Chapter 325 Developing Dawanshan Island
Although limited by objective conditions at the time, senior military officials did not agree to the plan proposed by the Guangdong Office, but in the long run, whether it was for the need to control the Pearl River Estuary channel or to lay the foundation for future entry into the Taiwan Strait, in the Pearl River The establishment of military strongholds in the mouth waters is a necessary step for the future mainland strategy. However, in order to establish a long-term stronghold in the local area, it is not possible to prepare materials and personnel. The military must also consider how to face the complex local environment.
In terms of geographical environment, Hong Kong is of course the best choice, but with the Ming Dynasty Navy stationed there, the military is unlikely to blatantly build some military facilities under the opponent's nose, so the candidate areas can only be temporarily delineated in nearby areas. Wanshan Islands. The Ming army is not the only force entrenched in the waters of the Pearl River Estuary. Judging from the current situation known to the military, there are at least two pirate forces nearby. Their existence is likely to affect the operation of the Pearl River Estuary stronghold. to threaten.
In terms of military strength alone, the Haihan Militia naturally does not have to fear the East Asian pirates of the 17th century. However, the problem is that the current development of the Haihan Militia's navy and land forces is extremely unbalanced. The level of the army is enough to defeat any East Asian army of the same scale. The army, but the navy has just started. There is only one officially listed warship. In terms of fleet tonnage, it is not even as good as Yazhou Water Village. It can also bully South Vietnam, an opponent with negative combat power. If you really want to drag people out to fight at sea, there is no need to talk about it. The military still knows that it does not have such strength at the moment. After all, most people in the navy are still rookies with no experience in water combat.
If you want to establish a stronghold in the Wanshan Islands at the Pearl River Estuary, you must consider that the navigation distance between the local area and Victory Port is more than 300 nautical miles. If a powerful water force cannot be stationed locally, then the actual significance of establishing this stronghold is not great. . No matter how adventurous the people on the Executive Committee are, they would not dare to casually leave the troops they have trained so hard on an isolated island hundreds of sea miles away.
"The launching and outfitting of the No. 2 and No. 3 ships will be completed this month. By then we will have three warships on hand. If we renovate a few more armed merchant ships, they will actually be enough to protect a small island. "As the top commander of the navy, Tom Wang still hopes to send out his surface forces to perform combat missions as soon as possible.
"Expense, in the final analysis, is still a matter of expense!" Yan Chujie shook his head and said: "It is both a navy and an army. If such a force is stationed in the field for a long time, where does the military expenditure come from? The Executive Committee is not an ATM. You can raise as much as you want. How much, it’s impossible to pass just an action plan.”
"In my opinion, it's not feasible to do this alone. You have to find a way to involve other units." Gu Wei lit a cigarette, held it in his mouth and muttered: "Risks are actually all Secondly, is it more risky to go to Annan than to build a stronghold in Wanshan Islands? But think about it carefully, Mr. Yan, you are also an executive committee member. You should be the clearest, tell me.”
Yan Chujie nodded and said: "You are right, Lao Gu. When it comes to sending troops to Annan, the balance point that the Executive Committee considers is risks and benefits. There are indeed risks, but compared with the war dividends we can obtain, The Executive Committee believes that taking this risk is worthwhile. When we want to build a stronghold in the Wanshan Islands, the Executive Committee will also consider this balance relationship if it is just a military expenditure without reasonable output. Given the objective risks, it is difficult to expect the Executive Committee to pass this plan.”
"Lao Gu, I hear what you mean. If you have any ideas, tell us and let's discuss them together!" Wang Tom urged, patting Gu Wei on the shoulder.
"To put it simply, the purpose is to make this plan generate money." Seeing that neither of them had any objection to his previous statement, Gu Wei boldly suggested: "We can use the Guangdong Office or Qiong Lianfa's In the name of building a business warehouse and warehouse in Wanshan Islands, and building a cargo transfer station there, the money will come. ”
Yan Chujie hesitated and said: "It's easy to say, but it's hard to say whether this thing can be profitable!"
"You don't have to worry about this. Take a closer look at the terrain of the Pearl River Estuary!" Gu Wei walked to the table, pointed at the map on the table and explained: "Now a lot of goods are shipped from Chaozhou, Huizhou and Fujian. It must be shipped to Guangzhou first, and then transferred from Guangzhou to Shengli Port. If foreign merchants want to purchase goods, they must first go to Guangzhou, load the goods at the Pearl River Terminal, and then return via the original route. The round trip from the Pearl River Estuary to Guangzhou can be saved and the goods can be delivered and transshipped directly at the Pearl River Estuary.”
Gu Wei got excited and picked up a ruler and started drawing on the map: "Look, from Wanshan Islands to the Pearl River Pier outside Guangzhou, the voyage is more than 80 nautical miles. At the speed of a Chinese sailing ship, it's a long way to go. It will take several days. If there is a convenient transshipment port at the Pearl River Estuary, merchants will definitely be willing to move the delivery point of goods from Guangzhou to a more convenient place, even if it is from the place of origin. Merchant ships sailing directly to Victory Port can also choose the Wanshan Islands as their last supply point and safe haven before leaving the mainland. As long as there is a certain amount of passenger traffic, the existence of a transfer station here is reasonable. "
Yan Chujie touched his chin and nodded repeatedly: "It makes sense. It seems that you are not idle at all, Lao Gu, and you think about it very thoroughly!"
