“Is that bribery and corruption, sir?”
“Good God, no, Mr Naylor. It is merely the generosity of mutual friends, the rich to their poorer political brethren. The fact that Jardines puts ten thousand a year into a politician’s bank account does not mean that they expect him to look after their interests in London. Perish the thought!”
Mr Naylor thought his captain was waxing sardonic.
“To sum up, we are not here to go contrary to the needs of the British Empire in China.”
“And those needs are expressed by the hongs, not by the Navy, sir?”
“Precisely, Mr Naylor. Never forget that.”
Chapter Twelve
The Earl’s Other Son Series
Peking Nightmares
Lieutenant Naylor leaned over the engine room voicepipe.
“Finished with engines.”
Lapwing was tied up at the pontoon and did not propose to move again until Christmas and the New Year were both past. Shore leave would be of the most generous for officers and men, the ship to be manned mostly by the unofficials. Steam would be maintained on the donkey engine, in case there might be need to work a derrick and to run the generator that supplied electricity for lighting in the mess decks and cabins.
“Happy Christmas, sir. What do we do if there is an emergency, sir?”
“Swear. Dwarf has drawn the short straw and will remain under four hours notice for steam for the next week. Britomart then takes over for the New Year period. Both ships will be granted a leave period covered by Lapwing and Magpie later in the year.”
“Yes, sir. If all of us are required, sir?”
“Then the word will be passed around the clubs and theatres and hotels and you must return to the ship. Nothing less than another war will occasion that extremity, Mr Naylor. Christmas is a holiday.”
It was generally agreed that there was no war in the offing.
“Happy Christmas, sir.”
“And to you, Mr Naylor.”
There was a letter from England waiting for Magnus when he reached the house and had made his greetings and had picked up the baby, all to the approval of the watching staff.
“It came down from Peking, Magnus. Came here yesterday by the hand of the consul – personally.”
“All he’s fit for, I fear – messenger boy. Why, one wonders, my love. I suppose I must read it before I sit down. I am on leave for Christmas, and the New Year, I much trust. SNO has agreed that the flotilla is to sit in idleness for the next three weeks. There is, in fact, nothing important for us to do. China is getting its breath back, one might say. The river pirates and the slavers and the assorted villains are all waiting to see what is going to happen, what the gwailos will do, what will eventuate in Peking, whether Cixi will survive in power.”
“What will happen, Magnus?”
“Damned if I know, my love! Something – probably. It is not impossible that nothing will happen as such and that things will simply creep into their old place and habits. Much depends on this German fellow and his punitive expeditions. If he calms down and stops shooting random Chinese then it becomes possible that the country will be able to progress. More likely his sole interest will be to punish China, in which case the whole empire will fall into decay and desuetude and the new ‘movements’ will have a free field in which to create chaos. These funny Marxist chaps are building a following among the students, I gather, and there are others who wish to convert the country to democracy and the warlords who want to return to mediaeval times. Put that lot together and chaos will be an improvement! Let’s see about this letter.”
Magnus used his penknife to slit open an outer, wax-sealed canvas cover to discover a thick brown-paper envelope with the seal of the Peking legation. Inside that was a third envelope which finally disclosed two headed quarto sheets covered in a fine italic hand.
“Foreign Office, by God!”
“Would that be the Mr Cecil you have mentioned, Magnus?”
“Yes… A moment while I try to make sense of all this… You had better read it yourself, my lady.”
She perused the letter and made little of it.
“The Countess Schoenberg is to be watched… Why, Magnus?”
“Last paragraph.”
She reread the final lines.
“Ah! I missed that. She is known in Berlin, Potsdam specifically, but is not a known figure in Austria-Hungary though claiming that nationality. She is, it would seem, in the employ of the German government and possibly directly known in the court of the Kaiser.”
“Exactly so. She is by way of being a spy or agent of the Germans. No doubt she has some task relating to their influence in China – possibly to expanding the treaty port at Tsingtao. Of rather greater importance, of course, is the very first line.”
“Mr Cecil is sorry to inform you that your father is in rapid and probably irreversible decline. His seat in the Lords will soon be vacant.”
“Exactly. I am likely to be recalled to London to sit in that seat. Not as a sailor, either. I wonder what they have in mind for me? Would you wish to stay in Shanghai, Ellen? I do not have to be at their beck and call. I could send my papers in and join the hong so that we could remain here for many years yet.”
“No. I do not believe you are suited to the life of a trader sat in an office, Magnus. As well, my father is reconciled to the idea of leaving China now. I would like him to spend his final years in England or Scotland, away from the strain of Shanghai. He could enjoy a much quieter existence, using the money he has earned for his own pleasure. I really cannot think that Shanghai is good for him.”
“Or for me, as far as that goes, or, particularly, George. It is a fascinating city, but it is no place to bring up a child – too many diseases, too much in the way of fear. I might like to see our son enjoying a life in England’s green fields, my love.”
“So too would I! That settles it. We return to England when the orders arrive. I wonder what they will be?”
