Chapter 929 Uninvited Guest

In order to prevent the enemy from raiding Batavia from the sea again, Van Diemen prioritized coastal fortifications in the reconstruction project, even prioritizing the reconstruction of the Batavia city wall. Van Diemen's men

Engineers from the Batavia Port Area planned four parallel sections of coastal defense fortifications, including coastal defense forts and bunker fortifications for musketeers to gather. The military planned to deploy fifty to six sections of fortifications on these four sections of fortifications.

The ten artillery pieces aim to cover the main areas of the port and coastal waters with firepower as much as possible, striving to block the enemy at sea and not put the opponent ashore.

In last year's battle, the East India Company made a serious mistake, thinking that it could easily block the opponent's offensive with its fortified city. However, the Dutch were taught a lesson by the Dutch with their primitive weapons and offensive methods.

, the victory or defeat on the battlefield is not determined by weapons and fortifications, but by the people participating in the battle. Although the Ma Da Blue Army has backward equipment and many soldiers have not even received systematic military training, they are victorious because of their large number of troops and their persistence in fighting to the death.

, forcefully broke through the fortifications and city walls inside and outside Batavia. If the Dutch armed fleet had not rushed back at the last moment to seize the horses and beat the blue army, there would have been thousands of Dutch soldiers in Batavia.

Everyone must go to see God.

Van Diemen knew that the East India Company's local garrison strength could not be rapidly improved, and the Malta Blues would not give up the idea of ​​attacking Batavia. He wanted to effectively prevent the enemy's next offensive, and finally

The best way is to block them at sea. Once the opponents are released ashore, even if the walls of Batavia City can be restored to the original state, the Ma Da Blue Army can follow the same pattern and break through the city defense again.

But the project of building coastal defense forts is really not small. Even with Haihan's engineering and construction capabilities, it took two years to complete the coastal defenses of Victory Port. The coastal defenses of Batavia Port

The fortification work began last year after Matalan withdrew from the army, and not even half of the progress has been completed, and the construction effect is far from meeting the military's requirements.

The stones needed for the shore defenses needed to be transported from the quarry about thirty kilometers south of Batavia. This was a difficult job. For this purpose, the East India Company requisitioned Batavia.

Almost all the local cattle and horses are used as livestock for transporting stone, and this measure has inevitably caused complaints from the local people. This has greatly affected the freight industry of the entire Batavia Port, which was originally in the post-war recovery period.

Port trade has also been indirectly slowed down by this measure.

Despite this, Van Diemen was still dissatisfied with the construction status of the coastal fortifications. This kind of fort built with stones from a flat bottom was not strong, but due to the requirements of the construction period, Van Diemen had no better solution. He

I learned from the slave trader Captain Phillip that the Haihan people had a building material called "cement" that could quickly bind sand and gravel together and was said to be resistant to water erosion. Later, Phillip thought of many means before he spent

After going through many twists and turns, I bought more than 2,000 kilograms of cement from Ambona Island at a high price.

After trying it out, Van Diemen was really happy and worried. What he was happy about was that the effect of this thing was much better than the earthen plaster used before. It was perfect for building fort fortifications that required high sturdiness. Worry

The only thing is that the production method of this thing is in the hands of the Haihan people, and it cannot be bought with money. It seems unrealistic to use this thing to complete the Batavia Port project. And the Haihan people's port terminals and forts

It is said that fortifications and even some civilian houses were built using this material. Although Van Diemen did not want to admit it, he actually knew that the Haihan people's engineering and construction technology had far surpassed his own.

An earlier report from Taiyuan Port stated that the construction speed of the new port opened by Haihan there was extremely fast. Van Diemen once thought that it was Chief Hans of Taiyuan who intended to complain, but if the Haihan people were using it during the construction of the port,

With this new building material, it seems to make sense. The Haihan people's navigation technology is not inferior to that of the Netherlands, and their infrastructure capabilities are still higher than that of the Netherlands. Judging from the situation in the past two or three years, the Haihan people's expansion speed in the Far East

Obviously far more than the East India Company, which is something Van Diemen is deeply worried about.

