Chapter 1246 - Naval Battle (Part 1)
At this time, the First Squadron used Lichun as the lead ship—it had the fastest speed, the tallest masts, and the largest effective observation range. Equipped with "high-power" binoculars from the Optical Factory, the Navy held an incomparable advantage in search.
At 0750, Lichun received the following telegram: "Enemy fleet has departed Xiamen Island. Main force comprises three three-masted gunships and two European-style sailing ships, 14 other sailing ships, 90-100 fire ships. Heading toward Kinmen Island."
The message came from scouts of the Special Recon team ambushing on Xiamen Island. Reading it, Ming Qiu understood that the enemy's "decisive battle" fleet was approaching.
Fire ships. Zheng Zhilong's final killer move.
The opponent was coming with the intention of a fight to the death.
He studied the current and wind direction. The enemy was coming with wind and tide at their backs; their speed might reach five or six knots. At that rate, the two fleets would meet in less than two hours.
The enemy could easily discover them—the rolling black smoke pouring from the funnels served as the most obvious marker imaginable. The enemy had come prepared and would doubtless strive to intercept the First Squadron at sea for a decisive engagement.
At 0800 sharp, urgent battle drums sounded. Sailors who had relaxed somewhat tensed up again. Everyone began re-executing pre-battle preparations: clearing battle stations, checking gun bores. Cannons slowly rotated and elevated. Gunners imagined enemies appearing on the horizon and began simulation drills. Marines crowded below deck were ordered to rest—lacking space to lie down, they dozed leaning against one another. They knew that after their exciting early morning, they would likely not be able to lie down until final victory.
At 0917, Qingdian threw up an unusually thick column of black smoke due to engine overheating, catching the attention of sailors in the crow's nest of Zheng Lian's flagship to the northwest.
Zheng Lian had been searching for an opportunity. The longer the sea transit lasted, the more disadvantageous for him. Sailing a large formation of sailing ships was difficult work. Even in an inland sea like Xiamen Bay—where the Zheng family had relatively more experience in formation sailing—requiring over one hundred decrepit fire ships to maintain stable course and speed in coordination with the covering fleet was simply too much to ask.
Now that his lookouts had spotted the smoke column, he realized the Australian fleet was right before him. He gauged wind and tide—both favored his side. Confidence surging, he immediately ordered the helmsman to put over the rudder and steer toward the smoke.
At 0919, the lookout on Lichun reported: "One hundred enemy ships, bearing northwest by west, 2.5 nautical miles, closing."
News of contact with the enemy was communicated by flag and light signals to the four gunboats trailing behind.
Lichun maintained course, continuing forward, guns all pointing toward the incoming enemy ships. Ming Qiu was not concerned about the Zheng family's nineteen warships—they were destined to become cannon fodder. The only threat was the fire ships. A single successful hit from a fire ship could spell disaster—Zheng Zhilong had used fire ship tactics multiple times, inflicting heavy damage on Dutch warships. He possessed proven combat experience. The threat had to be taken seriously.
To counter the fire ship tactics prevalent in the South China Sea, Lichun and the other four gunboats each mounted a five-barrel Hotchkiss manual rotary cannon. These rapid-fire weapons, supplementing the typewriters, possessed devastating lethality against small vessels—ideal sharp weapons for defeating "ship swarm" tactics like fire ships.
Of course, even without these, the Senate Navy was not afraid of fire ships. In 1840, the British—lacking either typewriters or Hotchkiss rotary cannons—had destroyed every Manchu Qing fire attack using nothing more than rowboats and steam paddlewheelers. The Senate's emphasis here was merely a reaction born of "caution" plus "crushing advantage."
With only five warships, Ming Qiu made no complex tactical deployments. He ordered the signal: "Follow me closely!"
Then he increased boiler pressure and steamed toward the enemy fleet at twelve knots.
At 0930, the lookout atop the mast of Zheng Lian's flagship spotted large patches of smoke columns on the southeast horizon. Moments later, towering masts began to emerge—Lichun's foremast. Distance between the two fleets: 5,500 meters.
The woo-woo of conch shells sounded in succession across the decks of Zheng Lian's fleet.
Zheng Lian watched the fire ship fleet to starboard from his stern castle. Over one hundred fire ships stretched in a column several nautical miles long—magnificent to behold, but the extended sailing had strung their formation out badly. He felt a pang of anxiety. In this state, the fire ships would struggle to swarm into action; they could be too easily evaded or sunk piecemeal by enemy ships.
"Lower topsails," he ordered. "Let the fire ships catch up!"
