On January 12, 1648, at three o'clock in the morning Eastern District Time, a huge fleet appeared in the waters near Socotra.

It is winter in the northern hemisphere. Although the latitude here is not very high, at least in this season, the sea is generally calm. After setting off from Mumbai, during the six-day trip, the total number of people was as high as 1,060

The huge fleet of ships was only hit by heavy rain once on the sea.

Of course, the main reason why they appeared a whole day later than Inukai Douji's staff expected was that they joined the empty transport detachment returning from the Persian Gulf on the way. This fleet was in the ocean.

The team temporarily stopped and transferred some soldiers and supplies to the newly added transportation detachment.

It is of course very dangerous to retreat in front of the enemy and stop in the ocean to transfer personnel and materials. But there is no other way: when setting off from Bombay, there were one-third fewer transport ships than expected, so every ship was overloaded.

With so many people, it is extremely difficult to go to the toilet on the ship, not to mention the lack of space, which makes people very agitated and prone to illness. As for the transport team coming from the Persian Gulf, the coal-burning equipment on the ship

It is also obviously insufficient and must be transported from the fleet out of Bombay.

"Your Excellency, we are still twenty nautical miles away from Socotra Island. The garrison on the island called. They have prepared food, fresh water, coal and other supplies. As soon as our troops arrive at the port, they can enter the port one after another.

Supplement. At the same time, a regiment stationed on the island and more than 7,000 logistical support personnel have made preparations for retreat."

"Have they discovered the Chinese fleet recently?"

"Starting three days ago, they used thirty transport ships anchored on the island as reconnaissance ships to conduct a fan-shaped reconnaissance around the sea area, but no enemy warships were found."

"Strange, this is really strange. The Chinese just watch us return to Europe? Where are our radio monitors?"

"To the west of Socotra, we can only receive our own signals from EU ships. Chinese signals, which are signals that are very unfamiliar to us and cannot be deciphered, frequently appear in the eastern waters."

"I hope the Chinese are really behind us and far away from us." He raised his hand and glanced at his watch. After confirming the time again, Garcia said: "The transport fleet will enter the port in three batches to replenish the supplies.

Supplies, tell the army generals to take care of their soldiers and strictly prohibit disembarkation at this time. I know they have been very depressed on the ship recently, but in extraordinary times, if any soldier disembarks privately without obeying the instructions, our navy will directly

Abandon it on the island."

"yes!"

"The fleet is in combat formation. I always feel that the Chinese will not let us go back so easily."

"Sir, are you saying that warships will not enter the harbor?"

"Yes, we will not enter the port. Our supplies will be transferred to us by other transport ships after entering the Red Sea."

"yes!"

"Send a telegram to the Ottomans, asking them to continue fighting like us and not to enter the port for supplies. After we enter the Red Sea, whether they are returning to the Persian Gulf or entering the Eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, we will say goodbye

Or welcome.”

"yes!"

Following Garcia's order, more than 900 transport ships of various sizes began to slowly but basically adjust their formation in an orderly manner, and then slowly approached Socotra Island at a speed of 8.5 knots. The Theo United Fleet

Here, six battleships, twenty-one heavy cruisers, six light cruisers, and seventy-nine destroyers formed a circular formation with six battleships as the core. At a speed of 13.5 knots, they gradually surpassed the transportation

The fleet sailed to the north of the transport fleet.

At six o'clock in the morning, the first transport ship entered the berth of the Port of Socotra. The local garrison and logistics personnel who had been waiting for a long time began to quickly hoist various materials onto the ship. Immediately afterwards, the second ship entered the berth, and the third ship

Ship... By 6:40, more than a hundred berths in the entire port were all filled with transport ships.

At 7:10, the first transport ship in position completed its supplies and began to slowly leave the berth. At this time, the sun in the low latitudes also fully rose, and the entire sky was bright with morning light. The lookouts on each battleship

The hands' sight quickly reached its maximum.

At 7:50, the first batch of 105 transport ships was replenished. After repeatedly confirming that there were indeed no enemy warships around and that no enemy telegraph signals were found, Garcia took a slight risk: let this first batch

The 105 transport ships sailed slowly northwest at a speed of six knots without escort, preparing to enter the Red Sea.

This is of course very dangerous, but there is no other way: if the first batch of people cannot leave, the following ones will not be able to get in. Even if the previous batch of people berths in the nearby sea after leaving the port, the first batch of more than 100 people will not be able to get in.

Fortunately, if the second batch, the third batch, etc. all leave the port, how much area will be spread out on the sea?

"Hey, let the troops on the island work faster. We will try to complete all the supplies by noon today. In this way, by the afternoon, we can catch up with the transport fleet that set off first."

Putting aside Garcia's anxiety, the transport fleet that completed the first batch of supplies, after leaving Socotra, adjusted its course to the northwest and began to advance towards the Red Sea.

The leader of this fleet is the Pyrenees, a standard supply ship owned by the Spanish Navy with a displacement of 10,000 tons. In addition to a huge warehouse, the ship also has a 75mm naval gun on the bow.

The crew of the ship are all members of the Spanish Navy, and its captain is a lieutenant colonel of the navy.

