Port Said, is a Suez Canal port located on the Mediterranean side.

Since the opening of the Suez Canal, it has become one of the busiest ports in the world.

No, hardly, it was the largest coaling station in the world at the end of the 19th century.

Almost every day, millions of tons of freighters and cruise ships of all kinds pass through Port Said, where the ships are replenished with supplies and sailors come ashore to revel, and then prepare for a long, lonely journey.

To this end, Port Said has a wide range of facilities, from port facilities to various recreational facilities.

When the time entered the stage of world war, the status of Port Said was infinitely raised.

But at the same time, merchant ships traveling to and from Port Said also faced the threat of German submarines.

Heading into April, the Germans had a great record of submarines, sinking 270,000 tons of merchant ships in their first week, 190,000 of which were in the Mediterranean.

That's right, for the British and French, the Mediterranean shipping route is far less important than the Atlantic shipping lane, so the navy's escort can't cover it for the time being, and the merchant ships here can only wait passively, waiting for the only few destroyers of the British and French navies to return here, and then concentrate on continuing the journey.

Some ships can wait, others can't.

It depends on what they have on board.

David was a British captain who was employed by a French shipping company to carry a 5,000-ton cargo ship between Cairo and Marseille. This route is undetourable, and if it goes around the continent, the distance will increase tenfold.

David's ship had been loaded in the port of Cairo five days earlier, and then it had been anchored in Port Said, and David did not dare to go to sea until he was protected by the military. If David gave the order to go to sea, his crew would tie him up and throw him overboard, and then sail the ship back to Port Said.

There are many more captains like David, and they are all trapped in Port Said. Waiting for the military to provide them with escorts.

In the evening, as usual, David came to the Colt Bar, habitually had a drink, and then inquired for some news.

The Celtic Pub is a very British-style pub that British captains and sailors love to have a drink in the neighborhood and have some fun in the neighborhood without even having to go out.

The bartender's name is Mike. Like David, both British, David used to look down on Mike's work, but now he is envious of Mike's work, at least Mike doesn't have to venture to the sea.

"Mike, bring me a glass of rum." Worried, David tossed a coin with a face value of one pound.

There is no change here, and the extra should be paid for providing information, of course, if you want to know a little more. You have to continue to increase the price.

David sat on a stool in front of the bar and looked around, surprisingly, a few familiar faces were missing.

"You're late, if you can come two hours early. Maybe you're like Will, and you're anchored now. Mike was in a good mood, and with a flick of his hand as he served the wine, the coin was gone.

"What's going on? What am I missing? David's eyes widened. The remnants of last night's alcohol are gone.

Mike smiled and didn't answer David's question.

David understood what Mike meant, and this time he was giving him a paper bill with a face value of ten pounds.

"Thank you. You are such a generous person, today suddenly an umbrella company has appeared, they have two warships, which can provide escort for merchant ships, although they ask for a lot of money, but one has already sailed away in the afternoon. Now the umbrella man is at the pier, and if you run a little faster, you might be able to catch the midnight trip. David smiled.

"Thank you very much, Mike, I have this glass of wine for you." By the time the last word came back, David had already rushed out of the Celtic bar.

With a smug smile, Mike put the rum back into the counter that David hadn't even touched, and continued to wait for the next customer.

Below the bar, where customers can't see, there are already several such wine glasses, containing beer, brandy, rum, vodka, two-pot heads......

The sun has set, the docks are brightly lit, and the voices are still buzzing.

The hairyman with a turban on his head, the shirtless sailor, and the scantily clad special workers waiting for business to come to the door all supported the prosperity of Port Said.

It didn't take much effort for David to find the company called "Umbrella", there was no way, the harbor was basically full of cargo ships, and the only destroyer was very conspicuous, and he could be seen from a distance.

David didn't know the huge square words on the side of the destroyer, which didn't prevent David from believing in the destroyer's combat effectiveness. From the point of view of an old crew, this is a warship that has been out of the factory for a maximum of three months, in good condition, excellent performance, and trustworthy.

In fact, David doesn't have many options, not to mention that this is a serious destroyer, even if it is a tugboat-converted hunting submarine, David has to choose to trust him.

There was a group of people around the berth of the destroyer, arguing fiercely about something, and David hurried over and heard a familiar voice: "Two dollars a ton?" It's too expensive, you're just like pirates. Wouldn't my ship cost $30,000? What's the difference between this and robbery? ”

The name of the person who spoke was Henry, this person David knew, and was one of David's drinking friends these days. Unlike David, Henry's ship was his own, and Henry could earn nearly a quarter of the cost of the ship back for a trip to the Far East.

Maybe it was because he owed money to the bank when he bought the boat, and Henry valued money and security even more, and it was clear that Henry also got the news from Mike.

"If it feels expensive, you can choose to wait, and I reiterate that in order to ensure the safety of the protected vessels, there can only be a maximum of five ships in the fleet, and there are still three places left." His voice was calm and relaxed, unmoved by Henry's words.

There are at least eleven or twelve captains here, all of whom are stranded in Port Said, none of them dare, or are unwilling to take risks, waiting for the escort of warships is the best choice, so the places in the fleet are scarce.

"Count me in, I have 8,000 tons of cargo on my ship, 16,000 dollars, and I'll transfer it to you." A rugged voice.

This voice was also known to David, and was also one of his drinking friends, a Dane named Burgundy.

"Me, count me in!" David didn't dare to wait, he was afraid that if he was one second late, he would be seized by others.

David's ships were 5,000 tons, and they had no advantage in front of those 10,000-ton ships, so they were not qualified to bargain.

"Damn it, count me in!" When there was still one last spot left, Henry finally gave in.

"Go away, you fat man, count me in." There was a scramble.

"Fuck off, this spot is mine, I booked it a long time ago." Someone started pushing.

They are all old oilmen who run long distances on the sea, and fights and everything are commonplace, so a group fight broke out instantly.

Backbite......

A whistle was heard in the distance, it was the British police who were maintaining law and order.

"Enough, gentlemen, all the places have been sold, if you want to accept the services of the umbrella company, please wait until two days, when the second escort fleet will come." The calm voice continued to announce.

"I want to make a reservation!" A voice is high-pitched.

"Yes, I want to book!"

"I want it too!"

The brawl that had just subsided broke out again.

(To be continued.) )