Although the Haihan people retained the East India Company's colony in Taiyuan Port, they did not hesitate to clear out the Spanish base in Taipei at the beginning of the year. This has already shown that the Haihan people did not want to share Taiwan Island with others. The reason why they

They haven't taken action against Taiyuan Port yet, maybe they just haven't been free for the time being. Although the two sides have also signed an armistice agreement, Van Diemen knows very well that the binding force of this paper agreement only stays on paper.

As long as the Haihan people feel that the time is ripe for action, they may tear up this agreement at any time.

But Van Diemen really never thought that the Haihan fleet would one day come to Batavia, so when he heard about the incoming fleet for the first time, he did not believe that it was the Haihan fleet and asked his subordinates to

Confirm the flag of the fleet again. However, only the Haihan family uses red and blue flags in the entire Far East. Confirming it ten times will not change this fact.

"The Haihan people actually launched a sneak attack! These shameless guys!" Officer Spikes, who arrived after hearing the news, was also shocked by the news. After his defeat in the Battle of Ambrosia two years ago, he lost his bid for the governorship.

opportunity, now he can only succumb to being a servant under Van Diemen.

"Whether they are going to launch a war against us or not, we can't be sure yet." Van Diemen still maintained a rare calmness and did not make impulsive judgments because of the sudden change in the situation.

"Mr. Governor, we cannot put the Haihan people ashore. Their fighting power is much stronger than the Matalan people. Once they go ashore, they will be difficult to deal with!" Spikes did not think that the Haihan fleet appeared as an uninvited guest.

He came out of Batavia Harbor with good intentions, and he still vividly remembers the loss he suffered on Ambon Island two years ago.

"Order the whole city to enter a state of combat readiness!" Although Van Diemen was not sure of the real intention of the Haihan fleet suddenly appearing outside the harbor, it was always right to be careful about sailing the Wannian ship and to prepare for the battle first: "You

Go and notify Van der Wegen and ask him to take the combat ships out of the harbor quickly!"

On weekdays, there are armed patrol boats of the East India Company operating in the offshore waters of Batavia Port. However, the sea conditions have been poor these past few days, and all the patrol boats have returned to the port area for rest and maintenance. I did not expect that the combined fleet would come at this time.

Just in time, they just hit the Dutch's defensive gap, making Van Diemen's command very passive. In this case, they can only try to save the combat ships first. As for resisting the Haihan fleet's offensive at sea, Van Diemen

Diemen has no intention of sending his own strength to the Haihan people for military training. After all, the two sides have fought several times at sea in the past, and they both know who is strong and weak. If a fight breaks out at sea, the Dutch will only suffer.

.

While Van Diemen was commanding the mobilization of troops, he was wondering why the Haihan fleet had arrived here without even the slightest warning. Could it be that the Dutch stationed in the Tameran Islands and Belitung Island in the north had been uprooted by Haihan?

Except? He never imagined that the Haihan Fleet did not choose the direct route between Ampurna Island and Batavia to go south. It did not pass through the Tamailan Islands and Belitung Island, but followed the coastline of Borneo.

It took a long circle, and then it went all the way around from the east end of Java Island.

It has to be said that after Van Diemen took over the East India Company, he indeed paid much more attention to military affairs than the former Governor-General Cohen. After his order was issued, the whole city was quickly mobilized, and the docks and plantations outside the city were mobilized.

The staff quickly returned to the city, and a force of 3,000 people, composed of Dutch, blacks, local indigenous people and some immigrants, quickly assembled and headed to the port, deploying to several sections of coastal defenses that had not yet been fully completed. Although

These troops may not be able to stop the Haihan people who have powerful ships and cannons, but they can at least give the dignitaries in the city a little more sense of security.

Van Diemen did not rush out of the city to personally command the troops. He appointed Spikes to command the first line of defense in the port area, while he sat in the city. Van Diemen was not afraid of death, but worried that after he left the city,

The bureaucrats in the company council will give random orders and mess up the position. If these guys hadn't been in the way when the Horse and Blue Army attacked last year, Batavia's defense battle wouldn't have been so hard. After Van Diemen took over the power

, they decisively reduced the council’s say in military affairs in order to prevent civilian businessmen from interfering in military command.

