This is an ordinary night, another unusual night.

Shangri-La Island, Moresby area

The moonlight tonight was particularly bright. Geng Baogui led all three Seagull-One high-speed patrol ships in the Moresby Coast Guard District to closely search for the northwest fan-shaped area with an average speed of 13 knots and a distance of two nautical miles apart. His target was a small Dutch reinforcement fleet.

Two days ago, the Queensland United Fleet located in Port Sanmalinda sent an emergency war situation notification;

A mixed formation of no more than 10 ships, led by the 1150-ton steam ironclad ship "Lupev" and the 1600-ton second-class sail battleship "The Netherlands Giant", attempting to sneak over to the ashore and order your camera to intercept it.

He Fang, commander of the Queensland Joint Fleet stationed in Sanmalinda Port, has led the main formation to chase him all the way, and is expected to arrive in the waters near Lucky Bay at dawn.

But after all, they were more than two days behind. Considering that the cunning Dutch might have the slow-speed cargo three-masted sailboat first, the escort warship then caught up and gathered together. After calculating the range and time, it was the most dangerous moment tonight.

Because the emergency notice has been issued for two and a half days, the Dutch mixed formation has set out at least 4 and a half days to 5 days, and it is likely to arrive at dawn.

This is because the smuggling fleet takes advantage of the night to approach Lucky Bay, and it is the best time to pass the level at the darkest moment before dawn. Once discovered, the Dutch escort ships can only support it for a period of time.

After dawn, the shore cannon can show its might and cover the cargo sail warship to enter the 8-kilometer absolute artillery threat area...

As an old sailing bird that has been circling the ocean for more than 300 years, the Dutch still has this qualities. Since Queensland can imagine, there is no reason to imagine these experienced Dutch old seabirds.

Everyone thinks about it together, is it feasible?

The answer is; no.

The visibility of the sea shrouded in the night is very low. In an era when technology is underdeveloped, Hawkeye sailors (observers) who rely on special training in the mast tops to search for enemy situations. Even if these Hawkeye sailors have strong eyesight, they are basically blind spots 5 to 6 nautical miles away, and basically reach the limit of sight.

Therefore, night is the best cover. With the size of three patrol ships in the Moresby area, it is impossible to closely monitor the entire sea area.

With an average of 60 kilometers as the fan-shaped search range, that is, the sea area of ​​more than 3,000 square kilometers, how could three patrol ships take care of it?

"What time is it now? Report the current location and speed."

"Report to the captain, it is 2:50 at night, sailing northwest, with a speed of 13.5 knots, about 48 kilometers northwest of Lucky Bay. According to the established search plan, we will change the course at a distance of about 65 kilometers, turn to the east, and conduct a "一" zigzag alert search."

"Well, I'll send the orders down, and the dew is heavy on the sea. I ordered the ships to arrange midnight snacks and hot soup for the soldiers who insisted on being in the battle position, so that the brothers could eat and warm their bodies."

"Affect the order and convey the order immediately."

"Order the Mast-top Hawkeye to keep the highest alert, and I can feel the Dutch smuggling formations nearby, and the stinking smell of these bastards can be smelled by 10 nautical miles."

"Affect your order and keep your highest alert."

"The formation was disbanded in 20 minutes, the Seahawk searched southeast, the Cuckoo searched southwest, and our ship searched 12 degrees westward, and ordered all ships to remain highly alert, and once the enemy situation was discovered, they immediately fired a signal flare."

"Affect the order and convey the order immediately."

"Um!"

Geng Baogui stood in the cab of the bridge with a calm expression. The slight flashing light on the instrument panel outlined his figure, like a calm rock, which made the officers and soldiers feel at ease when they saw it.

After 20 minutes

The fleet of ships shrouded in night was divided into three, heading towards the dark endless sea area, further expanding the search range.

In the dark sea, even if you know that there is a smuggling formation coming, without accurate direction and route information, it is not easy to catch the enemy, and you must have some luck.

More than an hour has passed

On the flagship "Haiyan", where Geng Baogui is located, many people are already extremely tired and can't help but yawn secretly.

"The chief of navigation, let the kitchen prepare hot coffee for the brothers. The coffee can be added with milk but not sugar, so that the brothers can be cheered up."

"As for orders, captain."

The navigator immediately went to convey the order, and Geng Baogui nodded slightly to express his satisfaction. After searching for the boring sea surface under the night sky for several hours, he now felt sleepy and had to use bitter coffee to refresh himself.

The fleet belongs to the Queensland Coast Guard in name, but in essence it is the private maritime armed force of the Earl of Queensland, because the financial situation in Queensland could not afford such a strong maritime armed force, and even the high salary of officers and soldiers.

According to the financial appropriation of Queensland, Geng Baogui, a senior commander who is entitled to command the ship fleet, has a monthly salary of only 22 pounds, and an annual salary plus bonus will not exceed 300 pounds.

