by gerald hall
“I’m sure that they know their business. We will have to work fast ourselves to get the hull blocks in place and to get the earthen cofferdam set up as well. Then we have to get the heavy cranes moved to the top of the berm and anchored down. That will be no easy task either.”
“No worries, Mister Cavill. We’ll get the job done for you.”
“I’m sure that you will, Freddie.”
“You know, I had hoped thatAustraliawould not be the only ship occupying this caisson. There were a pair of incomplete German battle cruisers left over from the Great War that we could have done so much with,MackensenandGraf Spee. Unfortunately, both ships were already at the breakers of KielNordmole by the time that I had sufficient resources to potentially purchase them.”
“We would have gotten a lot of good steel out of those two ships, I would imagine.”
“Yes, we would have. Of course, we have a lot of work to do here. I want to turn this caisson into a true dry dock, fully concrete-lined and ready to handle the largest ships in existence.”
“That will take a lot of concrete, Mister Cavill.”
“Yes, it will. That is why one of the factories that I will build here will be a concrete plant. We will be able to make all of the concrete that we need for the many projects that I want to create here. What I build here, I want to last for a long time.”
King Sound
Derby, Western Australia September 22, 1924
Harold stood from the berm beside of the earthen caisson and looked over the hull that had been the battlecruiser HMASAustralia. His workers had worked night and day to strip her main turrets, the associated barbette structures, the ship’s steam engines and even the heavy belt armor that protected the warship’s hull. A pair of heavy cranes had to be brought in to lift the turrets and barbettes out of the caisson. Harold did not want to have them cut apart first, but removed intact. But in the end, some disassembly of the turrets and barbettes was required. But nothing was done to them that could not be reversed. Harold had other plans for them.
Harold then had hundreds of photos taken to prove that the obsolete warship had been thoroughly demilitarized. This was needed to show that Australia was complying with the requirements of the Washington naval disarmament treaty. The steel from the guns, turrets and armor would be eventually going to a foundry that Harold had recently purchased according to the documents that Harold provided to the Australian government. The recycled steel would then be recycled for other purposes.
Many of the documents intentionally misstated where the dismantled battle cruiser’s guns, turrets and barbettes would be going. Harold had some of his most trusted workers load these items onto flatbed rail cars. The battle cruiser’s main weapons were taken in the middle of the night to a site near the tip of the peninsula north of Derby where all access to the public had been blocked off by a series of fences. Harold did not tell anyone why he had not dismantled the old battlecruiser’s main armament any further.
What Australian government officials also didn’t know was that Harold had no plans on further dismantling the battlecruiser’s hull. While several thousand tons of steel was removed from the warship’s hull and sent to the smelters, much of that being her main armor belt and superstructure, the rest of the ship remained in the caisson. Harold also had something else in mind for it as well as for vessel’s steam boilers and turbines. But the empty hulk would have to sit idle in the caisson for a few years before he would resume working on it. Until then, he already had plans for the area around the caisson to keep his work there unobserved.
“Mister Cavill, the ship has arrived with the cargo that you asked for.” One of Harold’s aborigine team leaders informed him.
“Thank you, Johnny. Please assemble a crew to unload the ship. Get every truck that we have over there to bring the cargo here. We have a lot of planting to do.”
Within a few hours, hundreds of young saplings had been delivered along the sides of the earthen caisson. Over the course of the next week, the saplings would be planted all along the edges of the caisson, even on the cofferdam that held out the water from King Sound. These trees would grow large enough within a few years to conceal the battlecruiser’s gutted hull from the view of outsiders. But people simply assumed that the rest of the hull would eventually be dismantled too. Later, large camouflage nets on poles would be hoisted over the hull to further conceal the retired warship’s eventual reconstruction into something far more powerful than a mere battlecruiser.
In the two years after that, the caisson was gradually enlarged and lined with concrete. Pumps were installed to pump water in and out while a set of steel gates were installed to take the place of the temporary cofferdam holding out the waters of King Sound.
At the same time, Harold’s new concrete plant was also sending tens of thousands of tons of concrete not only to the excavation site on the peninsula, but also to the shipyard, the hillside tunneling and many other construction projects in the area.
“I imagine that you would have never thought that I would be doing all of this when you first met me in the Outback some six years ago, Johnny.” Harold told the tall aborigine before the latter left to gather the work crew.
“No, Sir. I wouldn’t have. But I could tell from the beginning that you were not only a good man but that there was something special about you. I am very pleased to see that I was right.”
“I just hope that I will be able to save this world from the terrible fate that my first world suffered.” Harold quietly replied before turning away himself to go back to his office.
Chapter Seven: Cavill Industries Corporate Headquarters Derby, Western Australia
October 1, 1924
“I’ve hired an American to come here to help run the yard. His name is Alexander Portman. He will be ideal for what I have in mind. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from their Ohio State University as well as having been trained as a naval architect at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. My understanding of Mister Portman is that he is not only well educated but also has a very hands-on approach to his work.”
