shadow of britain

Chapter 27 The Beagle
Elder led Arthur to stand on the bank of the Thames.

He pointed to an old-fashioned wooden two-masted sailing warship on the other side of the river that was entering the dock of the ship repair yard.

"Did you see that ship? That's the Beagle, which is about to perform a scientific research mission.

The ship is 90 feet long, 25 feet wide, and has a draft of 12 feet. The ship is equipped with 10 12-pound cannons, which can carry a crew of 120. It was launched in 1820, and the total cost was 7800 pounds.

Although its tonnage and firepower are not as good as those of active naval warships, it is not even as good as the lowest Tier [-] warships.But in any case, it is still a bit of combat self-defense ability, which should be enough to fight ordinary pirates. "

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

Elder said helplessly: "What else, of course it crashed. To tell you the truth, our scientific expedition voyage is to carry out the second round-the-world scientific expedition mission of the Beagle.

The first time it sailed to the waters near South America, it returned. I heard that it seemed to be in a storm, and because I was not familiar with the local sea conditions, it almost hit the rocks several times. The crew almost died. Even the original ship Chang also committed suicide due to excessive mental stress.

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

Remove the four cannons, add a mast, wrap the bottom of the ship with copper skin according to the standard of warships, brush some tung oil, and finally use iron nails and copper nails for riveting and reinforcement. "

Speaking of this, Elder couldn't help swallowing in worry: "After so much preparation, there should be nothing wrong with the next voyage, right?"

Arthur asked: "If you are so afraid, why do you still have to follow?"

"Arthur, you don't understand."

Elder shook his fingers solemnly: "The Admiralty has always believed in a truth-calm seas cannot train skilled sailors.

Therefore, high risk also means high return.As long as they can complete this round-the-world scientific research voyage, all the crew members on board, one by one, can be promoted.

In this case, my uncle will be able to transfer me to the headquarters of the Admiralty as a matter of course, and maybe he can find me an official position.

Arthur, if it wasn't for such a good thing, would I have been able to find you before? "

Arthur calmly said: "I think you want to talk to a friend on the boat. After all, this is a round-the-world voyage, and it will take three to five years. If you can't find a decent person with your character Accompanied by friends, I guess I can hold back my madness."

"Oh..." Elder didn't hide it, "So you've seen through it all."

Arthur stared at the Beagle in the distance, and asked, "But why doesn't the Admiralty give you a bigger ship? For example, get a warship and refit it, like the sixth-tier battleship you just mentioned?"

Hearing this, Elder couldn't help complaining: "I thought so too. But there's no way, even the smallest Tier [-] warship is almost twice the size of the Beagle. The ship sailed to America, and those people in the North American colonies saw that it was easy to cause friction."

Arthur asked: "The sixth-tier battleship is so big, what about the first-tier battleship?"

Elder replied: "Take the USS Victory, which was once General Nelson's flagship.

The Victory is only an old ship launched in 1778, but its displacement is already as high as 3500 tons.

It can carry 108 artillery pieces, 850 crew members, store 35 tons of gunpowder and 120 tons of shells.

In order to build it that year, more than 2000 oak trees and 38 tons of iron were consumed, with a total cost of more than 10 pounds, and the national fiscal revenue at that time was only 1000 million pounds.

However, the money is well worth the money. A first-class battleship like this can usually sail continuously at sea for 6 months and fight for several days without interruption.

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

If it is to send the first-class battleships with a displacement close to 4000 tons newly launched in recent years, it is estimated that those uneducated Yankees will start to pick up guns and prepare for the third war of independence.

By the way, speaking of battleships and HMS Victory, do you know who ordered Captain Fitzroy not to hire you last time? "

"Who?"

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

"Is he great?"

"Oh! My God! He's more than brilliant!"

Elder was very excited: "During the Trafalgar naval battle, he was the captain who commanded General Nelson's flagship 'Victory'!

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

Arthur, you don't know, he is a super figure in our Admiralty, and he is the current highest military commander of the entire Royal Navy!

Colonel Fitzroy was right when he said the other day that my uncle wouldn't dare make demands of him, because the Lord of the Admiralty wouldn't even have the guts to wrestle him directly.Regarding military matters, the Royal Navy still listens to him, the First Sea Lord. "

Just as Elder was vividly introducing the glorious deeds of Thomas Hardy, a young priest with a round face and wearing a black robe suddenly walked over.

He shook the cross in his hand in front of the two: "I'm sorry to disturb you, but is there anyone named Elder Carter among you?"

Arthur glanced at the pastor. Looking at the other person's appearance, he always felt that he looked familiar, but he didn't know where he had seen it before.

After thinking for a long time, he suddenly slapped his thigh, pointed at him and said, "Rooney from Manchester United?"

"Rooney?" The youth pastor was baffled by Arthur: "Sir, I think you may have misunderstood the person. My name is Charles."

"Your name is Charles too?" Arthur joked, "I just made a new friend two days ago. He is also called Charles, Charles Dickens. He is a big man."

Hearing this, Elder couldn't help snorting and said, "What kind of big shot is a court clerk? Thomas Hardy is the real big shot!"

Arthur smiled and did not refute directly, he just said: "Even if he is not now, he will be in the future."

After finishing speaking, he pointed at the priest and pointed to Elder next to him: "You are probably the priest who graduated from Cambridge? Are you going to come to the Beagle as a naturalist?

This is the one you are looking for, Elder Carter, draftsman of the Beagle, brilliant student of classics, nephew of the Rear Admiral of the Royal Navy. "

Hearing this, Elder said dissatisfiedly: "Arthur! How did you get all my details out?"

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

The pastor didn't care about this little episode, and he extended his hand towards Elder very friendly.

"Mr. Carter, nice to meet you. Although you should already know, but out of courtesy, let me introduce myself.

My name is Charles Darwin, naturalist of the Beagle, and a graduate of the University of Cambridge in Theology. "

(End of this chapter)