"Marshal, Destroyer No. 3609 reports that the US fleet has been spotted in the waters south of St. Lucia!" On the bridge of the US Atlantic Fleet's flagship 'Azores', a staff officer quickly reported the latest information to Kirkbride. Devour the novel and on the chart, standardize the position.
"Oh?" Kirkbride hurriedly walked in front of Haitu, and said, "Hmph! Didn't escape back to the United States, did you want to fight us here?"
"Is it the main fleet of the Americans?" asked Kirkbride. [bsp; "According to the report of destroyer No. 3608, only the size of the Will Fleet can be distinguished from the number and shape of the capital ship. What they discovered is the 4th Fleet of the US Navy!" the staff officer replied.
"Are there any gains for the rest of the reassuring scout ships?" Kirkbride asked suspiciously. The Americans will definitely not leave only one fleet, and the other fleets must be nearby.
"No, none of the other reconnaissance ships have encountered the American fleet yet!" said the staff officer.
"The other American fleets must be nearby!" Kirkbride said with certainty.
Sure enough, after a few minutes, scouting ships reported one after another. They encountered scouting ships of the US fleet, and at least ten French destroyers reported that they were fighting with destroyers or cruisers of the US fleet.
"The U.S. fleet should be in this area!" Kirkbride drew a circle on the chart with a pencil, just enclosing St. Lucia and Martinique. From the situation reported by the reconnaissance ship, Kirkbride guessed the approximate position of the US fleet.
"Hmph! I don't know whether to admire the courage of the Americans or to laugh at their ignorance. Do they think that with just these five fleets, they can defeat us? Or, in other words, they can stop us. Since, they If you want a decisive battle here, then let them do it. Inform Marshal Clarence that the main force of the American fleet has appeared, please hide them temporarily and wait for the big fish to catch the bait." Kirkbride ordered.
Although, the Atlantic Fleet has only 6 capital ships, and the US Navy has 5 fleets with a total of 20 capital ships. But Kirkbride is still full of confidence. It's not that whoever has the most battleships will be able to win. Especially after the torpedo was invented and put into actual combat, a torpedo launched by a battleship of tens of thousands of tons, or perhaps a destroyer of more than one thousand tons, could send him into the bottom of the sea.
"Command the fleet, target Saint Lucia Island, advance at full speed!" Kirkbride gave the order. Since the enemy exposed the US 4th Fleet as bait, the Atlantic Fleet will eat this bait first. Let the U.S. Navy pay a certain price first. weaken their strength.
Almost when the French destroyer No. 3609 spotted the US 4th Fleet, the US fleet also spotted the destroyer.
"General, we found a French destroyer!" On the USS Georgia, the flagship of the US 4th Fleet, a staff officer quickly reported the discovery of the French warship to Tricker.
"Damn it, send a warship to kill him!" Trick replied directly.
"General, it's a French 'Dolphin' class destroyer. We don't have any warships to catch up with him!" The staff officer said profusely with sweat. With the speed of the French "Dolphin" class, no American warship can catch up. Moreover, the difference between the two sides is at least ten kilometers, and it is even more impossible to catch up.
"What else do you say? Command the fleet and get ready for battle! The French should be coming soon. Also, send a power call to the Admiralty and General Aldridge to inform them of the situation," Tricker said. Under his order, the US 4th Fleet began to prepare for battle one after another. The gun coat was taken off, the shells were loaded, and the launcher was loaded. The ferocious muzzle pointed obliquely at the sea, where the French navy might appear. The destroyers and cruisers, except those left to protect the capital ship, all scattered. They needed to intercept the French destroyer formation in the first place and prevent them from launching lightning strikes on the capital ship. From the previous three naval battles, it has been confirmed that the French torpedoes have a strong attack power. If a capital ship is hit by more than two torpedoes, it will basically have to be reimbursed. Moreover, single or damaged capital ships are the favorite prey of the French destroyer formation. They can rely on their speed advantage to surround the capital ship, and then launch a lightning strike, leaving the capital ship with nowhere to hide. Under such intensive lightning strikes, few battleships could escape. Therefore, when it was impossible to imitate French torpedoes, the U.S. Navy could only rely on the most stupid method to prevent the French fleet from being struck by lightning.
