Chapter 339 Saber-Rattling
"Hoh, this is quite a reception they are showing to us," Francis commented, the binoculars held steady in his hands offering a clear view of the Japanese shore from the deck of the IFNS Napoleon.
Japanese war junks, probably around fifty or seventy of them sailed towards the direction of the French Pacific Fleet formation.
"This is to be expected, Your Imperial Highness," Admiral de Richebourg said. "It's a protocol of the Japanese to sail to any foreign ships and tell them to leave Edo."
"Is that so?" Francis mused, grinning. "Are you saying that they are going to try and tell us to leave their territorial waters?"
"That seemed to be the case, Your Imperial Highness," Admiral de Richebourg nodded. Francis let out a hearty chortle.
"With that wooden ship, powered by sail? I can't believe that this Far Eastern nation called us barbarians when their technology is at pitifully primitive levels compared to ours," Francis continued, his voice laced with incredulity and amusement.
"What are your orders, Your Imperial Highness?" Admiral de Richebourg asked, his tone growing serious.
Francis's light-hearted expression turned serious as well, focusing on the task at hand. "Well we have two objectives here gentlemen," Francis began. "First off is to make the Japanese apologize for the disrespect to the envoy that we sent to open up trade. The second one is to establish ties with them. Japan has a population of over 25 million people, which would increase the market share of France's exports and therefore, increase our national income. Plus, their isolationist policy makes them vulnerable; they're unacquainted with modern warfare. Our technology is superior. A show of force should make them more amenable to negotiations."
"A show of force, how exciting," Daphne, who was also at the bridge deck grinned, her innocent and cheerful facade contrasting sharply with the tension on the deck.
"But what about those Japanese junk fleets that are currently approaching us?" Captain Waldeck inquired.
Francis glanced through the windows of the bridge deck and returned to Captain Waldeck. "As for those junk ships, well, I don't think they present a threat to us so why not let them come near us and have them realize by themselves how inferior they are and that they aren't going to stand a chance should a conflict arise between our nations. Our ships after all can take direct hits from 406 mm armor-piercing shells, their measly cannonballs wouldn't even leave a dent on our hull," Francis said confidently.
Captain Waldeck nodded in agreement. The disparity in firepower and technology was clear and evident.
"Understood, Your Imperial Highness. We are not to fire on the Japanese junks."
***
Seventy Japanese junk ships rowed towards the French Pacific Fleet. Their mission was simple and clearly stated in the protocol. They are to signal the westerner's ships to leave Edo Bay or be fired upon. They usually do it by boarding the western ship but—there is a problem on that side.
The Japanese military officers aboard the Japanese war junks craned their necks up as they got close to the INFS Napoleon Battleship. It was so high that boarding it would be impossible.
"How were these barbarians able to construct such a ship? Let alone have it float. The weight of the iron alone would sink it," observed one of the Japanese officers, disbelief and awe mixing in his voice.
"It doesn't matter…" said the other officer. He may have sounded nonchalant on the outside but he is terrified on the inside. "We signal them to leave the bay."
With that, one of the Japanese war junks raised a large sign with French words written on it. The sign read: "PARTIR IMMéDIATEMENT" - "DEPART IMMEDIATELY." Aboard the IFNS Napoleon, Francis squinted to read the message. A slight smirk curled the corner of his lips. "Admiral, it seems they know how to write our language, this would be easy for us."
"They're not as isolated as we thought, sire," the Admiral responded, noting the use of their language.
"They might have learned it from the Dutch at Dejima," Captain Waldeck added, referring to the artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki that was the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the country's long period of isolation.
"Well, we are not going to comply with their demands. Tell all ships in our fleet to remain in their position. Should the Japanese try anything such as attempting to board, they are to be repelled with force," Francis ordered.
But that is an impossible task. A Japanese war junk has an average specification of 20 meters in length and 6 meters in width. Boarding the IFNS Napoleon which is over 60 meters in height with such vessels would be insurmountable," Captain Waldeck analyzed.
The Japanese, too, understood this, and they were not prepared for a military confrontation with a force so technologically superior. Their sign to depart was more of a customary gesture than a real threat.
But the French Pacific Fleet did nothing but drop their anchor, a sign of their refusal to vacate the Japanese waters. They were there to stay, at least for the time being. This move further heightened the tension between the two forces. The Japanese officers, aboard their junks, were visibly unsettled but equally unwilling to retreat. It was a standoff, a silent confrontation where actions, not words, spoke the loudest.
The standoff went on until evening when the port city of Uruga was lit by lanterns hung on homes and establishments along the shore. The Japanese junks remained stationed at a distance surrounding each warship of the French Pacific Fleet.
The French Pacific Fleet warship's lights were on, illuminating the waters around them in stark contrast to the dimly lit Japanese junk.
The next morning, the standoff continued. The silent, tense atmosphere was broken by the arrival of a small boat from the shore.
Francis, who was gazing at the horizon, looking at the astonishing sight of a cone-like summit covered with snow that glistened brightly under the sun's rays, turned his attention to the small boat. It was Mount Fuji, a sight he had only seen in paintings before, but the arrival of the boat brought him back to the pressing reality.
"It seems that the Japanese are sending an envoy, Your Imperial Highness," Captain Waldeck said.
"Well, it's perfect timing. I was planning on sending an envoy to the shore to get an audience with the highest-ranking government officials of Japan. Looks like I don't have to because their government beat us to it."
"What do you think they'll say, sir?" Captain Waldeck asked.
"It's obvious, the reason why we are in their territorial waters and why we are not complying with their demands of departing the bay," Francis said. "Prepare to lift them up, I will meet them in the Admiral's quarters. The room would serve perfectly as a meeting place."