“Sivuch signalling, sir. In Russian.”
“Make, ‘yours not understood’, Yeoman.”
A slight delay and then the Yeoman spoke again.
“In French from Sivuch, sir. I think it says ‘heave to’.”
“Sod them. ‘Non comprenny’, Yeoman.”
“Aye aye, sir.”
Sivuch signalled no more but took station astern of Obelisk.
Magnus stared at the nine inch gun mounted as a bowchaser on the gun vessel.
“Lookouts! If they man that gun, inform me immediately. Man the after main battery, Mr Pattishall.”
Two of the quickfirers would bear on Sivuch. They were far smaller guns but would fire at least six rounds in a minute while the Russian might well not manage one. At close range, they should manage to silence the big gun. The Russian captain evidently agreed and made no attempt to man his gun.
“Any sign of the Japanese ship?”
“Tutsuta, sir? None.”
The Japanese were close to a formal alliance with Britain, would not wish to provoke a diplomatic crisis. Probably she had gone to report to her admiral.
“Canton Pearl reports that she can sustain twelve knots, sir. About eight hours to rejoin the fleet, sir. In daylight, just, sir, provided the sky remains clear.”
“Don’t look like storm clouds, Pattishall. We should be there with no trouble.”
Paymaster Geddes came on deck with a sheaf of papers.
“I have written up Mr Coulthorne’s report, sir. In brief, sir, all went well at first. The cargo was loaded and the hatches battened down properly. The longshoremen went ashore and a group of armed guards replaced them. A discussion with the English-speaking Chinaman resulted in their casting off from the wharf and tying up to a buoy half a cable offshore so as to be ready to sail with the first rays of light. They had just room enough to swing with the tide and Mr Coulthorne intended to slip the cable in the middle of the night and drift off on the ebb. The guard detachment set up on the forecastle, however, and made that impossible. At first light they obeyed Mr Coulthorne’s order to cast off the cable – they saw nothing strange in dropping the cable from the ship rather than unmooring from the buoy.”
Landsmen who knew no better, it seemed.
“The engine room had a full head of steam and Mr Coulthorne got her under way. As he did so a sampan came off from the wharf with a pair of Shanghai Chinese aboard. Mr Coulthorne informs me that they are often to be seen in the Golden Moon cabaret bar in Shanghai; they recognised him as a naval officer and raised the hue and cry.”
“The Golden Moon?”
“Ah… It is a brothel, sir. Rather expensive, beyond my touch, but Mr Coulthorne has an income of his own.”
“I see – I was told there was triad involvement in this business. No doubt they were senior men present to protect their masters’ interests.”
“Quite, sir. There was an exchange of fire and Mr Coulthorne personally shot the men in the sampan. Then they closed up the bridge shutters, apart from the small windows that enable the ship to be conned, sir, and headed out to sea. A few minutes and Obelisk joined the fray.”
“Very good, Mr Geddes. Type it up, if you would be so good, and we will submit the report to the Admiral.”
“Do we know what the cargo is, sir?”
“No. I must surmise that it is valuable – its exact nature is unknown to me.”
Chapter Nine
The Earl’s Other Son Series
Peking Nightmares
Obelisk brought her charges to the fleet and dropped anchor under Barfleur’s lee, exchanging signals to explain the presence of the German and Russian ships. Bussard and Sivuch joined their own seniors and Canton Pearl was placed in the centre of the British flotilla, cruisers to either side of her, ostentatiously none of any other nationality’s business.
Magnus was called to the admiral’s presence, carrying his written reports with him.
Admiral Bruce listened and approved.
“So, what is her cargo, Eskdale?”
“Haven’t opened her hatches, sir. Didn’t want to be seen doing so with the Germans and Russians watching.”
“Sensible.”
Bruce turned to his flag lieutenant, told him to get a party of seamen across to Canton Pearl.
“Have a drink the while, Eskdale?”
Magnus accepted a pink gin and sat to wait, chatting lightly with the admiral and then describing the taking of Peking.
