Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 415 "Stirring Up Trouble"

On November 5, 1639, the sea breeze, carrying a salty mist, swept over the fortress walls, bringing a chill to the bone. Han Jian, the commissioner of the Yongning Bay (now San Francisco Bay) settlement, subconsciously tightened his woolen overcoat.

His rounded fingers tapped the cast iron cannon barrel, the metallic vibrations mingling with the cries of seabirds in the distance, startling a flock of albatrosses circling over the Jinshan Strait.

This 24-pound coastal defense heavy gun, which was just transported from Qiming Island a few months ago, still bears the cinnabar markings from its casting, but the gun trunnions have been polished to a shine by the trained gunners.

"The Spanish are nothing!" he said contemptuously, patting the barrel of the fortress cannon.

Upon hearing this, Lu Guangsheng, the chief steward of Yuzhou Fort (San Francisco), twitched at the corner of his mouth and his Adam's apple bobbed several times, but ultimately dared not reply.

"You must remember, this world is governed by a brutal law of the jungle." Han Jian looked disdainfully at the Jinshan Strait (also known as the Kinmen Strait) ahead. "Everything is based on strength. The strong can do whatever they want, and the weak can only suffer what they have to suffer!"

"A few years ago, our Xinhua was small in number and weak in strength. We could only hide on Qiming Island and develop secretly, slowly accumulating strength. But now, everything is different. We no longer need to be at the mercy of Spain. It is time for large-scale expansion."

"Of course, with our domestic population of only 170,000, we cannot support occupying the vast inland areas, but we should try to gradually occupy the Pacific coastline, build cities and fortresses, and put them under actual control."

"Our Yongning Bay settlement is of paramount importance and should be included in the government's top development priorities. Otherwise, such a prime piece of land would be wasted!"

"But what has been the result? Look at the present. Since the establishment of the first settlement, Yongning Fort (now Oakland, California), five years ago (1634), the entire settlement area has only added eight or nine settlements, and the population is only two thousand eight hundred (excluding the local natives who have submitted)."

"This number of people is less than the population of a single town in Dongping County (present-day Victoria Harbour and surrounding areas). Hmph, this is a sign of the central government's neglect of us, and a very serious decision-making error by the committee members!"

Hearing what Han Jian said, Lu Guangsheng, Han Jian's subordinate, felt a chill run down his spine. He and the other officials from the colony exchanged glances, all of them seemingly feeling uneasy.

This official is quite... outspoken, openly criticizing the policies of the central government.

The problem is, he dares to say it, but we dare not agree with him here!

In the cadre management training course, the ministerial officials and teachers who gave the lectures repeatedly emphasized that they must firmly abide by the various policies and regulations promulgated by the central government, strictly obey the unified management of the government, and not do one thing in public and another in private, or engage in localism or factionalism that is outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant.

The central government has focused its development and management efforts on the Xinhua Bay area, centered around Qiming Island, which is home to more than 80 percent of the country's population and over 90 percent of its industrial and mining enterprises.

Within the Xinhua Bay area, Dongping and Guangfeng (now Sanich City) counties are the core of the core, gathering more than 80,000 people and housing most of the country's important industrial sectors.

The central government's intention was very clear: to concentrate as much human and material resources as possible in the core headquarters, give full play to the scale effect of the economy, and thus accelerate the pace of industrial development.

As for the Ziwu River Colonization Area and Yongning Bay Colonization Area, which are a bit further away from the headquarters, they naturally do not receive much "care" from the central government, whether in terms of population size or industrial layout, and the development of various undertakings is obviously much slower.

Oh, not entirely.

Last year, the Ziwu River Colonization Area received 2,500 immigrant quotas from the Immigration and Colonization Department to develop the fertile Qiongjiang River Valley (now the Weilamite River Valley), with the aim of making the area Xinhua's most important wheat-growing region.

How many immigration quotas did the Yongning Bay colonization area receive?
Five hundred people!
This year, the number remains at 500.

