Just as the Shanghai army captured the British and French Concessions, more than 40 warships suddenly appeared outside the estuary of the Yangtze River, with the flags of the British, French and American naval forces hanging on them.

This is a joint fleet composed of the navies of Britain, France and the United States. It set out from Guangzhou and was preparing to go to Tianjin to force the Qing government to agree to the conditions of the Three Kingdoms.

However, because of the words of the American minister, the coalition forces of Britain, France and the United States had the idea of ​​Shanghai and were ready to rob them along the way.

Originally, the commanders of Britain, France and the United States had agreed. Yesterday, the joint fleet arrived in Zhoushan and was preparing to launch an attack from the sea tomorrow, allowing William to lead the Concession Self-Defense Force to launch a raid from land to cooperate in combat.

However, they never expected that the Shanghai army would suddenly attack the concession and lead William's more than 10,000 troops to encircle and annihilate, and then capture the concession.

The actions of the Shanghai army disrupted the deployment of foreigners. After receiving the news, Gerkin, the commander of the British, French and American coalition forces and the governor of Canada, was furious and quickly assembled the fleet and set off from Zhoushan.

However, the Shanghai army was prepared for a long time, and Li Weiguo had ordered the East China Sea Fleet to be on guard and guard the Yangtze River Estuary.

The estuary of the Yangtze River is crucial to Shanghai, the Shanghai Army’s base camp, and Li Weiguo has long been deployed to defend.

Sheshan, also known as Sheshan, is a small island at the estuary of the Yangtze River. It is known as the "No. 1 Post" and "Shanghai's Sea Screen". It is a rocky island formed tens of thousands of years ago due to the squeeze and extension of the continental shelf. It covers an area of ​​about 8.88 hectares and has a very important military, political and economic status.

As early as the First Raven War, the island was occupied by the British army. The British army built lighthouses, barracks and forts on the island as bridgeheads for attacking Shanghai.

After Li Weiguo took over Shanghai, he rebuilt the fort and floating stack in Sheshan, stationed 500 soldiers and the supply station of the Navy's East China Sea Fleet.

At 9 a.m., Gerkin's fleet appeared, magnificent.

This is a brand new fleet. Each battleship is propelled by a hybrid powered by sails and steam engines. It can not only use the steam engine to push the warships in windless conditions, but also reverse in combat states.

Especially the second advantage, it can suddenly reverse in battle, which is something that traditional sailing warships cannot do.

Soon, a patrol warship of the Shanghai East China Sea Fleet discovered the situation.

Because of steam power, dozens of black smoke emerged from the huge chimney soared into the sky, and you could see it more than ten miles away.

The Shanghai patrol ship quickly blew the flags and sent a signal to the nearby sister ships.

"Reported, we found the enemy fleet. The southeast direction is about eighty miles away from our fleet!"

The battleship of the East China Sea Fleet flagship Dingyuan looked upstairs. After receiving the news, the fleet commander Lin Jiyun immediately discussed countermeasures with Chief of Staff Li Weijun.

"Chief of Staff, what do you think of us lord?"

Li Weijun thought for a while and said, "It's very simple. He has high hopes for the East China Sea Fleet, but the East China Sea Fleet has a short time to establish, and although it has become an army. It has a certain combat power and can handle the navy that dealt with the Taiping Army. If we fight with the foreign fleet, we may still be very worried. We are afraid that we are not the opponent of the foreign fleet. The navy is too expensive and all of them are made of money. Once this battle starts, it will take dozens of RMB to burn a boat, and it will cost millions of RMB. Don't say that he feels sorry for you and I are afraid that you are not sure in your heart at this moment."

Lin Jiyun nodded and said, "Yes, I used to watch foreign warships show their power and sink our warships one after another, and I wish I could take revenge one day. Now we also have foreign advanced warships, so I would be unwilling to do a good job!"

Li Weijun smiled and said, "I know you have this idea, and I won't stop you. I have this meaning. Fight with foreigners and see how our East China Sea Fleet is doing. You can never grow up without the baptism of war. What you mean is that you don't just put your family's fortunes into nothing."

"You said it earlier, it scared me!" Lin Jiyun suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid of being bound and could not let go of his hands and feet to fight with foreigners.

Li Weijun said: "Okay, I won't talk much about the command. You are an expert in this regard, so it depends on you next!"

Lin Jiyun said confidently: "Don't worry, I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Although Britain, France and the United States have formed a joint fleet, unfortunately their number is not large, with only more than forty ships. The three countries have joined forces and their command will inevitably not be smooth. These are our advantages."

Li Weijun nodded and said, "That's right, this is indeed our advantage. We have more than 100 warships, and there are more than 40 battleships. If two fight one, you can't beat foreigners if you don't believe it!"

Lin Jiyun immediately exhilarated and said, "I feel more confident when I hear the Chief of Staff!"

Then, Lin Jiyun ordered the entire fleet to prepare for combat.

"Fight preparation!"

"Rise the battle flag!"

As the flagships played the battle flags, more than 40 main battleships of the East China Sea Fleet set sail and raised the battle flags.

At the same time, a frigate of the Shanghai East China Sea Fleet, about forty frigates slowly sailed out.

This is a bait fleet. Forty frigates are launching an attack on the British, French and American joint fleet, testing the firepower of the enemy fleet, and then pretending to be defeated, leading the enemy fleet to the ambush circle of the main fleet of the Shanghai army to annihilate it.

An hour later, on the British-France-American Joint Fleet flagship and the British Royal Navy's Steam Battleship, Grkin, commander of the Joint Fleet and governor of Canada, received a report and discovered the Shanghai Fleet.

Grkin quickly came to the deck of the overlooking building and asked Lieutenant General George, the combat commander who was observing the enemy with a telescope.

"General George, I heard that the enemy's fleet is coming!"

George put down his telescope and turned around and saluted Gerkin.

In fact, Galkin was just the nominal commander of the joint fleet, and the actual command of the joint fleet of Britain, France and the United States was not in Galkin's hands. Galkin was still a good match for being the governor of Canada and knew nothing about naval combat.

Hearing Grkin's inquiry, George replied: "Yes, Governor General, I found that the naval fleet of the Qing Empire was sailing towards us!"

"How is it? Can you deal with them?" Gerkin asked nervously, without any confidence. If it were a real general, he would not have asked that, which would have hurt morale.

However, George did not blame Gerkin. Such a nobleman who was pampered and respected was naturally timid. He knew that the navy of the Qing Empire was weak and was not a match for the British Empire's navy at all, so he could be scared like this.

"Don't worry, Governor General, we only come dozens of frigates. We also have more than forty warships, and there are three battleships among them. There is no problem in destroying them!"

One asked if he could deal with them, and the other said he had no problem at all.

This is the gap. The mentality gap between civil and military officials is the same everywhere, regardless of national boundaries.

"That's good! That's good!" Gerkin was a little relieved, still very nervous, he was too timid. After all, the shells did not have eyes when fighting.

Seeing Glkin's fear of bear, George sneered and contempt in his heart, so he said, "Leave the battle to me. Please wait in the cabin with the Governor. In less than an hour, I will destroy these Eastern yellow-skinned monkeys!"

Gerkin was naturally happy, so he hurriedly left the deck and returned to the cabin.

George immediately lowered his face when he saw Galkin away.

As a fleet commander, he immediately ordered: "Gentlemen, we are ready to fight!" (To be continued...)
Chapter completed!