“Bad business, sir. The troops went wild. So did the Naval Brigade, and too many of the officers. Just about every piece of moveable property in Peking was looted, and I should imagine that every girl in the city was raped at least once.”
“Lost all control, eh? Very bad!”
“Partly, sir. I believe that the senior officers of more than one nationality saw a chance to punish the Chinese and to terrify them into future submission.”
“Even bloody worse if that is so, man!”
Magnus agreed. He described the daily auctions of loot and the way in which diplomats and senior officers used their money to buy lots in, normally at one per cent of their value or less.
“They say that the Americans have loaded two boxcars with ancient porcelain looted from the palaces, sir. I knew a pair – Squiers, husband and wife - who were collectors. They now have a display that will match any museum.”
“Don’t expect that of diplomats, Eskdale!”
“From all I saw in Peking, sir, I would expect anything of anybody now.”
The flag lieutenant let himself into the cabin, suppressing smiles.
“Beg pardon, sir. The cargo on Canton Pearl, sir, amounts to about eight tons.”
“Does it by God!”
“Yes sir. Granite blocks, sir. Paving setts that you might use on a stone quay, sir. The boxes are all marked as bullion, sir.”
Magnus shook his head in dismay as Admiral Bruce chuckled.
“The sods! They fooled me, sir. There were three junks tied up at a lesser wharf, sir. They will have sailed by now, the cargo safely tucked away in their holds. No way of telling them apart from a hundred others on the coast, sir.”
Admiral Bruce could afford to be amused – the whole affair had come under Captain Hawkins’ command, had been run by his intelligence department, no doubt with the knowledge of the Governor in Hong Kong.
“Well, Eskdale, they have made monkeys out of us – and the Germans and Russians and Japanese as well.”
They considered that last point.
“Of course, Eskdale, our reports will make much of the way in which we surreptitiously aided the Chinese to take the Germans and Russkis down a peg. Going to make them look pretty foolish, if the diplomatic people play their cards right. Best thing will be for me to write a cover for your reports and for you to take the bag down to Shanghai and get it on the wire to Hong Kong with the recommendation that it be sent to the Admiralty with all speed. Could be in London in three days and in the embassies in another two. Get our word in first, I think.”
“That would be much to our advantage, sir. What of the triads in Shanghai who set us up for this, sir?”
“Triads? They don’t exist and so we can never have talked with them. No doubt the police in Shanghai will take stern action against certain individuals and their business enterprises – but, any money you like to bet, Eskdale, they’ll be gone.”
It made sense. The triads had conspired with the Qing, or so it seemed, and would have gone north to collect their reward and set up there, taking over from others who had shown less loyal. There would be a bloodbath in certain northern cities as the old men were despatched and the new enthroned.
“And all of it covered by the war, sir. The old Empress will have won again, in part at least. Mind you, the word was that she could only be granted peace on harsh terms. There is thought of a massive indemnity to be paid to the western nations and Japan. More treaty ports as well and the whole country to be opened up to foreign traders. No doubt the Russians will take
and hold onto Manchuria and the Japanese will look for concessions of land and will demand a free hand in Korea.”
Admiral Bruce was inclined to be contemptuous.
“They call that ‘civilisation’, do they, Eskdale?”
“The Chinese are correct to call us barbarians, sir – but, so are they. There is no decency or honesty in this world, sir.”
“You may well be right. Sail for Shanghai as soon as my packet comes aboard. Fast passage. When there, add Obelisk to the station and remain in port for at least one month. My orders to the Senior Naval Officer in Shanghai will include that instruction. Leave for you and your officers and complement. I shall put men from Barfleur aboard Canton Pearl so you can sail with all of your people. Are there any of your officers to be noticed?”
“Sublieutenant Knuyper, sir. He is junior as yet and can just be promoted but obviously lacks experience. He comes of a very good family – as the name will tell you. You might consider putting him aboard one of the sloops, sir, sole lieutenant other than her captain. A forcing ground for a young man.”
Admiral Bruce thought hard, running through the aristocracy in his mind, came up with the Duke of Northumberland.
