In this naval battle outside the port of Toulon, four capital ships of the British Mediterranean Fleet were sunk, two were captured, and nine others were seriously damaged.

And the French Great Eastern Fleet, including the flagship, nine capital ships were sunk, eleven were seriously damaged, and the other auxiliary ships suffered numerous losses.

However, in the end, Edward Clinston was forced to abandon his two main ships and flee the battlefield, although the British were far ahead in terms of battle loss ratio, but the French still had an absolute advantage in numbers.

The most important thing is that the Gallic roosters that fell into the water did not turn into chickens, and they still struggled to swim towards the British ship and try to board the British ship.

What's worse is that the inferior coal of the Greeks produced a large amount of waste, which caused the boilers to clog, and the two most advanced paddle steamers were scrapped before they could start fighting.

Among the four ships sunk was also a paddle wheel, which was incapacitated directly after being hit, and then became a live target for the French.

Edward Clinston knew that there was no need to fight this naval battle, and although he did not want to admit it, it was true that the French had won, but they would not have such good luck next time.

Although the French suffered heavy losses in the Great Eastern Fleet, in a sense, the losses of the British were even greater, because the capture of two advanced paddle steamer battleships was most likely to cause the leakage of military secrets.

But in Edward Clinston's view, the paddle wheel was a civilian ship that did nothing, because the paddlewheel was too large and extremely fragile, and even more terrifying, it would be completely paralyzed if one side was destroyed.

Because if only one side turns after destroying one side, the ship will draw circles in place.

Edward Clinton wrote in his nautical diary, "It will be useful for the next time, if they can return to Crete."

Unfortunately, the British Mediterranean Fleet encountered the main Austrian naval force on its way back.

This was the first time Edward Clinston had seen the Austrian Navy, and he was looking through a telescope at the frighteningly large cities of Black Iron.

"What the hell is that?"

"Captain, that's the flag of Austria, it's the ship of the Austrians, they let us surrender, only fifteen minutes or they will no longer accept our surrender."

The first mate replied sweatingly, he had honestly never seen such a large ship, and the speed was somewhat unscientific

It was windless, and even the most advanced paddle steamers were only 14 knots, and the Austrians were even faster than they were at full sail.

The first mate came on board at the age of fourteen, and for more than twenty years at sea, he couldn't believe his eyes for the first time.

However, Edward Clinston was not aware of the problem, and he simply ordered it based on his own experience.

"Mr. Cole, distance yourself from them, let's go to Gibraltar."

"But Captain." First mate Kohl wanted to warn Captain Edward, but the latter was still thinking about something more terrifying, that is, why the Austrian Navy was in the western Mediterranean.

How did the Austrians rush out of the Adriatic and destroy their own fleet left in Crete? The most important thing is why the Austrians appeared in such a timely manner. Could it be that they colluded with the French?

A series of questions sent chills down Edward Clinston's spine, obviously they had just started the war, could they have colluded before the war?

This is a conspiracy against the Mediterranean fleet! When did it all start?

Edward Clinston did not dare to think any further, for the whole war might have been a conspiracy to rule out the British Mediterranean Fleet, and he had to tell London the news.

The British turned around and ran, which was entirely to be expected by Friedrich.

"See? This is the invincible Royal Navy in the world? Fight when you see the enemy? You can see that we have nothing but to escape! ”

The Grand Duke's words immediately caused a heckle among the officers and men of the navy, and to be honest, ordinary officers and men did not know how glorious the British Royal Navy was, they only knew that the Austrian Navy had never lost...

Friedrich was not arrogant, and when he was ten years old, he first saw the British warships in the port of Venice and decided to sink them with his own hands.

Friedrich gave up his participation in the army and threw himself into the navy, which was completely undervalued in Austria.

He personally translated a large number of Anglo-French naval histories, read a large number of books on naval tactics and techniques, and lived on warships almost every day since joining the navy.

From the day the British Navy was stationed on the island of Crete, Friedrich was planning to uproot Austria's henchman in the Mediterranean.

In fact, he felt that even if he did not rely on the French, it would not be difficult to destroy the British Mediterranean Fleet with the strength of the Austrian Navy at this time.

But Franz said that this was not yet the time for us to make a blockbuster, and that it would be a brutal war of annihilation.

Franz wanted all the British to be buried at the bottom of the sea, he did not want the strength of the Austrian navy to be completely exposed, and he wanted the British and the French to form a mortal enemy.

Friedrich didn't understand why Franz had to do this, but he knew very well that the latter was not a murderous man, and that he must have his own reasons for doing so.

However, Friedrich felt that it would be better to sink the British warships and leave them to fend for themselves without rescuing the British sailors.

It's summer in the Mediterranean, and the wind and waves are so small that those who fall overboard can have weeks to float to shore, with little chance of surviving.

About a quarter of an hour later, Edward Clinston noticed that the black iron monsters of the Austrian Navy were closing in on them.

"What's going on? Cole! Let's leave the broken ship alone! Burn the wind! Avoid the Austrian fleet! Those big-tonnage wrecked ships can't catch up with us! ”

"Yes! Sir! ”

The flag-bearer on the watchtower waved the flag at full speed, much to the despair of the nine wounded warships.

The officers and men of the British Navy are all old sailors, how could they not know the flag.

"Commander Edward has abandoned us! Sooner or later we will be caught up by the Austrians who are chasing behind! ”

A veteran cries in frustration.

"Why don't we run away? There is a better chance of surviving like this! Just now the Austrians have given an ultimatum that if we don't surrender in a quarter of an hour, we will all be sunk! ”

"Otherwise, let's surrender. They would treat prisoners of war well, wouldn't they? ”

"No! Didn't you read the newspaper? The Austrians were even more savage than the Arabs, and wherever they went, men were killed if they were taller than the wheels, children were castrated as eunuchs, and women were sent to military prostitute camps! ”

"That's right! They all use the Bible as fuel, that's why they go to war with the Papal States! ”

"So we're righteous?"

"That's right! We are the one who is right! ”

"Justice will prevail!"

The warships of both sides are finally neck and neck

(End of chapter)