tongzhou, I can rest assured that I will always keep my word, and I will definitely let you be the first assistant when the time comes!"

Lu Zhenfei, who replaced Wei Zaode as the first assistant, was too old, already sixty-six years old, in poor health, and not as well-behaved as Wei Zaode, so Emperor Zhu felt very uncomfortable and already missed Wei Zaode, the "Sai Zhuge".

.

"Your Majesty," Zheng Jiangong was already a little worried when he spoke again, "The Spanish have always regarded the west coast of the New World as their own forbidden area. If we really set up a protective palace in the northwest of the New World, I am afraid it will trigger a war between the two countries.

ah!

The Spaniards' current confrontation with us around the Japanese archipelago is ultimately to prevent us from crossing the Pacific eastward.

If we really go to the New World, then a war will be inevitable!"

"Can we win?" Zhu Cixiang asked.

"This," Zheng Jiangong muttered, "I don't dare to say it on land, but at sea, the advantage is still with Spain! They have many thousand-ton Gallens, and our eight-hundred-ton warships are fighting

But that’s right! Moreover, our naval officers and soldiers are still a little behind.”

"Can't we win?" Zhu Cixiang frowned.

After getting the Spanish nautical map sent by Obey, Zhu Cixi already knew that the Spanish American empire was missing a large piece in the northwest corner. The northern border of New Spain was roughly the division of California and Oregon in the later United States.

Along the border, north of New Spain is now unclaimed land!

It is estimated that the Ming army went up and built castles, ports, and farms, and the King of Spain may not even know about it!

Moreover, after more than ten years of war between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Ming army is now very good at building forts. Artillery technology has also advanced by leaps and bounds. It also has fairly reliable explosive shells. It should be able to defend the base in northwest North America with a small number of troops.

Therefore, Emperor Zhu did not want to delay any longer, but wanted to drive a nail in northwest North America as soon as possible!
Chapter completed!