“From the Admiralty initially, bringing me back to a Home posting. Difficult to envisage what it might be. As a post captain, young in the rank, I will be difficult to place. Too junior for a big cruiser, too senior for a small. Not a sea-going command initially, I would think. One of the embassies, perhaps, might fit… Or, they might want me to go to a base where I could use my earldom to the Navy’s advantage. Gibraltar, perhaps? Or Malta. No way of telling what they have in mind. Cecil has been receiving my letters these three years now and must feel some slight gratitude to me, and will wish to continue using me… All far too much above my head; I cannot guess. Now, what do we do about the Countess?”
“Invite her to our Christmas function, certainly, Magnus. We are a leading family in social terms and she will wish to keep in with us. I wonder, Magnus, if we might not put her in the way of Mr Sia?”
“Do we wish to introduce a possible German agent to our own ally?”
“Provided we do so with our, and his, eyes open.”
“That might be a very wicked thing to do, my love.”
“It might indeed, but she should not come here spying, after all.”
“Sia might feed her false information, or he might choose that she should disappear – or, he might use her to keep himself on the right side of Germany as well. It is a dangerous thing to do… but, whatever happens to her, it is no fault of ours. We cannot have our names besmirched by taking vigorous action against a female, however much a spy she may be – but the same concerns do not apply to Lord Ping or Mr Sia.”
“So I thought, Magnus. Do you wish to show the letter to my father?”
He thought quickly, glanced back over the sheets.
“Yes. There is nothing there he must not see. It is only courtesy to tell him that we may be taking the ship Home within a few months.”
Blantyre was much impressed that Magnus had faith in him to the extent of making him privy to matters of Intelligence.
“Not a word from me, my lord, about the German female.
Nor shall I ask what you are to do with her. I do not like to read the lines suggesting that Her Majesty may soon be no more. Your correspondent says she has retired to Osborne - where she enjoyed many a happy day with her Consort, so tragically lost to her – and is not expected ever to leave the Isle of Wight again. It will not be the same world without her, my lord. She was crowned before I was born – there has only been the one queen in all of my lifetime. And yours, of course. A different case for the King-to-be – he will not enjoy many years on the throne, I fear. He is old already and has not spent a healthy life.”
Magnus shook his head – an era was ending with Victoria.
“A new century and a new age, I fear, sir. To an extent, I do fear, as well. We have become complacent as a country, you know, sir. I much suspect that the world is changing while we are standing still. I look around the club here in Shanghai, and at the hotels, and I see a world that has tried not to change for half a century. I much doubt that can continue. Have you heard word of labour organisations, of these trades unions, sir? They are becoming strong in Britain and I believe it is not impossible that they may spread to China, you know.”
Blantyre chuckled.
“They are here already. We have allowed, encouraged in fact, intelligent young men to go to England and America – and to Paris and Berlin – and they have gone with open eyes, and come back with open mouths. But – and this is important – this is China! The existing authorities have watched and listened and discovered all that these young men would do. Then they have acted. Many of the young men have disappeared, of course. The warlords and older mandarins have but one answer to those who would challenge the existing order. But here in Shanghai, I know, and in Canton and Hong Kong, I do not doubt, the trades unions have been encouraged and aided to grow. The triads see them as useful tools, as public organisations that help to cover their private existence and which can be steered in a ‘sensible’ direction. The younger politicians see the new unions as a mass organisation which they may exploit to gain power. Many of the mandarins see the possibility of embarrassing the gwailos. And, of course, the more awake of the gwailos see another way of maintaining their profits in a world that is growing different every day.”
Magnus listened in awe. He had always known that Blantyre was an able man of business but it had not occurred to him that he was politically astute as well.
“Tell me, sir. What am I to do when the hongs come banging on my door to say there is a strike on the Bund, that the coolies are rioting? They will ask for me to send the launches to their rescue, machine guns blazing. Should I do so?”
“Of course. Provided the Municipal Council first endorses that action. Without a specific order, in writing, you would be well advised to refuse.”
“So I would, sir. Be sure that I shall not forget your words.”
Christmas proceeded merrily – as was only right – and was followed by the New Year, celebrated in the Chinese fashion with clouds of fireworks. There were dinners and dances and a formal ball, as had always been the case, and the community in Shanghai noticed nothing different. The new century promised to be identical to the old, they thought.
Magnus squired Ellen to all of the functions and showed himself very publicly to be her faithful husband, somewhat to the annoyance of Countess Schoenberg who appeared determined to seduce him, although some few years his senior.
“Why, I wonder, Ellen?”
His lady was amused, being certain from the attentions he paid her that she need have no fears for her husband.
“The Kaiser is building a navy, a High Seas Fleet, my love. A Navy must have its sources of intelligence, its knowledge of all that its rivals are doing. To make a conquest of a young captain can only be of value to the new German admiralty.”
“And my reputation of previous years suggests that I am susceptible to female charms – which is perfectly true, my love, but only yours!”
“That I know well, my lord. I much suspect she is doing no more than make an investment in you, reeling you in and then to put you away in the back cupboard to be made use of perhaps in many years from now.”