It is said that there was a problem in the Philippines, which led to the mobilization of many armed immigrant ships, resulting in insufficient transport capacity. As a result, the total number of immigrants this year is only over 9,500, which is less than 70% of last year's.

After things return to normal next year, the Immigration and Colonization Department may slightly increase their quota, allowing the population of Yongning Bay to exceed three thousand.

"Back then, when we were huddled on Qiming Island, we even had to use nails sparingly," Han Jian said with a wry smile. "Now, flintlock muskets are piled up like mountains in the warehouses, cannons are lined up in rows, and a large population is crammed into a corner of Qiming Island, leaving this land, which can be called the fertile Guanzhong Plain, to lie barren! Are we still afraid of angering the Spanish and inviting their military intervention?"

"What a joke!"

"My lord, the immigration quota allocated by the central government next year..." Lu Guangsheng wanted to offer some advice, saying there was no need to slander the central government's policies like this.

If the committee members heard this, they would probably be disgusted with the Jinshan colonization area and suffer even more "mistreatment".

"Quota?" Han Jian was furious upon hearing this. "Can you give us a thousand, or two thousand? Hundreds of thousands of people are crammed into the tiny Xinhua Bay, and the Shixing Port docks are jammed with empty merchant ships every day! And the members of the decision-making committee don't think of any way to send more immigrants to Yongning Bay."

He pointed northeast, towards the undeveloped hinterland of Yongning Bay: "Did you know? Last month, a group of local natives took several huge nuggets of gold to Anssburg (now Benicia, California) to trade. The gold was of excellent quality, which means there are rich gold mines there. But we don't even have enough manpower to build a mine!"

"grown ups……"

"Huh?" Han Jian suddenly realized something and raised his hand to interrupt Lu Guangsheng, "Wait, gold? We've discovered gold in Yongning Bay! Hehe..."

A strange smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Perhaps we can use this to force the central government to send people here."

"Sir, are you planning to start a mine?" Shi Sanfa, the militia captain of the colony, stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "If we conscript local indigenous tribes, we should be able to spare one or two thousand people, enough to build a fairly large mine."

“If we open a mine, the central government might look at us more favorably, and the number of immigrants next year will increase,” Lu Guangsheng echoed.

A few years ago, the Northern Trading Company discovered a rich gold mine in Gaopingbao (now Juneau, Alaska) in the far north. They then acquired more than 600 Ming Dynasty immigrants and 500 naturalized natives and started a gold mine in a great deal of activity.

Although the prospecting team sent to the interior of the bay has not yet sent back any news, the fact that the natives can easily pick up fist-sized nuggets of gold indicates that the mineral veins there must be extremely rich.

In this way, the higher-ups will surely allocate a large amount of manpower and resources to the Yongning Bay colonization area.

With the development of gold mines, related upstream and downstream industries will naturally be built one after another, and then the entire settlement area will be able to enter a fast track of development.
"What do you think the Spanish would do if they heard there was a huge gold mine here?" Han Jian suddenly asked.

Shi Sanfa stroked his stubble, a sharp glint in his eyes: "If the Spanish knew we had gold mines here, they'd probably be like starving dogs eyeing a bone. I heard that two years ago, they slaughtered a whole tribe of six hundred people in northern Mexico for a silver mine."

"Hiss... Sir, are you saying that the gold mine will attract the covetous eyes of the Spanish?... They're going to come and rob us?"

"When people are desperate for money, they will do all sorts of irrational things," Han Jian said leisurely. "If the Spanish knew that there was a gold mine with rich reserves in Yongning Bay, they would definitely do something crazy."

"Hehe... After all, the territory we occupy still nominally belongs to the Kingdom of Spain."

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.

Will the Spanish fight another war with Xinhua because of gold?

"My lord, we must strictly control this news. We absolutely cannot let the Western barbarians know that gold has been discovered in the Yongning Bay colony," Lu Guangsheng solemnly advised. "Control the news?" Han Jian smiled, a meaningful expression on his face. "The question is, can this news be kept under control?"

