Three Hundred and Eighteen What a Coincidence

"Let me introduce you, Drake."

In the patrol commander's office temporarily belonging to Nelson in the Outer Port Authority, Nelson introduced the collaborators of this operation to Lorraine.

"Colonel William Cornwallis, my dear friend, the captain of the frigate HMS Prairie Lion. William has already received an order from the Home Fleet, so the Jazz pulled him out of the Gulf of Mexico ahead of time, and used his ship in the New World The last patrol mission strengthens the capacity and firepower of the sea-covering fleet."

Lorraine nodded to William Cornwallis.

"Lieutenant Colonel Cuthbert Collingwood, you are already old acquaintances. He was temporarily assigned to be the commander of the HMS Unicorn destroyer this time, but don't worry, the Sir gave him permission to bring the Wasp's team with him." Come over, even if it’s a new ship, there won’t be any running-in problems.”

As Nelson said, Lorraine and Collingwood are old acquaintances, and Lorraine congratulated him on his promotion.

Collingwood smiled very modestly, saying that his official establishment was still on the Wasp, and that the unicorn would be returned after this operation was over.

"Major Oliver Spencer, the commander of the 1st Regiment and Battalion in Jamaica, and the confidant of Major General Darling. This time he led four reinforced companies to expand the territory of Great Britain. He is the deputy chosen by Major General Darling for me. Experience and top-notch ability to respond to emergencies.”

Nelson thought for a moment, then added: "Major Spencer is a perfect gentleman and a pious Puritan, and we get along very well."

This sentence means that Oliver Spencer is much more friendly than John Lechde. Nelson has already dealt with the problem of sea-land connection. The sea-scanning operation will not be like the Halloween operation, where the military services will fight independently. the behavior of.

From now on, Lorraine deliberately looked at Major Spencer twice.

A thin and clean middle-aged man, wearing the unique bright red military uniform of the British Army, he was meticulous in the details of the clothing.

The military uniforms of British officers adopt a mode in which the core elements are limited and then handed over to the officers for self-made self-made. There is no unified procurement and distribution.

So a scrupulously clean military uniform indicates at least a few things.

Major Spencer had a good traditional education.

His family is very good.

He is rigid and serious, and has a sense of identity with his current job.

This is all good news.

Lorraine smiled and stretched out his hand: "Lorraine Anason Drake, the president of the Southampton Drake Chamber of Commerce, and the chairman of the Kingston Drake Caribbean Branch. Nice to meet you."

Major Spencer paused for a moment: "Are you the boss that Chuck said is either fighting or exploring? You are so young?"

Lorraine also disagreed: "Could it be that the major happens to be acquainted with my president?"

"The Spencer family has a long-standing friendship with the Parker family. We have known each other since we were three years old and were classmates until college."

"That's... what a coincidence."

After the simple pleasantries, the meeting was directly adjusted to a combat meeting.

This is Nelson's habit.

This person who is obsessed with official career on the surface is actually a workaholic. Although he is not the kind of alien who never leaves work, but like Lorraine, he can't stand doing nothing before everything is uncertain.

He spread out the chart.

"Why wait for Drake to come and call this meeting?" Nelson started with a question of his own, "because his team can be entrusted with important tasks."

"Drake is a fighter brought up by the hereditary baronet family in Tavistock, the top fighter in England, and the rare champion of the Plymouth Sea School in a century."

"I worked with Cuthbert on the Halloween operation, and he and his team played a central role in the beach capture, decoys, ambushes and finally the decisive battle at sea."

"Please don't treat him as an ordinary mercenary. He is a reliable partner in the sea and on land. Even the reason why Jazz agreed to take the sea operation? It is largely based on the fact that I can get Drake to fully assist in this One reason."

"It's the same this time."

Nelson shakes off the baton? The focus is on the San Juan Estuary.

"According to the action plan formulated by Major General Darling, we will land from the narrow mouth of the San Juan River? Go westward from the source."