“When will he be arriving, Mister Cavill?” Eric Hanford, Harold’s latest hire from England, asked. “He is on a liner in route to Australia as we speak. He should be arriving here within the next month. Obviously, we will need decent housing for him when he arrives, Johnny.” Harold said while turning for a moment to his aborigine assistant before continuing his conversation with Eric.
“I will also be hiring perhaps several hundred more Americans and bringing them here as well in the next few months. We badly need the skilled work force for my projects. They will also help teaching our aborigines many useful skills for the shipyard and factories that I am building.”
“No one would have imagined the aborigines doing half of what you have them doing already. So I should not be surprised that you plan on them building ships in the near future.”
“The aborigines will be doing a hell of a lot more than that before I am done here. Mind you, I am not favoring them over anyone else. If you want to advance here, then you work hard and work smart, regardless of the color of your skin or where you came from.
I also expect loyalty from my employees as well. People who work for me, put in their best efforts and are loyal to me will be well rewarded. I will also show the same degree of loyalty to them as well. I will not allow anyone to treat any of my employees and their families unfairly. I can promise you that.”
“That’s very good to hear, Mister Cavill. From what I have already seen, you are a man of your word.”
“Thank you. That is truly important to me to have people be able to trust in my word.”
“Eric, I will need for you to run my new factory to produce firearms and other larger military ordnance. We really don’t have anything much in Australia to produce our own weapons. But I’m sure that our people would rather purchase from home rather than importing guns from overseas if they can. Of course, we would have to build quality products for our customer
s.”
“That’s quite a big task, Mister Cavill, especially for someone who has never built or managed a firearms factory.”
“A firearm, whether it is a pistol or a howitzer, is simply a tool. You create blueprints, manufacture and assemble firearms before testing and confirming that the device does what you need it to do. You have the expertise in the particulars of producing small arms and cannon that I do not specifically have. Now, I will give you the support that you need as long as you produce the results that I need.”
“Fair enough, Sir. I’ll get the job done.”
“Very good, Eric. I will warn you that I will be coming to you from time to time with some new ideas. I will want you to translate them into practical, working weapons in a relatively short time. But I will not ask you to do anything that I don’t already know is feasible.”
Eric started to worry that his new employer was going to meddle with this new factory of his. Little did Eric know that Harold not only knew what would work, he had actually seen it work in a world that was much more technologically advanced than the one that Eric was familiar with. So, for Harold, it was simply a matter of nudging Eric in the right direction.
Cavill Industries Corporate Headquarters Derby, Western Australia
November 5, 1924
Harold was waiting in front of his office when the truck carrying his new shipyard manager drove up. A short, stocky man in his late thirties with close-cropped brown hair got out of the passenger side and walked up. Harold immediately walked up and shook the newcomer’s hand as one of Harold’s clerks began to remove the latter’s baggage from the back of the truck.
“Good morning, Mister Portman. I trust that your trip here was not terribly arduous?” Harold politely asked.
“No, Sir. The liner that brought me to Melbourne was quite nice. The accommodations on the coastal steamer that brought me here to Derby were not nearly as luxurious, but were certainly adequate.” Alexander Portman replied.
“I’m glad. I wanted to have you flown here from Melbourne originally. Flying in would have given you the opportunity to get to work as soon as you arrived. Unfortunately, there were a number of unexpected events that prevented me from making that happen. The cargo capacity of the few aircraft that do come here was too limited to bring you and all of your baggage at the same time. Also, your lodging was not yet complete. However, I was very pleased when you indicated that you were bringing some materials that you needed for your work with you. We will need all of the extra resources that we can get out here.
At least, I hope that you had the small consolation of getting to see the beautiful Australian coastline and waters during your time on that coastal steamer, Mister Portman. I will be travelling overseas myself once again in the near future, I’m afraid. I have a lot to do in England in the next couple of months. Good luck with your new projects. I think that you will find them quite challenging.”
“I’m sure that I will, Mister Cavill.”
“Please remember that all of the work that you do for me and the information that I provide you must be kept in the strictest confidence. That is why I had you sign that document prior to your hiring in which you promised not to reveal any information to outsiders.” Harold warned.
“I have absolutely no problem with that, Mister Cavill. You sound like you might be working on something for your Australian navy.”
“Not exactly, at least not yet. But I do expect to be doing military work at my shipyard in the future. Who the customers will be, has yet to be determined. I do hope that the Australian Admiralty does choose to purchase ships produced here over those built overseas however.”
“Do you have any particular designs that you want to start to produce, Mister Cavill?”
“I don’t plan on doing direct copies of any existing designs. I will be providing you with basic parameters for the ships that I do want to build. Your job will include designing and constructing ships that meet those parameters.
