Obviously, it is an important strategic port, and once exposed, it will not only protect the provincial capital, but also let the largest shipyard fall into the hands of the enemy. With such an important port of Mawei, why did the Manchu Qing Navy allow French warships to drive straight in, allowing the enemy to occupy a key position and launch a devastating war against itself? Is it a strategic invitation to the urn? Or is it the cowardice lurking in the bones that is at work?
In 1883, the French invaders used Vietnam as a springboard to launch a war of aggression against China under Manchu control. Based on the French army's lack of understanding of the Manchu navy, the initial battle ended in a partial victory in the Manchus. At this time, Li Hongzhang vigorously advocated the strategy of "avoiding war" in the DPRK and China, and strove to "cultivate obscurity" and cease war with France by the Manchu Qing government.
However, there were also men in the Manchu Qing government who had not lost their blood, and the officials of the "Qing school" demanded that the Qing Dynasty dispose of Li Hongzhang, abolish the signed treaty, and at the same time engage in a deadly confrontation with the French invaders on the grounds of the unequal treaty signed by Li Hongzhang and France.
Because of the obstruction of the "Qing faction", the treaty signed by Li Hongzhang did not continue, and the French government at this time issued an ultimatum to the Manchu Qing government, demanding that the Manchu Qing immediately withdraw their troops, pay reparations, and cut off land. The Manchus threatened that if they did not see the Manchu "performance" within 7 days, France would occupy the important port of Fuzhou as a "collateral" for the Manchu performance.
Three days later, under the leadership of the French admiral, the French naval fleet informed the Manchu Qing that "French warships need to enter the port of Fuzhou to travel", and then the French warships sailed to Mawei Port one by one.
Mawei Port was of considerable importance to the Manchu government, and if it were lost, Fuzhou would be completely exposed to the guns of the enemy fleet, and even the largest shipyard would not survive. Simply put, if it were lost here, the Manchus would have lost their naval superiority in the Fuzhou area, and conversely, the enemy would have an absolute advantage in the engagement.
It was such an important position that the French army said that it was about to enter with a "journey", and it was absolutely impossible to allow enemy warships to enter Mawei Harbor smoothly and fully expose their weaknesses.
However, because of the ignorance of Zhang Peilun and others, Fujian's minister of maritime affairs, who did not understand international law at all, they not only allowed French warships to sail to Mawei Port without hindrance, but also allowed Manchu Qing soldiers to "entertain" the French army, and even came up with the highest standards for entertaining foreign guests.
At the same time, Zhang Peilun and others also ordered everyone in the navy not to shoot a single shot at the French warship, otherwise even if they won, the shooters would have to "move their heads." With the "help" of Manchu officials, French warships entered Mawei Harbor one after another at the rate of several ships per day.
After the French warships entered Mawei Harbor, they did not have the slightest idea of "traveling", but constantly tracked the Fuzhou Marine Division warships, showing an end-to-end situation with them. At the same time, the French warships also observed the favorable terrain on the Ma River, occupying a position that could always threaten the Fujian Marine Division. Even though France had exposed its wolf ambitions, the Manchus were unaware.
It was Zhang Peilun who discovered the unusualness of the French warships, and then immediately asked for the support of other naval warships. However, except for the Guangdong Marine Division, which supported the two warships, the other two Naval Divisions did not provide any assistance. The most common reply is "I don't move when the enemy doesn't move." In this way, the entire Fujian Marine Division was completely bound by the French warships, until after the French war, the Fujian Marine Division was quickly annihilated.