"The 10th Fleet and the 12th Fleet will immediately go to the sea area where the 4th Fleet is located, preparing to launch a fierce battle with the French. In addition, the 8th Fleet and the 3rd Fleet will form a reserve team. Depending on the development of the battle situation, when to decide Re-enter the battlefield." Aldrich immediately issued an order.
Almost at the same time, Kirkbride also sent the news of the encounter with the US fleet back to the Admiralty and the Mediterranean Fleet behind them, the joint fleet composed of the French Channel Fleet and the South Atlantic Fleet, which was already arriving quickly.
For a moment, all the attention of France and the United States was focused on the waters near St. Lucia, a small and unnoticeable island in the Lesser Antilles. Here will be the largest naval battle between France, the United States and Canada after the war, and perhaps the largest naval battle in human history. France has invested all its naval power, and the United States and Canada have also invested more than 90% of their naval power. The outcome of this battle will really determine who will become the master of the Atlantic Ocean, whether the French Army will land in North America or the US Army will re-land in Europe.
The seat of the French Admiralty, Le Havre Naval Base. Burt and Sucrete were looking at the map with serious faces.
"If time is not urgent, we can completely occupy the Caribbean Sea first, and after consolidating here, we can attack the United States northward." Sucrete said with some regret.
"However, the empire can't hold on for long. A few days ago, Prime Minister Forbeck was still asking when he could land in North America. His Majesty the Emperor is also very concerned about this matter. Therefore, we have no extra time to delay." Bull Te also said. Although he knew that encroaching on the United States step by step was the safest way, but time did not allow them to do so.
Sucrete also nodded. If France's economic conditions and social environment were more relaxed, maybe France would win this war more easily. Instead of going to the present, I am not very sure.
"How is the preparation of the brilliant fleet?" Boult asked.
"They are cruising 500 kilometers east of the Atlantic Fleet, and they can go into battle within a day." Sucrete replied. "It's just that, according to other information, the Americans once again dispatched the only two fleets left in the country, and Canada also sent two fleets. Now these four fleets are quickly rushing to the Caribbean. Among them, The U.S. 1st and 2nd Fleets will be able to arrive in two days. The Canadian Fleet will also be able to arrive at the battlefield in three days."
"Let the brilliant fleet approach earlier and shorten the distance to 200 kilometers. In addition, do it later. Since the Americans have sent reinforcements, then we will kill their reinforcements together, so that they will completely lose their ability to fight back. ’” Burt said harshly. Since the Americans will continue to send them to the door, of course the French Navy cannot let them go.
"But if this is the case, the Atlantic Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet will be under great pressure! Their number of capital ships is too small, and I'm afraid they won't be able to withstand the opponent's attack!" Sucrete said worriedly.
"It doesn't matter, as long as this battle can be won, even if the Atlantic Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet lose all the capital ships, it is worthwhile. Besides, the Strait Fleet and the South Atlantic Fleet are also rushing to the battlefield, and they will be able to do so in two days." Arrived. Besides, after the birth of the 'Brilliant' class warships, the current capital ships are all obsolete. After the war is over, all the navy's capital ships will also be replaced by the 'Brilliant' class~www.mtlnovel.com~Boolean He said firmly. In addition, he also believed that the Atlantic Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet would definitely survive.
Sucrete nodded, and then went to give the order. The long electric wave directly passed from Le Havre to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.
A group of ten huge warships, larger than any capital ship currently available, was hidden in the area east of the Lesser Antilles under the protection of a dozen destroyers.
After receiving a telegram from the French Ministry of the Navy, the fleet set sail and sailed westward quickly.
Under Kirkbride's order, all the more than 140 warships of the Atlantic Fleet headed for St. Lucia. The billowing thick smoke formed a dark cloud directly over the fleet, covering the sun.
Now that the U.S. Navy has cast the 4th Fleet as bait. Then, the Atlantic Fleet will eat this bait without hesitation. It is also a very attractive bait to use a whole fleet of more than forty warships as bait.
Three hours later, at 11 am on the 28th, the huge French Atlantic Fleet appeared in front of all officers and soldiers of the US 4th Fleet.