The Portsmouth Port, where the Fourth Fleet is moored, some of the Royal Fleet ships, almost the entire port is for military service. There are military barracks of soldiers on the shore and many shipyards that employ thousands of workers. However, as a fleet base, it is said that it relies on serving ships to make a living.

After the outbreak of the British Civil War, this place was a transcendent existence, and neither the King's Army nor the Parliamentary Army dared to capture the heavily guarded port.

The Royal Navy's side is important. Whoever the King and Parliament can get a lot of aid from overseas, will be subject to others.

In order to revive the Navy, Charles I collected ship taxes from various counties, and successively raised 800,000 pounds to invest in naval construction. He also built a huge three-deck battleship like the Sea King for the Navy.

However, after the civil war broke out, the Royal Fleet's behavior was very unclear and did not seem to want to stand on the king's side.

The Royal Fleet's hesitation caused some dissatisfaction with the Fourth Fleet, which once fought with the Royal Fleet in the Mediterranean.

The Fourth Fleet obviously stood on the side of the king, but did not want to intervene in the struggles within Britain to avoid being hated by ordinary people and not working hard in the future. Therefore, the Fourth Fleet wanted to make the Royal Fleet stand on the side of the king.

"In the letter, Sun Chuanting claimed that the King's Army was facing the biggest crisis. After the spring of next year, the Scottish vowed army would join the civil war in England. So we wanted to go to 1,000 muskets and 2 artillery to help the King's Army train a new army." Sun Xu, commander of the Fourth Fleet, summoned the main officials of the Fourth Fleet to discuss with them how to help the King.

"1,000 muskets and 2 artillery pieces may not help the king to win? Although the militia in Britain is not strong, it is still much stronger than the indigenous kingdoms in the South China Sea. They have many factories that can produce artillery, but few people have the experience of participating in wars." Ruan Youjin said.

"He plans to train an elite infantry of 7,000 and an elite cavalry of 5,000. The firearms we assist the King's Army are for the use of the central infantry in order to strengthen the firepower during frontal volleys." Sun Xu said.

"We cannot participate in the battle in person, so we can only provide weapons for the King's Army. There is indeed a batch of spare muskets and artillery in our supply ship. We were originally intended to prevent the need to supply and equipment for our soldiers from time to time. However, if we cannot participate in the war in person, it will be useless to keep it. Instead, we can help the King's Army. After the war is over, the rewards of aid should be more amazing." Zheng Zhibao stretched.

The battle on the British land was in full swing, and the Fourth Fleet could only stand by and watch, which inevitably made them feel like they were doing nothing.

Countries on the continent are also busy fighting wars, and no kingdom has the strength to intervene in the internal struggles of Britain. In other words, the Fourth Fleet is currently in an embarrassing situation where there is no threat, but can only stand by and watch.

"It's not that we won't participate in the war, but we have to wait for an appropriate opportunity to be able to intervene in their internal wars as a just person." Sun Xu emphasized.

"Commander, when will we be able to go on the battlefield in person? Our Fourth Fleet and the Far West Expeditionary Force can send 3,000 people to fight ashore, and we should be able to defeat the parliamentary army." asked Ruan Youjin, Zheng Zhibao and other militant naval officers.

"I don't know, there may be a suitable opportunity, or there may not be... If Sun Chuanting could use the king's army to defeat the parliament, it would undoubtedly be the best result. Helping the king defeat the parliament, the king would owe us a lot of favors, and we don't have to offend the ordinary people in England and Scotland." Sun Xu was also a little confused.

"Ruan Youjin, you lead 300 marine soldiers to transport the firearms requested by Sun Chuanting to Oxford to fund the king. After being safely delivered to Oxford, you will come back. Unless you encounter attacks from the parliamentary army, you must not have conflicts with the parliamentary army. By the way, remember to take the Qinglong flag of our Admiralty. If the parliamentary army sees our flag, you must weigh the consequences of the conflict with us."

"Abide by the order!"

"Sir, the Royal Fleet seems to be a little closer to the Parliament. We must pay close attention to their movements. If they join forces with the Parliament, it may cause difficulties in obtaining supplies from the sea for the King's Army."

"Royal Navy...I will have a good talk with General Pennington later. Even if they are unwilling to help the king, they cannot let them stand on the side of the parliament." Sun Xu said.

The Royal Navy in Britain had several ports, and Sir Pennington, who happened to be in charge of the Royal Navy, was stopping in Portsmouth Harbor. Hearing that Sun Xu, the commander of the Fourth Fleet, came to visit, Sir Pennington quickly asked the officer from the East to come in.

"Admiral Pennington, you and I worked together to defeat the Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean. The Ottoman Navy, you should know that I have always been straight to the point. Our people have noticed that your navy is very close to the parliament, and it seems to have the intention of helping the parliament blockade the king's army from the sea." Sun Xu directly found a chair to sit down.

After working with Sir Pennington in the Mediterranean, he stationed in Portsmouth. The commanders of the two fleets looked up and saw each other. They were usually familiar with each other and spoke very bluntly.

"I am helpless... Please have tea." Sir Pennington sighed, "The civil war suddenly broke out, and many counties supported the parliament. They assembled more than 5,000 cavalry and 25,000 infantry. The Earl of Essex led the army against the king only part. Some counties also controlled important ports and trade routes. Our ships at the port of Plymouth were controlled by the parliament. Not to mention that many naval officers themselves were members of the parliament or their relatives served as members of the parliament..."

"Recently, the Parliament has even extended an olive branch to us and agreed to set up a special naval organization after the war to increase the salary and treatment of all naval officers. Therefore, many sailors and soldiers at the bottom have high voices in supporting the parliament. I am inclined to support the king. After all, the king raised 800,000 pounds to improve our fleet. However, it is undoubtedly a difficult thing to curb the call of some officers and soldiers to support the parliament. Because after the war began, the king could not pay our military pay to our navy, and the parliament had the legislative power to collect taxes legitimately to pay our navy's salary."

Sir Pennington said his difficulties.

When Sun Xu heard this, he roughly understood how the Parliament bought the Royal Navy from Charles I. It was a big stick and a carrot, trying to make the Royal Navy stand on the side of the Parliament.
Chapter completed!