“The Duke’s family?”
“Younger son, sir.”
“He gets his commission today and an appointment tomorrow, Eskdale. Well done to give me the opportunity to look after him.”
Magnus nodded, as a good subordinate should.
“My gunnery officer, Pattishall, has done well but cannot handle first of a cruiser yet. I don’t think he is a small ships man, sir. He might benefit from a battleship or armoured cruiser as number two to the gunnery officer. A deal of potential in Pattishall, sir. Engineer Lieutenant Lockhart came with us to Peking and proved useful indeed on the railway and held his end rather well when it came to fighting. A promotion to a bigger ship would not come amiss, sir. Paymaster Geddes stood at my shoulder the whole way, sir, and fought and provided rations equally well. He is one who again would be suited to a greater task in a larger ship. If I might make so bold, sir, any of the four would be worthy of a Mention in Despatches, as would Midshipman Warren, who was wounded in action. My Marine Lieutenant, sir, Mr Robbins, was all that one might expect of a Jolly. I was, in fact, sir, remarkably well served by my people. My report to you does say so.”
“Good. I will do what I can for your men, Eskdale. For the moment, make ready to sail, sir.”
“Mr Lockhart, we are to make all speed to Shanghai, carrying despatches. We will remain there for at least one month. You may expect at least two weeks in the dockyard, more if at all possible.”
“Twelve knots, sir. No more if we are to steam continuously for three days.”
“What’s the chance of fourteen?”
“None, sir!”
“As you will. We sail as soon as the despatches are put aboard.”
Magnus turned to Lieutenant Pattishall.
“You will remain as First until Shanghai, Mr Pattishall. No choice, I am afraid. There is no officer here of a seniority to relieve you. I am most pleased with the way you have responded to the unexpected task, sir, and my report says much that is good of you. Admiral Bruce knows your name and will remember it. Now, we are to collect our people from Canton Pearl as soon as Barfleur sends a party to relieve them. We sail for Shanghai at earliest. bearing despatches.”
The law was that a ship bearing despatches delayed for nothing and nobody. A despatch carrier could pass by the Commander-in-Chief in the Grand Fleet and do no more than dip her ensign in salute, refusing to stop; runners had done so in the past and the Admiralty had congratulated them for their resolve.
Lieutenant Pattishall hurried about his duty, knowing that Obelisk must be seen to weigh anchor within the minute of the despatches arriving aboard.
Three hours later they had saluted the Flag and were steaming south under a huge cloud of black smoke, advertising that they were in the greatest possible hurry. Another hour and Magnus bent to the voicepipe.
“Barfleur is out of sight, Mr Lockhart. Stop making smoke.”
A few gallons of used engine oil thrown into the furnaces was very effective in giving the impression of a ship making fullest possible speed into the night.
There was a new SNO in Shanghai, Captain Grafton, known to Magnus from the Mediterranean fleet of five years previously.
“Commander Lord Eskdale, sir, Obelisk, bearing despatches from Admiral Bruce. Request from the Admiral that the despatches should be put onto the wire with all speed, sir.”
Strictly speaking, Admiral Bruce had no power to give orders to Captain Grafton – they were in different chains of command. In practice, it was never wise for any captain to ignore the wishes of an admiral commanding a fleet - there was always a chance of meeting again in future years.
Captain Grafton called for his Yeoman and ordered him to transcribe the despatches immediately, priority over all other traffic.
“Summary first, detail to follow.”
“Aye aye, sir.”
The Yeoman, old in his trade, hardly needed to be told how to send despatches. He saluted precisely and left at the run.
“Some years since we met, Eskdale. I hear you have covered yourself in glory on the station.”
“Not just recently, sir.”
Magnus described how he had been fooled by the Chinese, knowing that the story would be all over the station within the week. Better to be ruefully amused than humiliated.
“Wicked buggers, sir! I took Obelisk through shallows with no more than two feet under her keel and slid off the tail of a mudbank, all for eight tons of road metal!”