"Sir, as long as we take proper measures and maintain a tight blockade, this news will definitely not leak out," Shi Sanfa assured, patting his chest.

"Heh, actually, this leak might not be a bad thing for our Yongning Bay colonization area." Han Jian put his hands behind his back and turned to look at the distant sea.

Several sharp-eared colonization officials exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing this.

What did this person mean by saying that?
"Sir, two ships have entered the strait!"

Suddenly, a militiaman on duty rushed over and alerted everyone.

"The Spanish are here?" Shi Sanfa was immediately startled and asked subconsciously.

"Reporting to the commander, the lookout reports that the two approaching ships are flying the Xinhua flag." The militiaman on duty shouted back, "However, to prevent any accidents, Captain Xu has ordered the fort to be on high alert."

"Very good!" Han Jian praised, "Our Yongning Bay Colonization Area is located at the southernmost part of the country and is not far from Mexico, so we should maintain the necessary vigilance."

As he spoke, he walked briskly toward Yuzhou City.
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Two warships with a displacement of about 500 tons were quietly moored in front of the wooden dock of Yuzhoubao. Amid cheers from the crowd, more than 200 naval officers and soldiers lined up and walked down the gangway, waving enthusiastically in response.

Upon seeing the officials from the colony who had come to greet them, the naval captain leading the group immediately strode over.

"Old Han, how have you been these past two years?" Shu Wendong, deputy commander of the Naval Operations Department and commander of the First Fleet, hugged Han Jian and patted him hard on the back.

"Alright, alright!" Han Jian responded enthusiastically, then shoved him away. "Two grown men hugging each other, what kind of behavior is that! Tsk tsk... You've been promoted one rank, you're a colonel now. Next time we meet, you might be a general!"

"Of course!" Shu Wendong flicked the collar insignia on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Our Xinhua is expanding its navy and building a lot of ships, so the organization has grown, and naturally, the ranks and positions have risen. But still, I can't compare to you, sitting in charge of a region, a true regional governor!"

"A regional governor?" Han Jian chuckled self-deprecatingly. "A regional governor who only governs the population of a small town? Don't be sarcastic!"

"How is this sarcasm?" Shu Wendong said seriously, "We all know how good California is. It's just that we can't pay attention to your place right now because of the small population. Just wait, in a few years, the central government will definitely focus on developing this place and turn it into our new land of abundance!"

"Let's talk about that later. By the way, is your navy conducting sea trials of a new ship? But why have you only built two small boats?"

Han Jian surveyed the warships docked at the pier and changed the subject, "Don't we already have the capability to build ships over a thousand tons? Why not build a few powerful battleships?"

"Old Han, you're supposed to be a naval veteran, yet you utter such ignorant words." Shu Wendong teased with a smile, "In the entire Pacific region, what decent professional warships are there that would make it worthwhile for Xinhua to build a thousand-ton behemoth to deal with them?"

"Let's not even talk about the Spanish; they have no naval power that can threaten us at all. As for Zheng Zhilong of the Ming Dynasty and the Dutch East India Company in Southeast Asia, they are basically armed merchant ships that serve as warships and act as the main weapons in naval battles."

"Their warships, whether in terms of cruising speed or the number of cannons, are simply no match for professional naval warships. Our two newly built cruisers are roughly similar to the British Class VI cruisers of the early 18th century. Although they are small in tonnage and have few cannons, they are more than enough to deal with those half-baked armed merchant ships."

Two years ago, two merchant ships belonging to Xinhua America Trading Company were attacked by Dutch pirates. One was captured and the other was damaged, causing considerable losses to the already financially strained Xinhua people.

In addition, the increasingly aggressive Zheng Zhilong in the Ming Dynasty's waters, and the ever-watchful Dutch East India Company, all made the new Chinese feel a strong threat.