I will try not to interfere with your work. However, I will periodically make suggestions on design features to fine-tune the ships that will be built at my shipyards. I think that you will find that I am very knowledgeable in a variety of technical fields. Will you have any problems with my way of doing things, Mister Portman?”
Alex thought for a few moments before answering. No good engineer likes it when someone over him begins to do what appears to be meddling with the engineer’s designs. It would be like saying that they didn’t trust in his judgement. However, Alex had to give his new employer the benefit of the doubt. Harold certainly appeared to be extraordinarily knowledgeable about technical affairs during his interview of Alex.
“Sir, you are the boss. I’ll do whatever you ask me to do as long as you don’t mind if I disagree with you on occasion. If I have a problem, I will tell it to you directly.”
“That’s fair enough, Mister Portman. But if you do choose to express a differing opinion about one of my suggestions, I will expect you to be able to back it up with some solid facts. I don’t mind being told that I am wrong as long as the person is being respectful in their presentation and can show me how they can do things better. We all want the same thing here. The best product possible for the customer while still turning a profit for my company.”
“Thank you, Sir. I think that we will work out just fine then.”
Billy Hughes’ Office. Sydney, Australia January 4, 1925
Harold had spent the last week on a coastal freighter to travel to Sydney. There were a variety of places that he needed to go for business purposes. But there was one specific person that Harold needed to meet. Billy Hughes had served only a few years earlier as Australia’s Prime Minister. He had also played a key role representing Australia during the Versailles Treaty negotiations. Not everyone loved Billy Hughes, but most certainly respected his determination to ensure that Australia’s interests were fully represented.
Even after Billy left the Prime Minister’s office under less than happy conditions, he still had a certain degree of influence. Harold discovered from his research of the historical files on his portable computer. If there was one man in Australia who would see things Harold’s way and had the connections to help Harold accomplish his goals, Billy Hughes was that man.
But would Minister Hughes be willing to cooperate? Those same historical records showed that he could be very difficult to get along with, even under the best of circumstances.
Harold was about to find out as he stepped up to the office front door, knocked and was eventually let in.
The short man with the deeply lined face and short chopped-off mustache was looking at some papers on his desk. When his assistant ushered Harold in.
“Good afternoon, Sir. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. What would you like to talk with me about, Mister Cavill?”
“Thank you for seeing me, Minister Hughes. I had some business in Sydney and thought that I would come have a chat with you while I was here. I know that you recently stepped down as Prime Minister, Sir. But you still have considerable influence in many circles here. I am hopeful that we can come to an agreement for a mutually beneficial relationship.”
“Earle Page has always hated me and pushed me out at the first opportunity. But he doesn’t have a clue about what Australia needs. But you are right. I do still have some measure of influence even if some people think that I am a socialist.
I remember that you are the fellow who bought our old battlecruiser for scrapping at a new shipyard that you built. Scrapping was probably a better fate than what was otherwise planned for the old girl. Just takingAustraliaout to the ocean and scuttling her truly felt like a waste to me. Still, what makes you think that you have anything to offer to me, Mister Cavill?”
“Because I have a growing number of businesses that employ an increasing number of people. It would help me and my employees to have a political leader who looked out for their best interests as well as those of Australia. If I succeed, more Australians are em
ployed, more revenue is generated for the government and more funds are available for defense.”
“Those are laudable goals certainly. It galled me to no end that we had to have the Americans come in to fight against the Germans in the Great War. We had good men there, but seldom enough materiel to properly equip them. The Americans had a wealth of guns and ships. But they has no understanding of the need to work together with us. They always wanted to do things their own way, under their own generals.”
“I see that you are not very fond of the Americans, are you Sir?”
“Not particularly. While the Americans did finally enter the war with enough troops to turn the tide of battle, their leadership left much to be desired. This was especially true of their political leadership.
That leftist Wilson failed to understand that you have to put down militarists like the Germans hard so that they will never attack their neighbors again. I told that fool that we needed to bankrupt Germany for an entire century so that they would be unable to cause any more trouble in Europe. But he completely ignored me.”
Harold didn’t say anything to disagree with Minister Hughes because history had consistently said that the harsh terms of the Versailles Treaty led to a catastrophic collapse of the German economy. That, in turn, created the conditions for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. What Billy Hughes demanded as Prime Minister during those peace talks were for every greater economic penalties against Germany.
But the ‘Little Digger’ would be a very useful ally in Harold’s mission if Hughes could only be convinced to provide Harold with badly needed political support. It wouldn’t do to start an argument with him about the Versailles Treaty obviously. So Harold continued on without disagreement.
“I understand that, Sir. But Germany is not the only nation with imperial ambitions in this world.”
“Quite correct, Mister Cavill. I worry quite a bit about the Japanese now. They took possession of several of the former German possessions in the Southwest Pacific over my strong objections. I also believe that they desire to acquire additional territory as well by any means necessary.”