"The San Juan River is the only waterway that connects Lake Nicaragua with the Caribbean Sea. It is also the most realistic and smooth passage through the jungle. During the wet season, the shallowest water depth is 5 meters, with an average of 7 meters. It can accommodate large ships."

"But there is the area controlled by the Spaniards. During the wet season? Will their navy be fortified in the river? We have no chance of raiding."

"Now is the dry season. The shallowest part of the water is less than 2 meters deep, and the average water depth is less than 3 meters. Our warships can't get in? The Spanish ships can't get in either. This is our opportunity."

"We will go back to the source by assault boat? To this end, the ships belonging to the Lanhai Fleet are specially equipped with ten-meter-long boats and detachable masts, so that the wind can help us go against the current."

"The crew of the big boat is 70 people, six boats is 420 people? Plus the eight small boats brought by Drake, each with 20 people? This means that we can transport up to 580 people."

"And the total number of landing troops is 4 reinforced companies, 480 infantry? 40 artillery, 8 light artillery? More than enough capacity!"

Lorraine didn't hear any sense of excess in Nelson's words.

The traceability march is not a purely mathematical problem.

Hundreds of kilometers of travel? The harsh environment of the rainforest? Supplies, medicines, supplies, and marines who are good at handling ships must be prepared. The actual transport capacity will never be less than the needs of the landing troops.

This made Lorraine very puzzled.

With Nelson's quality, even if he is dazzled by meritorious deeds and fortune, he will not be able to figure out this kind of hidden tent that is floating on the surface. In this case, why is he still so sure?

Lorraine frowned and knocked on the table: "How about resupply and rest along the way?"

Nelson smiled knowingly.

"I have already discussed this with Major Spencer. The four companies assigned to the operation this time are the elite of the Jamaican garrison. They are hard-working and familiar with the rainforest. We will let two companies march along the river bank. The way to ensure the physical strength and morale of soldiers."

Lorraine suddenly realized.

Half of the people marching by land is indeed a good way to solve the transportation capacity. Although it is not the best way, they cannot send a large number of boats into San Juan during the dry season.

Doing this kind of thing in the Spanish-controlled area is likely to alert the Spaniards in advance.

But... from the perspective of actual combat, this kind of plan is still too fragile...

Is there any way to increase the capacity and firepower without being noticeable?

Lorraine's fingers traced the winding waterways of San Juan, muttering to himself.

"During the dry season, will the indigenous fishermen still fish?"

Nelson froze for a moment: "Are you planning to snatch the native fishing boat?"

Lorraine shook his head dumbfoundingly: "Even if we ignore the uncertainty of the ship being robbed, an empty ship can't help us much. It can only be used as a means of transportation, and it will increase our demand for sailors."

"I mean, let my boat disguise itself as a fishing boat and sneak in first."

"Your ship?"

"Yes." Lorraine nodded, "I grabbed some medium-sized single-masted ships in Bimini, all of which are old commercial ships. They are not very useful in offshore conversion, but it is just right to put them on the San Juan River."

"As long as they are assigned enough native fishermen and let them enter the river mouth before us, it shouldn't attract the attention of the Spaniards."

Nelson's eyes lit up: "You mean, we will separate from the supply and then meet in the river?"

Lorraine nodded slightly.

"How long will it take? And how can reliable indigenous fishermen solve it!"

"It's not far from Port Royal. From rowing boats, selecting people, deploying supplies, and sending the boats into the estuary, it will take no more than two weeks at most. As for the candidates, there happens to be a Miskito fisherman among my crew son-in-law, he can take charge of this matter."

"The son-in-law of the Miskitos?" Nelson was stunned.

"It's the son-in-law of the Miskitos, a Viking." Lorraine laughed inexplicably, "and coincidentally, the group of Miskitos can't speak English, but almost everyone can speak Spanish .”

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