After completing the defensive deployment, the Haihan warships did not rush into the port. Van Diemen breathed a sigh of relief until then. Regardless of whether the Haihan people were preparing to attack Batavia, at least they had used all the available weapons.

All means have been used. If this still fails to stop the Haihan people, then it is really God's arrangement.

After waiting and waiting for several hours, there was still no next move from the Haihan fleet. Just when Van Diemen was about to lose his patience, a message was finally sent from outside the city - the Haihan people hoped to fight with Bada.

Via officials arranged for a face-to-face meeting, preferably with Governor Van Diemen in person.

Since the Haihan people just wanted an interview, they probably wouldn't be preparing for war. Van Diemen finally relaxed a little after hearing the news, but new questions came one after another. Where should the meeting with the Haihan people be arranged?

good?

If the meeting place is arranged in the city of Batavia, can the Haihan people go ashore and enter the city with confidence? If the meeting place is arranged at other places controlled by the Haihan people, such as on the Haihan people's warships, then Van Diemen will be somewhat worried

Security Question.

Fortunately, Haihan quickly gave a compromise suggestion. Find an island outside Batavia Port, and the leaders of both sides can make an appointment to go to the island to attend. The specific location can be designated by the Dutch side.

There are dozens of small islands in the offshore area northwest of Batavia Port. It is not difficult to find a suitable place to meet among them. Haihan's move seems to be quite sincere.

In addition, Haihan also made a request to the East India Company, that is, to send a ship to the port to purchase various supplies. Van Diemen did not refuse this. Since Haihan's fleet is not here for war, everything is fine.

There is nothing that cannot be resolved through negotiation. If there is anything, it must be because it has not been discussed yet.

"Pass my order to ask Mr. Su Keyi to come immediately." After answering Haihan's request, Van Diemen immediately sent someone to ask for Su Keyi, who had dealt with the Haihan people.

As the Chinese comprador representative in Batavia, Su Keyi won the trust of the East India Company's senior officials. His elder Su Minggang had a close personal relationship with the former Governor Cohen, and this trust also extended to him. In the summer of 1631, Mu Xiabai

After defeating the Dutch fleet that tried to take back control of the local area by force on Ambon Island, Sukeyi, as a representative of the East India Company, went to HN Sanya with Van Longen and Van der Wegen to negotiate with Haihan. However, the results of that negotiation

It was not satisfactory. The Dutch delegation was even put under house arrest in disguise for a period of time. The two sides discussed the matter but failed to sign a formal settlement agreement in the end.

However, it was only after Su Keyi and others went to Sanya to see Haihan's local development with their own eyes that the East India Company's executives truly realized the terrifying strength of Haihan's opponent. If before that, the Dutch still thought that An Un

The defeat of Nadao was only caused by accidental factors such as bad luck or poor command of the officers. So what Su Keyi and others saw and heard back from Sanya have confirmed that the actions of the Haihan people and the overwhelming results they achieved were not

Coincidentally, this group of people will be one of the most difficult competitors the Netherlands will encounter in the Far East.

Su Keyi quickly rushed to Van Diemen's study after receiving the notice. He is now more than just a steward in the East India Company. After returning from negotiations in Sanya two years ago, Governor Cohen established a group in the East India Company.

The Department of Chinese Affairs appointed Su Keyi as the head of this department. In addition to managing local Chinese affairs in Batavia, the collection of Haihan information is also one of the main functions of this department. In other words, this department

It somewhat resembles an intelligence agency, but its professionalism is far less than that of a specialized agency like the Haihan Security Department.

Su Keyi's job is to identify valuable parts from various messages, and use these messages to analyze Haihan's strategies and trends in the Nanyang region. This department has been operating for more than a year. If we want to discuss the maritime affairs

As far as Han's understanding was concerned, Su Keyi was basically an expert within the East India Company. Therefore, after Van Diemen dealt with the matter of deploying defenses, the first thing he did was not discuss the next step with his colleagues in the council, but first

Invite Su Keyi and listen to his views on the current situation.
Chapter completed!