Elder led Arthur to stand on the bank of the Thames.

He pointed across the river to an old wooden two-masted sail warship that was heading into the dock of the ship repair yard.

"See the ship? That is the Beagle, which is about to carry out a scientific mission.

Measuring 90 feet long, 25 feet wide, and with a draft of 12 feet, the ship was equipped with 10 12-pounder cannons and could carry a crew of 120 men, and was launched in 1820 at a total cost of 7,800 pounds.

Although its tonnage and firepower are not as good as the current naval warships, it is not even as good as the most inferior sixth-class warships. But in any case, it is a bit of combat self-defense ability, and it should be enough to fight ordinary pirates. ”

Arthur looked at the Beagle slowly driving on the Thames, and suddenly realized: "No wonder the Thames is so blocked this morning, it turns out that it is because of it?" What's wrong with this ship, why is it so slow? ”

Elder said helplessly: "What else, of course it was broken." To tell you the truth, our expedition is the second round-the-world expedition of the Beagle.

It returned to the sea near South America for the first time, and I heard that it seemed to have encountered a storm, and it was not familiar with the local sea conditions, so it almost hit the reef several times, and the crew almost did not come back, and even the original captain committed suicide due to mental stress.

In view of the last unsuccessful voyage, the Admiralty made up its mind to bring the Beagle over for complete repairs and upgrades.

The four guns were removed, an extra mast was added, the bottom of the ship was wrapped with copper according to the standards of warships, and then brushed with some tung oil, and finally riveted with iron nails and copper nails. ”

Speaking of this, Elder couldn't help but swallow his saliva worriedly: "After making so many preparations, the next voyage should be fine, right?" ”

Arthur asked, "If you are so afraid, why do you have to go with you?" ”

"Arthur, you don't understand."

Elder shook his finger solemnly: "The Admiralty has always believed in a truth - a calm sea does not train a skilled sailor.

Therefore, high risk also means high return. As long as this round-the-world scientific expedition can be completed, all the crew members on the ship, one can be promoted.

In this case, my uncle will be able to transfer me to the headquarters of the Admiralty, and maybe even get me a half-official position.

Arthur, if it weren't for this good thing, could I have come to you before? ”

Arthur said calmly: "I think you want to talk to a friend on the ship." After all, this is a round-the-world voyage, and it will take three or five years to say it. Your character, if you can't find a decent friend to accompany you, you can probably go crazy. ”

"Alas......" Elder did not hide it, "so you saw through it." ”

Arthur stared at the Begel in the distance and asked, "But why didn't the Admiralty get you a bigger ship?" For example, get a warship modification, like the sixth-tier battleship you just mentioned? ”

When Elder heard this, he couldn't help but complain: "I think so too." But there was no way, even the smallest Tier 6 battleship was almost twice the size of the Beagle. If that kind of ship were to be sailed to the Americas, it would be easy for the people in the North American colonies to see it, and it would be easy to cause friction. ”

Arthur asked, "The sixth-level battleship is so big, what about the first-class battleship?" ”

Elder replied, "Take, for example, General Nelson's flagship, the Victory.

The Victory is just an old ship launched in 1778, but it already has a displacement of 3,500 tons.

It was capable of carrying 108 guns, 850 crew members, 35 tons of gunpowder and 120 tons of shells.

More than 2,000 oak trees and 38 tonnes of iron were consumed to build it, and the total cost was more than £100,000, while the national revenue at that time was only £10 million.

However, the money is well spent, and a first-class battleship like this can usually sail at sea for 6 months in a row, fighting non-stop for several days.

If a behemoth like the Victory were to be sent to the Americas, the rebels of the North American colonies would certainly have to make diplomatic representations.

If it were to send those new first-class battleships with a displacement of nearly 4,000 tons that had been launched in recent years, it is estimated that those uneducated Yankees would have to start picking up guns to prepare for the Third War of Independence.

By the way, speaking of battleships and the Victory, do you know who was the last person who gave the order to Captain Fitzroy not to hire you? ”

"Who?"

Elder mysteriously approached Arthur: "First Sea Lord, Admiral Thomas Hardy." ”

"Is he powerful?"

"Oh! O my God! He's more than a great deal! ”

Elder said excitedly: "In the Battle of Trafalgar that year, he was the captain who commanded General Nelson's flagship 'Victory'!"

And when Nelson's body was brought back to China for burial, he was also one of the four people who carried Nelson's coffin.

Arthur, you don't know, he's the superpower of our Admiralty, and the current supreme military commander of the entire Royal Navy!

Colonel Fitzroy said that day that my uncle would not dare to make demands on him, and that was not at all wrong, because even the Admiralty did not dare to him directly. In military matters, the Royal Navy actually listened to him, the First Sea Lord. ”

Just as Elder was talking about Thomas Hardy's glorious deeds, a young pastor with a round face and a black robe suddenly walked over.

He shook the cross in his hand in front of them, "Sorry to disturb you, but may I ask if any of you are named Elder Carter?" ”

Arthur glanced at the priest, he looked at the other man's face, he always felt that it looked familiar, but he didn't know where he had seen it.

After thinking about it for a long time, he suddenly slapped his thigh, pointed at the other party and said: "Rooney of Manchester United? ”

"Rooney?" The young pastor was bewildered by Arthur: "Sir, I think you may have mistaken someone, my name is Charles. ”

"Your name is Charles, too?" Arthur quipped, "I just made a new friend two days ago, and he's also called Charles, Charles Dickens, and he's a big guy." ”

When Elder heard this, he couldn't help but sneer: "What kind of big man is a court clerk?" Thomas Hardy is the real big guy! ”

Arthur smiled and didn't refute it directly, he just said, "Even if he doesn't now, he will be in the future." ”

After that, he pointed to Elder beside him at the priest: "You are probably the Cambridge graduate priest, right?" Want to come to the Beagle as a naturalist?

You're looking for this one next to me, Elder Carter, the cartographer of the Beagle, a top student of classics, and the nephew of a rear admiral of the Royal Navy. ”

When Elder heard this, he said dissatisfiedly, "Arthur! How did you get all my bottom out? ”

Arthur shrugged: "You will live together on the ship for three or five years in the future, and with your mouth, even if I don't say it, you will say it yourself sooner or later." ”

The priest didn't pay any attention to the episode, and kindly held out his hand to Held.

"Mr. Carter, it's a pleasure to meet you. You already know, but as a courtesy, I'll introduce myself.

My name is Charles Darwin, a naturalist on the Beagle, and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. ”