Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 381 Consequences
Because of this disturbance, Prime Minister Li Hezhang's plan to go back to bed early was completely dashed, and he now had a lot of troublesome things to do.

The King of Chu has formulated a strategy, and the specific response still needs to be implemented and arranged by the Prime Minister's Office. It involves all aspects of military, political and economic affairs, and an emergency cabinet meeting must be held immediately.

Since we can't sleep, then let's just not sleep.

Take advantage of this opportunity
Prime Minister Li Hezhang dictated a sternly worded telegram, which was immediately sent to the Governor-General's Office of East Malaya, severely impeaching Governor Zheng Guoguang not to escalate the situation further, so as to avoid an unmanageable situation.

Anyone who dares to disobey orders will be severely punished according to the law.

Given the serious situation
Military preparations were once again highlighted at the cabinet meeting. This is also what the military is most eager for, especially the Army Commander-in-Chief General Qian Jiang, who was the most active.

After the end of the Anglo-French War, the Chu army carried out large-scale disarmament. The army, which originally had more than 86000 active troops, was reduced to only more than 53200 people after the disarmament. The disarmament efforts were still very large.

It is equivalent to cutting off the body at the legs, leaving only half of the body.

A large number of officers and soldiers with rich war experience retired and returned to the countryside, forming another wave of small and medium-sized landlords in Chu, which was quite large in scale.

After severe blood loss, this inevitably affected the combat effectiveness of the Royal Army.

Many brave officers in combat had to retire simply because their cultural level was too low and they had no future in the army, which made General Qian Jiang very sad.

However, due to the military reform led by Your Majesty, all officers will have to undergo systematic training in military academies in the future. It is not enough to fight a war just by relying on experience. You cannot beat the strong with your own strength.

Of the six expeditionary divisions retained by the Royal Army, plus the Manila Garrison Division and the Royal Guard Division, only the ace Second Division known as the "Devil Division" and the ace Third Division known as the "Shield Division" were always fully equipped and staffed. The other army divisions were incomplete.

Either keep two infantry regiments or keep three infantry regiments, and the rest are support regiments.

The so-called skeleton regiment only retains the corresponding officers and sergeants with rich combat experience. A skeleton regiment has only more than a hundred people and is not equipped with corresponding soldiers.

If war breaks out, the armed militia can be immediately replenished and the organization restored, so that combat effectiveness can be quickly restored.

Roughly speaking, every year, at least more than three million silver dollars in military expenditure can be saved.

Bandar Seri Begawan

After having fun in front of others, Governor Zheng Guoguang immediately made arrangements upon returning to his residence to raise the security alert level of the Malayan garrison and the Marine Police District forces to guard against any possible actions by the British warships.

After the intensive preparations, the agonizing wait began.

Sleeping...that's impossible.

Until about three o'clock in the morning

Major General Zheng Guoguang, whose eyes were red from staying up late, finally received a stern telegram from the Zongli Yamen, strictly ordering not to take any actions that would escalate the situation and to be prepared for a comprehensive response.

End of the message

He mentioned that the Prime Minister was convening an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss countermeasures, but didn't say anything else. This alone made Major General Zheng Guoguang break out in a cold sweat.

He knew he had made a mess, but he didn't expect it to be such a big one.

Major General Zheng Guoguang subconsciously touched his nose and smiled bitterly, feeling vaguely uneasy. His reckless behavior might have caused His Majesty to stay awake late at night, and a sense of guilt rose in his heart.

It is true that an elder brother is like a father.

The Zheng family now ranks among the royal families, its sphere of influence extending to both sides of the Pacific, presenting an unparalleled splendor and prosperity. This prosperity is entirely due to the efforts of the second brother, Zheng Guohui, who single-handedly supports this vast situation.

In Zheng Guoguang's heart, the only person he admired and regarded as an idol was His Majesty the King of Chu.

"Reporting to the Governor, the British ship lit its lights at around 5:00 AM. Half an hour later, the steam turbine started and began warming up. The sailors on deck are currently reeling in the cables. No hostile activity, such as opening the gun ports, has been detected."

"Continue to closely monitor the movements of the British ships and report back at any time."

"As you command, sir."

A sleepless night

Major General Zheng Guoguang picked up the cup and took a big sip of hot coffee. In the command center in front of him, more than a dozen officers were performing their duties, including Lieutenant Zheng Guoyao.

Major General Zheng Guoguang turned around. There was a huge military map of the South Seas hanging in his command center, which included the entire mountain contour lines and rainforest areas of Kalimantan Island, all of which were marked very clearly.

Your Majesty's hobby is well known to everyone, so placing a map in the official rooms of Chu generals and many officials is a matter of great honor.

What the superiors like, the subordinates will follow!

Even the action of His Majesty tapping his fingers on the table unconsciously when he is thinking has been learned by many officials, who use it to show off in front of their subordinates.

Major General Zheng Guoguang also enjoyed studying maps. After a long study, he had a complete understanding of the entire Nanyang region's geography, the locations of important towns, and the distribution of various countries. His gaze darted between Samarinda and Banjarmasin, the first and second largest towns in Dutch Kalimantan (note: not including the areas belonging to the Chu State), and the key areas where the next round of events would soon unfold.

