On the deck of the Beagle.

Elder clutched his cracked mouth and inhaled, "Fuck! It hurts! ”

Arthur asked, glancing at the sailors resting on the guardrails and masts, and pointing to several battleships seven or eight times the size of the Beagle in the sea ahead.

"What's all going on?"

Elder winked at Arthur, and Arthur saw him like this, and took a pipe from his pocket and lit it for him.

Elder took a sip before answering contentedly.

"You're asking the right question. Admiral Edward Codrington, former Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, now Commander of the Channel Fleet, and my uncle's old boss.

He also fought in the Battle of Trafalgar, where he served as commander of the Reserve Detachment under General Nelson and led the Spanish Navy's flagship Prince of Asturias.

As a veteran general with great achievements in war, if it were not for the small mistakes he made in the previous two years, he would not have been removed from his post as commander of the Mediterranean Fleet and transferred to the Strait Fleet in China as a mascot.

According to the normal development of admirals, a man of such qualifications and military exploits as Admiral Codrington should have been promoted to admiral by now. ”

"Minor mistakes?" Arthur asked, "Is the Royal Navy so strict about the promotion of generals?" Such an outstanding general was stuck in the promotion channel because of a small mistake? What did he do? ”

Elder smacked his mouth with his pipe, "It's not a big deal. In the Greek War of Independence in 1827, General Codrington, commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, led the combined fleet of LinkedIn, France and Russia to destroy all the maritime power of the Ottoman Turkish Empire in the Battle of Navarino.

If I remember correctly, General Codrington sank and captured more than sixty ships of the Ottoman Turks, including three large battleships, more than twenty cruisers, and a large number of jumbled ships, without losing a single ship. ”

When Arthur heard this, his eyelids couldn't help jumping: "You call this a trivial matter?" Isn't this a pretty good battle? What is wrong with the Admiralty, and it doesn't matter if it is not commended, why did it transfer General Codrington back to the country to sit on the cold bench? ”

Elder glanced at his good brother, and he pushed his shoulder against Arthur's chest.

"Arthur, why don't you understand? Scotland Yard should have this kind of thing, right? It's like, your Scotland Yard police are born to investigate cases, but some cases are unlucky for whoever investigates. And the generals of the Royal Navy are also born to win battles, but some victories are the end of the battle, and Admiral Codrington is a typical example of this situation. ”

Arthur frowned and thought for a moment when he heard this, but soon he understood.

"General Codrington's victory and dismissal must have something to do with the 'continental balance of power policy' set by the cabinet, right? After the defeat of the navy of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, then the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea became the domain of the Russians, which I am afraid the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not want to see. ”

Elder nodded slightly: "Arthur, it's really you." In fact, the Foreign Office and the Admiralty had given General Codrington many orders to ignore the provocations from the Ottomans and to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner as much as possible.

General Codrington also attempted to mediate peace, sending his fleet into the Gulf of Navarino to intimidate the Ottoman army, and sending messengers demanding that the Ottomans abide by the armistice with Greece and immediately withdraw their troops from the Peloponnese.

But the Ottomans, apparently not liking persuasion, not only did not withdraw their troops, but also killed the messenger sent by General Codrington, and then took the lead in firing on General Codrington's fleet. You should be able to imagine the rest of the story......"

Arthur wiped the sweat on his forehead: "No wonder General Codrington directly ordered the sinking of the Barbary pirates' ships without asking, he does have a reason to be so angry with the Ottomans." After winning the battle, I still made such a grievance, I guess I have to find a place to vent if I change it.

However, it was fortunate that the French fat man was not on a pirate ship, otherwise according to General Codrington's posture, he would have sunk them together. After all, he may also have a bit of a temper about the policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ”

"Who's to say it isn't?"

Elder shrugged his shoulders: "General Codrington's war career should be at the end, and the most hated thing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a general who does not listen to their orders." Oh, I can't say that, after all, there was a man who hated being commanded by the Foreign Office and the War Department, Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. ”

When Colonel Fitzroy heard this, he couldn't help but say, "Elder, this is different. The outstanding generals of the army can be willful, but the royal navy definitely cannot. ”

Elder was stunned and asked, "What is the reason for this?" ”

Colonel Fitzroy replied seriously: "Because there are generals in the Royal Navy who can fight, Richard Howe, John Jervis, Cuthbert Collingwood, William Cornwallis, any one is a famous name." But the Army has produced an Arthur Wellesley in hundreds of years, so we can't take the Duke of Wellington's baby. ”

When Colonel Fitzroy said this, there was a burst of laughter on board.

The sailors followed suit: "Who's to say it's not? After all, here in our Royal Navy, it is not unusual to defeat the French. And in the army, a small Battle of Waterloo was blown to the sky. ”

When Dumas, who had been sitting by the mast to rest, heard this, he immediately got up angrily and said, "Please pay attention! You British can win just a little more luck, you have the ability not to pull in Prussian reinforcements, I see how you can win the Battle of Waterloo! ”

Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, the sailors not only did not refute, but nodded again and again: "You Frenchman, among the words you said today, this sentence is the most popular." ”

Colonel Fitzroy also hurried up to calm his emotions: "Don't be angry, Mr. Dumas. Actually, I still agree with the technical ability of your French, and Britain is not superior to your native France in all respects. ”

When Dumas heard this, he also restrained his fiery temper: "Mr. Colonel, you are indeed different from these vulgar sailors. As soon as you hear your conversation, you know that you have received a considerable degree of higher education. ”

Colonel Fitzroy squinted and smiled, "That's right. Only Britain and France combined can complete the most powerful weapon of the 19th century! ”

"Oh?" Alexandre Dumas wondered, "What was the most powerful weapon of the 19th century?" ”

When the sailors saw his bewildered look, they all smiled crookedly.

Arthur stepped forward sympathetically and whispered in his ear, "Don't you know? Monsieur Dumas, the most powerful weapon of the 19th century, was the sea ships captured from France, piloted by the British. ”

Dumas was about to get angry, but suddenly a pleasant sound of military music sounded on the sea.

It was the Royal Navy March of the United Kingdom, "Heart of the Oak".

All the sailors who were still lazily crouching on the ship stood up, and even Held, who had always been out of tune, straightened his face and saluted towards the Conqueror, the flagship of the Channel Fleet.

Only a hula was heard, and a gangplank slowly stretched out from the guardrail of the towering 'Conqueror', extending from top to bottom to the deck of the 'Beagle'.

Several officers dressed in neat Royal Navy red and black uniforms and wearing epaulettes walked down with a strong stride.

They stood on the deck, glanced at each other, and then spoke to Colonel Fitzroy, "Robert, you did a good job today. ”

Colonel Fitzroy hurriedly stood up and saluted, "For Nelson!" ”

The officer nodded, and then asked, "I don't know, where is the Scotland Yard Superintendent, Mr. Arthur Hastings?" ”

At this time, Arthur, who was leaning against the guardrail and smoking, heard this, and pushed the soot from his pipe overboard, and then raised a hand to signal: "I am Arthur Hastings, you have something to do with me?" ”

The officers walked up to him, looked at his red-stained shirt and the bloodstained corners of his mouth, then nodded solemnly, and slowly raised his hands in salute.

"Mr. Hastings, Commander of the Channel Fleet of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy White Flag, Your Excellency Edward Codrington, please."

(End of chapter)