At 11:20 in the morning, the Pyrenees was already more than 50 kilometers away from Socotra Island. Behind it, more than a hundred transport ships formed a 20-kilometer long line at a distance of 200 meters.

, the endless long snake formation can be seen at a glance. And about two or three kilometers behind this long snake formation, there is another long snake fleet composed of more than a hundred transport ships, stretching for nearly 20 kilometers.

"Captain, here's your coffee."

"Thank you, Fernando."

"We will enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in two or three hours. As long as the Chinese do not guard there and allow us to enter the Red Sea smoothly, everything will be safe."

"Captain, do you think the Chinese will not let us go easily?"

"Of course, do you still remember that nearly ten years ago, our transport fleet encountered an enemy raid near the Strait of Malacca? What the cunning Chinese like to do most is to bully our unarmed transport ships."

"Haha, the last time was in Southeast Asia, which was too far away from God's area. Now, we are about to go home, and God's sight has enveloped this place. With his blessing, the cunning Chinese are powerless.

"

"I hope so." After saying this, the captain and the first mate began to make the sign of the cross on their chests. However, before the cross was finished, a trembling voice came from the copper tube connecting the watchtower.

A crying voice: "Captain, we have spotted warships ahead. A large number of warships."

"Sea!" There is nothing to be lucky about. Spain's main fleet is still behind him at this time! What the large number of warships in front means is very obvious.

"Helmsman, left full rudder, let's run south! In the power cabin, increase the speed to the maximum speed of the ship, 13 knots! In the telegraph room, send a message to the following ships, disband the formation, and all run south. Then to Socotra Island

Lord Garcia generates electricity, we encounter the enemy's main fleet!"

Following a series of messages from the Pyrenees, the original orderliness of this fleet of more than 100 ships suddenly disappeared. Most of the transport ships began to full left rudder and fled towards the southern seas:

The sea area they are in at this time is called the Gulf of Aden. If they go north, the nearest land is Yemen. At this time, Yemen is basically a barren land. If they can't find a water source after going up, their death may not be worse than sinking directly.

How much better it is to drown in the sea.

Besides, although this area has not been effectively developed, it still belongs to the Ottoman Empire in name. You have so many troops landing on Ottoman land, and even if they are allies, I guess the Ottomans will not do it.

On the contrary, to the south of this place were Somalia and Eritrea in later generations. Although these two places were quite desolate at this time, at least they were not dry deserts, and the British and several French principalities established colonies there. In

After landing on the beach there and disembarking, with the support of the colonial government and so many army troops, we could still struggle to some extent.

Of course, among these more than a hundred transport ships, there were also a few smart captains: they did not follow the Pyrenees's instructions to turn south, but instead turned north!

"Commander, the enemy has discovered us and is turning now. Most of the enemy ships are turning south as we expected. Only a few are turning north."

"Haha, those who go north are all smart people. Forget it, with so many ships, it is normal for some fish to slip through the net. Now, the order is to break the radio silence. Each ship should sink as many as possible while maintaining the formation.

The transport ship. Note that since the enemy’s main fleet may be nearby, we don’t want to capture it, we just need to sink it!”

"As you command!"

Following Inukai Toji's order, he had arrived in the nearby waters more than three days ago. In order to avoid being discovered by the reconnaissance ship on Socotra Island, he was forced to retreat and hide again and again, and was almost forced to do so.

The main fleet of the Ming Navy that entered the Red Sea was finally able to kill freely.

The flagship Lian Po took the lead and quickly approached the Spanish transport fleet at a speed of 16 knots. When it was about 10,000 meters away from the opponent, it fired the first cannonball.

Although the impact point of the cannonball was not even a near-miss for these more than a hundred transport ships, the 420-kilogram shell fired by the 305 cannon splashed a huge water column on the sea surface, causing the main

The transport fleet composed of ordinary merchant ships became even more panicked. After these guys panicked, the two hundred meters that were originally maintained between each other quickly changed: some ships were farther apart, and some were further apart.

The distance between the ships is getting closer and closer. And when these ships become denser, hitting the target becomes a very simple matter.

At 11:30 in the morning, less than ten minutes after the battle started, the Lianpo's main gun hit: a shell fired from the 305 main gun directly hit a medium-sized transport ship with a displacement of no more than 3,000 tons.

After a huge explosion, the transport ship broke into two pieces on the spot and sank quickly without any temper.

As the Lian Po hit, the following Li Mu, Bai Qi, Wang Jian, etc. also began to hit. Suddenly, the entire Gulf of Aden sea was filled with the roar of artillery, and huge black smoke of various sizes continued to rise.

A transport ship rose up. And these thin-skinned and brittle transport ships were directly hit by one of course. Even the near miss fired by the 305 main gun would tear apart the steel plate under the waterline.

Gap, waiting for the fate of these ships, they will still sink.

In this panicked team, it was the navy officers who were controlling it. It was a high-speed transport ship with a maximum speed of 13 knots. The Pyrenees was hit by the Ming Navy's bombardment, and its oil skin was not even scratched. It was safe and sound.

It escaped the first two rounds of shelling from the opponent, and after successfully completing the turn, it ran nearly two kilometers south.

However, the people on the ship had not yet felt their hearts rising in their throats. The lookout's report completely made them despair: "A large number of enemy destroyers were discovered ahead!"
Chapter completed!