The monthly salary of an ordinary sailor is 1 pound and 3 shillings, and the annual salary is about 14 to 16 pounds, which is about 4 times that of an ordinary Australian worker.

This level is much higher than that of the Army, but considering that the Navy is a high-tech army, sailors must also be at a high school graduate or above, must undergo strict maritime training, and will always face life and death dangers, so this salary level seems not high.

Therefore, the Earl greatly improved the income level of naval officers and soldiers through various subsidies and subsidies, and became the most important source of income for officers and soldiers.

All allowances include training allowances, combat readiness allowances, flight allowances, excellent service allowances, combat allowances, disability allowances, heatstroke allowances, night shift allowances, etc., which account for the majority of the income of officers and soldiers, with a proportion of about 70%.

Especially the combat allowance is extremely high. If the performance is rated as excellent in a fierce battle in a day, it can be worth the income of the first half of the year, which is definitely a fortune.

Therefore, the naval officers and soldiers are all high-income groups, with high social status and high income. They are loyal to the Count, willing to fight with their lives in battle, and have a very high enthusiasm for fighting. They are really screaming in the thrill of battle, full of blood.

Comprehensive

Geng Baogui, the normal annual income of the fleet commander of He Fang and the reward of the Earl are about 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.

If there are frequent naval battles this year and winning consecutively, plus an astonishing amount of combat victory allowance, the annual income will reach a high level of 4,000 to 5,000 pounds.

Ordinary sailors have annual salary incomes of around 14 to 15 pounds. This year, almost no one is less than 50 pounds, most of them are around 60 to 80 pounds, and the higher ones are even more than 100 pounds.

Is this annual salary really high?

Not to mention anything else, the annual salary of Ding Ruchang, the governor of the Beiyang Navy of the Qing Dynasty, was 8,600 taels of silver per year, and the price was about 2,100 pounds in 1882. This was just the salary in normal times, not the salary during the war.

The salary of ordinary sailors of the Beiyang Navy is 50 taels of silver, about 12 pounds.

Such income levels are middle and lower among European powers, and the income of ordinary sailors seems to be about twice that of British sailors, which is about twice that of the Ottoman sailors.

However, the income gap between officers is large. The annual income of the Royal Navy of the British Empire is not less than 12,000 pounds if he can lead a formation of brigade generals or above. The annual income of the Ottoman Navy Pasha is even more powerful. If converted into pounds, the annual salary income is not less than 50,000 pounds. This is just an open income.

Therefore, the navy is truly a noble branch. Not only is it expensive to buy ships, but it is also super expensive to maintain a huge fleet.

In the shaking ship cabin, there was a strong smell of tobacco. The dim kerosene lamp hung on the bulkhead, reflecting the seven or eight sailors wrapped in wool blankets in the cabin, all of whom were napping drowsy.

The hatch door suddenly opened, and a fat man outside shouted loudly, "Brothers, don't sleep anymore. The captain arranged hot coffee for each brother to drink some to refresh his mind."

"Stop making trouble with Brother Feidong, let's take a nap."

"A little fart nap, the Dutch devils came as soon as they came. All the guys were energized, come on, have coffee."

The fat man squeezed in without saying a word, took huge iron tea jars from the kitchen helper behind him and threw them out. In the darkness of the light, no matter where the sailors were hit, and even more rudely shouting and scolding, he directly carried the water bottle and started pouring hot coffee into the iron tea jars.

The strong smell of coffee immediately filled the cabin. Some sailors couldn't wait to take a big sip first, and screamed with a strange scent from the bitter coffee. "Oh fuck, Brother Feidong, this coffee is so bitter that my bile is about to come out."

"Brother Feidong, why didn't you put sugar?"

"This coffee is too bitter, how can I continue to drink it!"

"Okay, okay, don't be so quarrel..." The chef named Feidong brother shook his hand and sucked the sailors and took a teapot and continued to pour bitter coffee. "The captain has ordered that the coffee tonight will only be added with milk and not sugar, so that the brothers can refresh you, you bunny guys will listen to me, drink all the coffee I poured, and beat the Dutch devils with all their energy. These white bastards made us unable to sleep well at night and live a peaceful life. They would scatter any anger on the Dutch devils. The shells aimed at them and beat them hard, beating these turtle sons."

"Hahaha... I love hearing this. I've done this cup of bitter coffee."

"Okay, I didn't say that if the Dutch devils dare to come to our artillery, they will teach him how to be a human being and fuck him every minute."

"Haha...this is the reason."

"Hey... Brother Feidong, even though that's it, your coffee is too bitter. I want to curse myself when I drink it."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The sailors in the cabin burst into laughter, holding iron teapots and drinking hot coffee with a frown. The voices of discussion became louder, and the originally drowsy atmosphere had already been swept away and became more enthusiastic.

Just then

The harsh battle sirens sounded, and the sailors immediately jumped up when they heard the sound, threw away the iron tea jar, threw away the wool blanket on their bodies, rushed out, and ran straight to their respective combat positions.
Chapter completed!