Ming Qiu had been observing enemy movements through binoculars. Noticing Zheng Lian's fleet beginning to shorten sail, he realized the enemy was waiting for the fire ships to close up. The vessels varied wildly in size and type—coordinating their speed was impossible—so some inevitably raced ahead while others lagged. To ensure fire ships could form overwhelming numerical superiority in a short span, the enemy had to slow down for the stragglers.
This was precisely the moment to defeat them in detail.
"Left rudder fifteen degrees," he ordered. "Full speed ahead!"
"Fifteen degrees—left—" The helmsman repeated the order with drawn-out intonation.
The engine room telegraph rang. Lichun's funnel disgorged massive clouds of black smoke. Below deck, machinery and boilers roared; the deck vibrated in sympathy.
The four gunboats close behind adjusted course one after another, seizing the T-crossing position.
Li Huamei stood at her post on deck, eating dry rations for breakfast. Besides rock-hard Navy biscuits, everyone received a cup of sugared black tea—refreshing and quick to replenish energy. Li Huamei felt she had contributed little during the early morning shelling; she had merely stood at her station watching for abnormalities, waiting for orders that never came. Yet the intense excitement and nervous tension had consumed massive calories, transforming the dry, tasteless rations into something delicious.
Suddenly, whistles blew across the deck: "Prepare for battle!"
She stuffed the remaining biscuits into her mouth in two or three bites, drained the tea in a single gulp, and rose to gaze into the distance.
Had the Zheng fleet come out?
If the morning's strike had been a surprise attack—somewhat unfair—then this time, both sides could be considered arrayed in formal battle lines, fighting face to face. Li Huamei knew that for the Zheng family to dare sortie after their main force had been annihilated, they would certainly resort to their time-tested killer move: fire ships.
In terms of cannon power and range, the Zheng fleet was absolutely outmatched. But fire ships remained their only chip to snatch victory from defeat. Li Huamei was intensely curious to see how the Australians would deal with this sea of flames—knowing that even the Dutch had feared such tactics.
Zheng Lian raised the telescope purchased from the Dutch and slowly extended its tube. The sea surface lay smooth as a mirror.
The Australian warships began to emerge as blurry silhouettes—and then one loomed enormous. Towering masts. Black smoke billowing. Behind it, four more black warships formed a column, cleaving waves toward him. Each loomed like a mountain, immovable as the earth, rolling black smoke like fire sweeping across the sea.
Zheng Lian's hand trembled involuntarily.
He knew he could not wait for the fire ships to catch up. He had to engage immediately to stall the enemy.
"Light matches!" he shouted.
Lighting matches was the order for imminent combat. As the command was relayed, gunners stripped off their shirts and lit slow matches. Powder jars were opened. Every man held his breath, focused, waiting only for the command to fire.
At this moment, Zheng Lian's warships sailed in three columns. The two European-style ships and three three-masted gunships formed one column; on the opposite side, fourteen large Guangdong and Fujian vessels sailed in double column. Further north of both columns, the fire ship fleet—formless and stretching several nautical miles—struggled to keep pace.
The First Squadron now bore south-by-west of Zheng Lian's main column, forming an oblique T-head with the enemy fleet. The geometry was not perfect, but it sufficed for the First Squadron to unleash its broadside firepower.
The fleets closed.
Distance: 4,500 meters.
First Squadron gunners rubbed their hands. Sailors pushed ramrods; HE shells were loaded into bores. Guns traversed, barrels elevated, ready to fire at any moment.
The warships of both sides drew nearer and nearer, sizing each other up at close range. The two greatest maritime powers in the East Asian seas were about to fight to the death—the Senate, seeking to rule the ocean; the Zheng family, seeking to monopolize trade. Neither would yield an inch.
Hulls rose and fell on the waves, the distance closing, heavy and slow.
Li Ziping was in the fire control tower. He did not entirely trust the gunnery of naturalized naval officers, so he had come to supervise personally—instructing every phase of firing.
"Be bold but careful! Don't panic!"
As he spoke, he lit the cigar in his mouth, staring at the gradually approaching Zheng warships in the distance.
Distance: 2,800 meters.
This was approximately the extreme effective range of the few twenty-four-pound bronze cannons on Zheng Lian's flagship. He knew that although the gun could reach that far, firing at this distance was little more than noise. Zheng Lian was no ignorant pirate; he had frequent contact with European seamen and ships and understood that when Dutch and Spanish fought at sea, they typically closed to within one or two hundred zhang before opening fire.
He held back the order.
But Ming Qiu intended to fully exploit his advantage. Though hit rates were not high at this range, their rifled guns and primitive fire control technology gave them a considerable edge.
(End of Chapter)