Therefore, the decision-making committee approved the shipbuilding application submitted by the Navy Department, and prepared to build 6-8 light cruisers in the next three years.

After a period of research and design, the cruisers were designated as the "Haiyan-class". Their main purposes are reconnaissance, escort, communication and armed patrol of territorial waters. Their firepower does not need to be strong and their tonnage does not need to be large, but they are required to have high speed and strong maneuverability, and are suitable for carrying out rapid raids or ocean patrol missions.

In March of this year, the main body of the two ships was completed.

In April, sails, rigging, and other auxiliary equipment were installed.

In May, after the first sea trial, all functions basically met the design requirements. Then, the ship entered the dry dock to make adjustments and modifications to some details.

In July, twenty-four cannons were installed: six 12-pounder cannons, eight 8-pounder cannons, and ten 4-pounder cannons.

In order to pursue and harass enemy ships, the "Haiyan-class" cruisers also had a 12-pounder long-barreled gun mounted on both the bow and stern. The guns used special rotating mounts and had a firing angle of 30-45 degrees, which gave them a wider field of fire than the broadside guns.

In order to be able to launch chain bullets and hot shells at the first moment when encountering the enemy, to damage the enemy's sails and force them to slow down.

The ship has a displacement of 500 tons, making it suitable for operation in shallow waters. It is about 32 meters long and 8.5 meters wide, with a length-to-beam ratio of 4:1, emphasizing speed and maneuverability.

Moreover, in order to reduce wind resistance during navigation, the hull design adopts a low freeboard mode, further enhancing its rapid maneuverability.

This type of ship can reach a top speed of 10-12 knots (with a tailwind), which is almost faster than all European sailing warships of that period.

The warship has a crew of 130-140 (including officers, doctors, cooks, carpenters, and ordinary sailors), and its cabins can carry 4-6 months' worth of supplies, making it suitable for long-term sea patrols.

"In the Pacific region, where there are no heavy sailing warships, our two 'Haiyan-class' cruisers, even if they are not invincible, can definitely crush potential opponents who rely on armed merchant ships as their main fighting force," Shu Wendong said with a smile. "Once these warships are operational, Xinhua will be able to completely control the seas off the west coast."

"In another three or four years, with the commissioning of the next few ships, it is not impossible to try to seize control of the Ming Dynasty's waters."

"You're being a bit too arrogant!" Han Jian scoffed. "If the Spanish were to bring a few thousand-ton heavy sailing warships from mainland Europe or the Caribbean, I'd like to see how your navy manages to gain control of the sea."

"Haha..." Shu Wendong laughed loudly upon hearing this, pointing at Han Jian, "Old Han, why does your voice sound a little sour? Are you really that unwilling to see our navy showing off in the Pacific region?"

"Better safe than sorry! What if we fall out with Spain one day and become enemies again, and your navy can't control the sea? Then Xinhua will have to fight another war to defend its homeland, just like it did six years ago. Look, our Yongning Bay settlement is the closest to Mexico. Won't they be blocking our way?"

"How could that be?" Shu Wendong shook his head and said, "Let's not even talk about whether the Spanish have any extra warships that can be transferred to the Pacific side. Even if they did, the turbulent Strait of Magellan is not so easy to pass through. Besides, doesn't Xinhua still have the 'Breaking Waves' in command?"

"If the Spanish dare to send their thousand-ton behemoth over here, the 'Wavebreaker,' after years of modifications, will surely send it to the bottom of the sea!"

"Alright, as long as your navy has that kind of confidence, then we dare to go ahead and cause trouble!" Han Jian patted his shoulder with a smile, looking very pleased.

"Stir up trouble?" Shu Wendong asked in surprise. "What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up?"

"What can we possibly do?" Han Jian looked at him nonchalantly. "Naturally, we should intensify our efforts to develop Yongning Bay and build this colony, which is closest to the Spanish, into a stable forward base!"
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(End of this chapter)