“The most expensive paving stones I’ve ever heard of, Eskdale! Still, you pulled your coaster out from under the noses of the Germans and the Russkis and that was worth doing. Tells them who has mastery of the sea!”
That was the word Magnus hoped to hear passed around.
“They were saying in Hong Kong that you took the Naval Brigade into Tientsin on the heels of the Japanese?”
“Had to run fast to keep up with them, too, sir. Unmatched fighting men and with no idea of being defeated. Quite literally, the Japs had rather die than be beaten. They had taken fifty per cent casualties during the day and as soon as night fell the same men pushed forward again and blew the gate. They couldn’t set a fuse because of the Chinese fire so one of their officers ran up with a flaming torch and shoved it into two hundred pounds weight of guncotton! Never heard the like of it, sir. Blew himself to smithereens.”
Captain Grafton was amazed and horrified both.
“Crazy brave, Eskdale. And you were close enough to see it all and run through the blown-open gates?”
“No choice, sir. How could I hang back after seeing that example?”
“Good question. I don’t know the answer for myself. Well done. You are transferred to my command with the request that you and your crew be given as much leave as possible this month.”
“The men are tired, sir, and deserve a break, they have done well these few months. As for me? I have a heavily pregnant wife to go home to, as soon as I can, sir.”
“You haven’t. I should have given you this as soon as we had dealt with the despatches. Notification that you are father to a son as of yesterday. All well. Hand over to your First and go home, man.”
“Problem there, sir. My First is a good lad but much too junior for the task. Standing in for a promoted senior and with far too few years under his belt. He will have a hard job of readying Obelisk to go into the yard.”
“Easily dealt with – I have two men who could be promoted premier in a small cruiser. One of them is here in Shanghai at the moment. He will be aboard as soon as I can lay hands on him. Get yourself off, my lord.”
Carter was waiting when Magnus trotted aboard to change and pick up his personal effects.
“Congratulations, sir!”
Magnus was not surprised. The grapevine never failed.
“I’ll bring your
bags ashore, sir. We’ll get hold of a carriage for you and you can be home within the half hour, sir.”
Half the crew was on deck to watch him step onto the quay, saying nothing but grinning openly.
“Over here, my lord!”
He turned to the call and discovered the Blantyre town carriage waiting with door open and a footman bowing. He presumed that Obelisk had been spotted in the river and word rushed to the hong. He stepped inside and relaxed in the soft cushioning, tension draining out of him as he left the ship behind.
The front doors opened, the butler bowing low.
“Lady Eskdale, she’s upstairs still, my lord. Not leaving her own room this week, my lord.”
“Thank you.”
Magnus trotted up the stairs, smiling at the maids and menservants, all of whom had managed to find something to do at the front of the house to be there on his return.
“I am late, Ellen! I could not get here sooner.”
“Better you were not, my love. The house was turned upside down and you would have been forgotten in a back corner. You know how much the maids love to make a great fuss and hoo-ha when anything happens!”
She called to the nursery maids who appeared three strong bearing the baby between them.
“A healthy little boy, Magnus. Eight pounds of him, so not so very small!”
Magnus took the well-wrapped parcel in his arms, amazed at how very tiny he was, pink and bald and sleeping.
“A fine boy, my dear. Have you thought of names?”
“George, for your father and brother?”
“We should – the name has run in the family for at least six generations. George Edward, or perhaps Albert, Blantyre Campbell, do you think? Edward shows loyal and Blantyre I insist upon.”
“You are very good, Magnus. My father will be so proud. Not Edward or Albert, if you do not mind – I see no need to name our boy after the royal reprobate! What of Jacky?”
“Thus to nail our colours to the mast? An excellent idea. If he chooses Dartmouth, then it will do him no harm. I must say, I rather hope he will not follow me into the navy. It is a tradition in the family that one of our sons serves at sea, but I see no reason why it must always be so. That can wait, however. What of you, my lady? Are you as well as you look?”
04 Peking Nightmares (The Earl’s Other Son Series, #4) Page 16