"During the conference a few days ago, Schneider and Gu Kai were sitting in front of me. I overheard them talking about some Ming businessmen's complaints about cargo transshipment, and I had this idea." Gu Wei did not hide it, and said The source of this idea: "The people who are engaged in business also hope that there will be a transfer station at the Pearl River Estuary. I thought that I could join hands with them to do this. And if the Pearl River Estuary is developed in the name of 'Qiong Lianfa' The uninhabited island is also better explained to the local government in Guangdong.”
"It seems it's time to talk to Schneider." After hearing this, Yan Chujie became more confident in the plan proposed by Gu Wei. As for Schneider's business vision, no one in the Cross Group would question it. As long as Schneider said that this plan has commercial development value, the executive committee would definitely agree with it.
"Building a transfer station is a good idea, but the place you chose is not suitable."
The next morning, Schneider was invited to the Military Commission's office to participate in the discussion of the plan. However, after listening to Wang Tom's explanation, he immediately poured cold water on the military representatives: "Commercial Trade Transfer Station A large amount of land is needed to build cargo terminals and storage facilities, but the Dawanshan Island chosen by your military has no advantages except that it has a good natural haven. The entire island is almost mountainous and there is not much. There is a lot of land available for development, and there is almost no potential for commercial development. The only thing with development prospects on the island is probably the fishing industry. Of course, I personally agree with your idea. If this place is built. A military stronghold is very good. The terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The commanding heights on the island can overlook a radius of dozens of nautical miles. It is suitable for monitoring the waterway. ”
Yan Chujie shook his head and said: "Mr. Shi, the purpose of setting up this stronghold is not to build the local area into a business center of the scale of Victory Port. What we want is actually an excessive temporary organization. After two years, we will have a strong army. , this transfer point will definitely be moved to Hong Kong Island, and maybe even the military base will be moved there too.”
"So you just want me to vote in favor of your plan on behalf of the Commerce Department in the Executive Committee?" Schneider was so shrewd. He immediately understood what the military meant when Yan Chujie spoke.
"This is a mutually beneficial and win-win measure." Yan Chujie explained seriously: "Your department can get a safe and convenient transfer station, and our military can also complete the monitoring task of the Pearl River Estuary Channel."
"It's risky to do this!" Schneider still refused to let go.
"There are risks in any business. The key is the rate of return, isn't it?" Yan Chujie continued to persuade without relaxing: "Mr. Shi has taken a lot of risks in his previous business, why are you afraid this time?" ?” Schneider said with a smile: “It’s different from the past. In the past, if you messed up, you could run away to another country. Now if you mess up, you have no place to hide!”
"You have so little confidence in our military?" Wang Tom became a little anxious: "Whether it is pirates or the Ming Dynasty navy, to us, in the end, they are just chickens and dogs! Although we still have relatively few warships, we still have We can’t wait until there are more warships than the opponent before we start planning to expand our maritime supply points!”
Schneider shrugged and said: "Then how are you going to deal with the pirates in the surrounding waters? If a transfer station is set up, the place will be more attractive to pirates. As far as I know, the navy currently does not have the strength to go to sea and fight the enemy head-on. Right? ”
"In the early stage, we will focus on holding on to the port. We are planning to deploy at least one company locally. With our equipment advantages, small-scale pirate attacks are basically just giving us food." Yan Chujie patiently explained to Schneider: " Within this month, the navy will have three warships, and in the first half of the year, three small, one, and four more warships will be on the line. By then, we will be able to send several ships to the local area as a escort force. We are now starting to prepare for the construction of this stronghold. At least it will take more than half a month to implement it. Once the fortifications and warehouses are built locally, the warships in Victory Port will almost be in place.”
"In other words, if a transfer station is to be built, it will probably be put into use in the second half of the year?" Schneider thought for a while and asked: "What is Mr. Tao's opinion on this matter?"
"Mr. Tao said that in terms of military matters, he agrees with the Military Commission's plan, but commercial development requires your approval, Mr. Shi." Yan Chujie immediately added as soon as he heard this. Yan Chujie had already gone to Tao Donglai early this morning and explained the situation to him. Tao Donglai's statement seemed to mean nothing, but upon closer inspection, he actually stood on the side of the military - as long as Schneider was persuaded to nod, the plan would be approved by him.
Schneider could naturally understand the implication of these words, nodded and said: "I understand. Later I will send someone over to get the information on Wanshan Islands. Mr. Yan, please prepare it."
Regarding military matters, Schneider naturally did not dare to listen to one side easily. The only person he could fully trust was Tao Donglai, the person in charge. Since Tao Donglai also approved the military's plan, it would be a bit nitpicking for Schneider to question its feasibility from a military perspective.
Yan Chujie said happily: "Don't bother, I'll have someone send the information to you later."
