Chapter 423: Everything Will Be Fine

The news that the Dutch-Indian Army on Borneo was completely wiped out quickly reached the Governor's Office in Batavia. The Governor of Batavia, Tevez, who was the first to learn of the news, was like being struck by a bolt from the blue.

Tevez was stunned on the spot, his face full of astonishment. He once thought that there was something wrong with his hearing.

More than 4,000 people, a brigade of troops, were gone in such a short time?

After recovering from his shock, Tevez's expression gradually became solemn.

The Dutch-Indian Army was defeated so badly in West Borneo that resigning was the best result for him.

For a moment, Tevez was actually confused.

Liang Yao was able to swallow more than 4,000 new Dutch-Indian troops on Borneo, which meant that if Tevez wanted to turn the situation around, he had to send at least tens of thousands of Dutch-Indian soldiers to West Borneo.

The total strength of the Dutch-Indian Army in the entire East Indies region of the Dutch-Indian authorities was only more than 29,000 people.

Excluding the more than 4,000 people who were lost in West Borneo, the total strength of the Dutch-Indian Army is only more than 25,000. Among these 25,000 Dutch-Indian Army, more than two-thirds are native soldiers with low combat literacy.

Of course, it does not mean that if the Dutch-Indian Army has 25,000 people, Tevez can mobilize 25,000 people to fight in West Borneo.

The Dutch-Indian authorities need the Dutch-Indian Army to maintain order in their colonies in the East Indies, and it is impossible to withdraw all the troops.

Tevez can only squeeze out 5,000 to 6,000 mobile troops.

In the past, the 5,000 to 6,000 Dutch-Indian Army was a terrifying armed force in the East Indies, and even in the entire Southeast Asia.

However, according to the intelligence from the front line, the 5,000 to 6,000 Dutch-Indian Army did not seem to have any advantage against Liang Yao's Western Brigade.

"Krusen, when will our fleet be able to complete the assembly?"

Tevez asked Crusen, the commander of the East Indies Fleet, in a very stern tone. He now seemed very impatient.

The navy, the Dutch-Indonesian authorities' maritime power in the East Indies, has now become Tevez's only hope.

Ever since Liang Yao intervened in the Dutch-Chinese War on Borneo Island.

The East Indies Fleet led by Crusen is one of the few armed forces that can inflict heavy damage on Liang Yao.

Although Liang Yao has been promoting their victory in the Battle of Java, Batavia has always sneered at the matter. They do not think that the East Indies Fleet, which was the first to withdraw from the battlefield, is the defeated party. The East Indies Fleet is just making tactical adjustments.

Even Tevez himself believes this statement, believing that the East Indies Fleet is not without the ability to completely wipe out Liang Yao's patchwork of miscellaneous maritime forces, but that the East Indies Fleet has not completed mobilization.

However, Crusen, an eyewitness of this naval battle, does not think so. The mobilization capability is originally part of the fleet's strength.

Crusen still remembers the steam giants wrapped in iron sheets and with strange gun layouts that he saw in the Battle of Java.

These steam ships with thick protection and sharp artillery may not be easily taken down by the Royal Netherlands Navy, let alone the East Indies Fleet.

Of course, this is just a thought.

Crusen knew very well that the Royal Netherlands Navy would not directly intervene in the war. If the Royal Netherlands Navy intervened.

The American Navy naturally had reasons to intervene, which was a situation that the Dutch-Indonesian authorities did not want to see.

Although the United States is not a first-class power, its size is still scary enough compared to the Netherlands.

It stands to reason that the battlefield is in Borneo Island and the Java Sea area, and the Dutch-Indonesian authorities have the advantage of fighting at home.

It’s just that the Dutch authorities have been keen on plundering the raw materials of the East Indies and squeezing the commercial value of the East Indies for two hundred years since they colonized the East Indies, and the construction of the East Indies is very limited.

Even in Batavia, the most developed in the East Indies, the handicraft industry is not very developed, not to mention the industry that is lacking even in the Netherlands.

The weak industrial foundation means that the war potential of the East Indies is very limited. Not only can the East Indies not produce warships, but even guns and cannons rely on local supplies.

The voyage from San Francisco to Borneo Island is obviously shorter than the voyage from Amsterdam to Batavia.

"If we don't care about the cost, our fleet can be assembled within three weeks. But as a naval commander, I don't recommend you to do this. The East India Fleet is our last barrier. If there is any mishap with the East India Fleet, it will take us at least four to five months to get support from the mainland."

Crusen said after a moment of silence.

"Four to five months?" Tevez shook his head, "If Batavia continues to be blockaded like this, let alone four to five months, I'm afraid it may not last even a month. Batavia's trade routes must be restored as soon as possible."

Tevez can't wait for four to five months.

If Batavia continues to be blockaded like this for four to five months, even if Liang Yao doesn't come, there will be chaos inside.

He Tevez can bear the pain of material shortages, but the young men who came to Batavia from the mainland to gild themselves can't bear this pain, and the shop owners and citizens of Batavia can't stand the lack of goods flowing into Batavia for a long time.

"But sir," Crusen wanted to dissuade Tevez, hoping that Tevez would not rashly use the last card in their hand.

After the setbacks on both the sea and the land, it was difficult for them to withstand another big defeat.

If Tevez does this, what is the difference between Andersen, who underestimates the enemy and rushes in, and becomes a prisoner?

"As long as our navy is assembled, everything will be fine. General Cruson, I will give you four weeks. After four weeks, you must regain control of the sea.

Warships sailing on the ocean are far more intimidating than those lying in the dock. Now even pirates dare to run wild in the waters near Batavia. As the highest naval commander in the East Indies, can you remain indifferent? ? "

Tevez interrupted Cruson, waved his hand towards Cruson and said.

"Follow your orders, General Cruson."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Governor!" Kruson could only agree helplessly.

The only thing he can do now is to seize the time to repair the damaged warships and let more armed merchant ships gather in Batavia, so that he will have a considerable maritime force available in four weeks.

"Your Excellency the Governor, Bonham, the British Governor of Hong Kong, would like to see you."

While the two were discussing, Tevez's assistant gently knocked on the door and asked cautiously.

"Governor? See you."

Tevis didn't know what Bonham's purpose was in coming to Batavia at this time, but it would be best to meet the British governor.

Relations with Britain were the diplomatic relations that the Governor of Batavia needed to prioritize, but Tevez had more interactions with the British Governor of the Channel, the Governor of Malacca. The relationship with the Hong Kong Governor is not very deep.

Tevez's attitude towards the British is complicated.

Britain and the Netherlands were both European partners and competitors in colonizing Southeast Asia together.

Previously, Tevez was wary and dissatisfied with the British adding the Sarawak region of Borneo into the sphere of influence of the British Empire.