A month later, the French naval squadron bound for Canton was entering the final phase of its journey across the seas.
Only a week remained before they would reach China.
Even among the officers who had spent years at sea, the pace of the voyage still felt unusual. Before the widespread use of steam propulsion, such a journey from Europe to East Asia could take many months depending on wind and weather. Now the fleet had crossed half the world in a fraction of that time.
Ahead of the formation, the massive hull of the battleship Napoleon I cut through the calm waters of the western Pacific.
Her steel hull rose above the surrounding escort vessels like a moving fortress. Twin quadruple turrets rested along the forward deck while thick armor plates reflected the pale morning sunlight.
Behind her, the two battlecruisers Austerlitz and Trafalgar maintained position on either flank, their long sleek hulls built for speed and long-range operations.