Because the Dutch colonists prohibited Chinese from purchasing land and operating plantations, only early Chinese families in Batavia, Bandung and Surabaya owned plantations and mines, which were also the foundation of these Chinese families.

For more than half a century, Chinese immigrants who migrated to the East Indies generally lived in towns, mainly making a living by running commerce and handicrafts, or working as peddlers walking around the streets, pulling rickshaws, or working as laborers at the docks, earning a meager income.

After all, wealthy Chinese business families are a minority. Most of them are people living in the middle and lower classes of society. They are exploited, oppressed and bullied by white colonists and live a poor and humiliating life.

Just light a fire and it will soon be burning brightly.

The regional incident secretly promoted by Major General Zheng Guoguang was already on the verge of happening and had to be launched.

What's more, now that the relationship with Britain has deteriorated, the sunk costs are even greater, which has further strengthened Major General Zheng Guoguang's ambition to annex South Borneo Island.

How can I be content if I don’t get back my principal and interest?
Bandar Seri Begawan Port

In the captain's room of the British ironclad ship "Duke of Kensington", the air was thick with smoke from the cigars smoked by several officers, and it seemed that they had not slept all night.

After returning to the battleship, Major General Harry Clarke sent someone to send an urgent telegram overnight, which was transferred directly to the Governor-General's Office of British India via Singapore.

This incident will inevitably have a serious impact on the relationship between the two countries, and even Major General Harry Clark cannot bear the responsibility.

He never expected
This Chinese governor was so tough and did not give face to the British Empire. He broke up with the British at the welcome dinner and had no gentlemanly manners at all.

But it's too late to regret now, I can only send a telegram back to explain.

The Governor-General of British India was the highest military and political leader in the colony. The next move of the armored formation, including the seemingly failed Badayan mission, required the latest instructions from the Governor-General's Office.

Bad news kept coming at night
First, the British Channel Governor's Office sent the first telegram, hoping that the armored formation would not take any action that would escalate the situation and avoid uncontrollable consequences.

Then came the news from the Great Eastern Telegraph Office in Hong Kong: The Chu State had formally lodged a strong protest with the London government, demanding an explanation of the true purpose of the visiting ironclad fleet and whether the fleet's malicious actions represented the official attitude?

hear the news
Rear Admiral Harry Clarke was so overwhelmed that he sat at the table, drinking one glass of Scotch whisky after another, until his eyes were red from drinking.

He knew his naval career was over.

The British have always been domineering in their external dealings with others, which is to protect their own people regardless of right or wrong, and it is inevitable that they will take a tough stance against the State of Chu.

But privately, the person who caused this big trouble must be dealt with.

In the war four years ago, the Second Battle Squadron led by Major General Harry Clark suffered heavy casualties, with two ships sunk and one seriously damaged. It was inevitable that he would be criticized by some of his colleagues in the military, and it was an indelible stain on his service history.

Now that something like this has happened again, the consequences are easy to imagine.

The armored formation started the steam engine at 7 o'clock in the morning, but the most important telegram from the Governor-General of British India had not arrived, so it remained silent.

Wait from 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock, and from 9 o'clock to 11 o'clock.

The British officers waited with their eyes wide open until 11:40 when the telegram from the Governor-General's Office of British India was finally sent. This was already very efficient.

The gentlemen from the Governor-General's Office of British India would arrive at the official residence at least at 9 o'clock every morning to submit the telegrams sent last night.

Fortunately, the relevant officials knew the seriousness of the matter and presented the fleet's telegram to the Governor as a priority, so they received new instructions so quickly.

The message was simple, ordering the armored formation to return to Singapore and stand by, to be executed immediately.

Before 12 noon
Two huge British ironclad warships, one in front and one behind, slowly left the Bandar Seri Begawan dock, with billowing black smoke coming out of their thick chimneys, and headed towards the outside of the bay.

There was no farewell crowd, no band, and no proper farewell ceremony. He just left quietly and unwelcome.

following

There will inevitably be verbal battles between the diplomatic departments of Britain and Chu, a series of negotiations and protests, which are all commonplace procedures.

The British Empire will never admit its mistakes; the only ones who are wrong are others.

This matter is a bit troublesome. The armored formation belongs to the Royal Third Battleship Fleet of the British India Governor-General's Office and will not normally go to the South China Sea. This is beyond the mission area of ​​the Indian Ocean.

The South China Sea falls under the jurisdiction of the British Governor of the Straits, which means that the opinion of the Straits Governor's Office is also very important in this incident.

Perhaps the British side will take corresponding measures, say some tough words, send a fleet patrol to show its muscle, etc., but this has little to do with Major General Harry Clarke.

The armored fleet had just arrived in Singapore and was on standby when the latest news came from Kolkata:
Major General Harry Clark submitted his retirement report due to personal health reasons and it was approved. He has packed his personal belongings and returned to the UK with his family.

(End of this chapter)