“Playing the long game? Could well be. A cable to Captain Hawkins becomes wise.”
“As well he should know all that is happening. Have you spoken to Mr Sia?”
“A week ago. He has not come back to me, so I suspect is taking advice from Hanshan.”
Captain Hawkins was much amused, cabled back that he would bear Magnus’ tribulations in mind.
“Why is it that naval captains all feel the need to become great wits as soon as they are promoted, Ellen? If you notice such tendencies in me, I beg you to crush them.”
“Impossible, my love. You are uncrushable.”
He chose not to rise to that bait.
“What am I to do with the flotilla when our leave period ends next week? Nothing is happening to justify any action of any sort.”
“Show the flag, sir. Let the jolly White Ensign be seen on the Yangtse, to the delight of all good men and the terror of the wicked!”
“You may well be right, Ellen. There is nothing to do but we cannot be seen to do nothing. Therefore we shall do nothing in a positive fashion. The four gunboats may trot off upriver, separately, while I remain in Shanghai with the destroyer, Taku, waiting for a telegram to call me upriver at thirty knots, coming to the rescue in a dashing cloud of white spray. Well, fairly brown, actually, it being the Yangtse, but the principle holds.”
“Standing at the salute on the bridge, no doubt!”
“Of course. I must be seen to be the very epitome of the naval hero – I may get my face in the comic books yet. Of course, if my name was Beatty, I would regard that as eminently desirable.”
“Perhaps you should wear your cap off-centre – dashingly tilted across your noble brow.”
“I knew I had forgotten a necessary part of my naval persona, my love. When we return to England and the realm of the newspaper photographers then I shall develop such a habit, but I shall remain within the realms of good taste while in Shanghai.”
“In that case, my love, you may well be unique in this city.”
“It is a vulgar place, is it not? I doubt I have ever seen quite such displays of opulence elsewhere. They say that Cape Town is the same in parts, the gold miners and diamond magnates showing off in the most shameful fashion. But the whole of our part of Shanghai is a monument to the wealth the gwailos have screwed out of China – primarily by selling opium!”
“Yes. You have opened my eyes there, I am afraid, Magnus. We have advanced into China, opium pipe in one hand, Bible in the other – the two sources of Salvation, it might seem!”
He was shocked, momentarily, and then was proud of her perception.
“Ours is no civilisation of virtue, certainly, my love. The problem is that in many ways Britain’s way of life is preferable to any other existing on Earth. Our lower classes at least are not to be casually killed at the whim of their betters – which is more than can be said for China. The least among us can sometimes rise to take a commission and be a gentleman. In China, that is not so. And, as we well know, the poor may sometimes enrich themselves. We do not see unwanted babies floating down the Thames. The British have committed many sins in this world, and no doubt we shall add many more to the list, but we do offer some few benisons to the lesser folk in the unfortunate countries.”
“Unfortunately true, Magnus. If we are the best – and I truly believe we may be – what does that say of the worst?”
Magnus was not willing to answer that question.
Blantyre appeared on a brief morning call.
“You might wish to purchase a New Year’s gift at Sia’s, my lord. This day, if possible.”
“I shall take Ellen with me, sir.”
“Do that. If you see anything interesting, drop the word to me.”
Sia was delighted to see them in his store. He deputed two of his young men to show Ellen the finest of his silks from the warehouse
while he spoke quickly with Magnus.
“Your German Countess, my lord, is less – and perhaps more – than she seems. She had to admit to her true vocation when suggesting to me that I might wish to persuade Lord Ping to offer the freedom of his harbour to the Imperial German Fleet. She offered a payment in gold of twenty thousand sovereigns if I would do so.”
Magnus grimaced.
“Twenty thousand. To you, sir? How very ill-mannered of her!”
“I did, my lord, inform her that the sum was an insult, in the expectation that it was the merest bargaining ploy, the first and insignificant offer. Instead of coming back with a more realistic figure she threatened me!”
“She did what?”
Magnus was horrified – one did not offer threat to the Sias of this world.
“She informed me that when the Kaiser became Emperor of China, I would much regret having refused his generosity. The hangman’s noose was the proper reward for those who showed the least opposition to His Imperial Majesty.”
“How very foolish – and how disgustingly ill-mannered!”
“Well said, my lord. I have invited her to pay a visit to my master, Lord Ping, in Hanshan, so that she might express herself forthrightly to him.”
“Has she been so unwise as to accept?”
“She took a steamer up coast just yesterday, my lord.”
“How remarkably short sighted of her. I fear for her future, Mr Sia.”
Mr Sia regretted that the lady’s future might indeed be short, though possibly full of incident, especially if she offered threat to Lord Ping.
“I presume I am to inform my acquaintance that she has left for Tsingtao, having received word that her antecedents have been betrayed?”
“Elegantly expressed, my lord.”
“I must, of course, make a brief report to Captain Hawkins.”
“I assumed that to be so, my lord. Under no circumstances will the influence I represent support the creation of a Germanised China. I might add that we will also tend to resent any further Anglicisation.”
04 Peking Nightmares (The Earl’s Other Son Series, #4) Page 22