With Schneider's nod, the chances of the plan's approval were at least doubled. Coupled with Tao Donglai's support, the military could basically start drafting a plan to submit to the Executive Committee.
Regarding the geographical situation of Dawanshan Island, in addition to the content in the database itself, Yu Yao and Xiao Liang of the China Guangdong Office also took boats to the local area many times in the past six months to conduct on-the-spot inspections and took photos. A large amount of video data was sent back to the base camp together with their plans. Therefore, the military needs to draft a plan for building a military stronghold locally, and there is considerable on-the-ground information for reference.
The Wanshan Islands are located just south of the Pearl River Estuary and are a must-pass for the Pearl River's sea route. They include more than 70 islands, large and small, and spread out over an area of approximately 2,600 square kilometers. The Wanshan Islands are the largest of the Wanshan Islands, and the Dawanshan Island selected by the military is the main island of the Wanshan Islands. It is located about 20 nautical miles due south of Zhuhai City in the future, covering an area of more than 8 square kilometers. The upper hills are undulating, and the highest point, Dawanding, is over 400 meters above sea level.
This island is still in an uninhabited state. According to historical records, the first batch of residents who moved to the island did not appear until the 50th year of Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty. Until the data before the crossing, the registered residents of Wanshan Island were also There are only a few thousand people. The island has ample freshwater resources and forest resources. The island's shores are winding and steep, mostly rocky. Only Wanshan Bay in the southwest is surrounded by mountains on three sides and has a natural haven.
According to later information and the preliminary inspection results of the General Office of the People's Republic of China in Guangdong Province, the military believes that a permanent dock facility for ships under 500 tons can be built in this harbor. On the one hand, it serves as a commercial cargo transshipment point, and on the other hand, it can be used as a naval supply port for the military in this area in the future. It is also worth mentioning that the Wanshan Islands are one of the seven major fishing grounds in China and are very rich in fishery resources. The waters surrounding Dawanshan Island are also China’s first marine development experimental zone. There are more than 200 species of commercial fish in this area. , the personnel stationed here will not have to worry about food issues in the future.
Regarding the development and utilization of this kind of uninhabited island, Chuanhui Group actually has relevant experience before, that is, Fusuizhou Island located between Halong Bay and Hainan Island. As a relay station for coal transportation routes, Fushuizhou Island has been quietly playing a role since its development. However, because the local area is not located on a popular waterway, and the ships passing by are almost all the merchant ships of the crossing group, so in addition to some basic Apart from the supply facilities, it has not been specially developed in commercial or military aspects. In terms of development prospects, it cannot be compared with the Dawanshan Island selected by the military this time. However, there will not be much difference between the two in terms of the related initial construction process, and there is much that can be learned from.
Near Wanshan Island, there are also the nearby Xiaowanshan Island, and the three islands that are available for development, Baili Island and Dong'ao Island in the north, are currently in a state of uninhabited islands. Although the area of these islands is not as large as Dawanshan Island, if the surrounding waters can be controlled in the future to ensure maritime safety in the area, these islands can be used as fishery bases for large-scale development.
On April 15, the Military Commission and the Ministry of Commerce jointly submitted a plan to the Executive Committee for the establishment of a commercial transfer station and military base in the Wanshan Islands. The plan states that as the Cross-Training Group relies more and more on exporting industrial products and importing raw materials to the mainland through the window of Guangzhou, the channel safety and commercial development of the Pearl River Estuary waters must also enter a new stage. The establishment of local cargo transfer stations, supplemented by military escorts, has become a development need under the new situation, and this plan should be implemented in the near future to improve the efficiency of cargo transportation in the foreign trade department and increase the number of visits to the Pearl River Estuary. Channel monitoring efforts.
As expected, some people at the meeting did question the safety of building military strongholds and cargo transfer points locally, but the military expressed sufficient confidence in this. Schneider, as a representative of the Ministry of Commerce, also expressed optimism about the prospects of building a local cargo transfer point, and believed that the profit income after the completion of this transfer point can completely offset the cost of long-term military garrison in the local area. Schneider's statement basically put an end to other people's doubts about military expenditures, because currently all foreign units are gradually entering a state of independent accounting of operating expenses. If the local funds are sufficient, not to mention a company of garrison, even if it is like black soil It makes sense for Hong Kong to be expanded into a battalion in this way.
In the final show of hands vote, Tao Donglai, Yan Chujie, Schneider, Ren Liang, and Bai Kesi immediately expressed their approval. Then Mr. Yuan from the Ministry of Agriculture once again unexpectedly and decisively sided with the military. At this time, the vote of approval Already halfway and reaching two-thirds, the proposal to develop Dawanshan Island has been passed.
Afterward, someone asked Mr. Yuan why he chose to side with the military and whether he had not noticed the military risks involved. The old man's answer was also thought-provoking: "There are still natural disasters in farming, how can you be 100% safe in a war?" To be sure of winning, you have to take the risk you have to take! Everyone abandoned everything and traveled to this place. This is the biggest risk. What can be more serious than this? ”
There are two updates today. The first chapter is to make up for yesterday’s content.
(End of chapter)